The key differences between Piaget and Vygotsky are that Piaget emphasized individual construction of knowledge through stages of development while Vygotsky emphasized mutual/social construction of knowledge without defined stages and emphasized the role of social interaction and culture.

1. The Constructivist
Approach to Language
Teaching & Learning
Ed-Psych Course (TEFL & ICT MA Program)
Pr. Tamer Youssef & Pr. Ghaicha Abdallah
Prepared by: Ait Taleb Abdelaziz
Driouch Aziz
Jamaati Zakaria

2. I- Historical background of
constructivism & Vigotsky theory.
Out line
I-1. Background and 1.4. Monitor & encourage S
definition. use of private speech.
I-2. Social Learning. 2. Constructivist Approaches to
I-3. Language & Thought. teaching & Learning:
I-4. Zone of Proximal 2.1. top-down processing
Development (ZPD). 2.2. cooperative learning
(Cognitive Apprenticeship) 2.3. discovery learning
I-5. Scaffolding (Mediated 2.4. self-regulated learning
Learning).
2.5. problem solving &
I-8. Tutoring.
thinking Skills.
II- Teaching Connection: How is
III- Evaluating Vigotsky Theory and
Vigotsky theory used in class?
General Implectation of constructvist
1. How is Vigotsky Theory used in approach.
class?
3.1. Comparing Vigotsky to
1.1. Assess Ss ZPD. Piaget.
1.2. Exploit Ss ZPD.
3.2. Implications of
1.3. Use more skilled peers as Ts Constructivism to language
teaching & Learning

3. Historical Background and
Definition of Vigotsky theory
Aziz Driouch

4. A brief introduction to constructivism
Generally, constructivism view learning as individually
constructed. Learners construct knowledge in their
own minds, and the teacher can facilitate this process
by making the knowledge presented more meaningful
and absorbable via creating and giving chances to the
learners to discover new information and consciously
use their learning strategies. Simply, teachers should
give their learners ladders that lead to higher
understanding, yet the students themselves must
climb these ladders.

5. • "cognitive constructivism" which is about
how the individual learner understands things,
in terms of developmental stages - Piaget.
• "social constructivism", which emphasizes
how meanings and understandings grow out of
social encounters—Vygotsky.

6. • Constructivism — particularly in its "social"
forms — suggests that the learner is much
more actively involved in constructing their
knowledge rather than passively receiving the
latter from their environments-a teacher ,
peers, parents…- for creating/ constructing
new meanings.

7. Social learning:
• constructivist thought draws most heavily on
Vygotsky‟s theories, which have been used to
support instructional methods that emphasize
cooperative learning, project- based learning
and discovery. Generally, constructivists
believe that learning occur through interaction,
and the development of language is social
before individual coming as a result of joint
problem solving and cooperative learning

8. • Vygotsky (1978) explains: argued that "Every
function in the child's cultural development
appears twice: first, on the social level, and
later, on the individual level; first, between
people (interpsychological) and then inside
the child (intrapsychological).

9. Language and thought:
• Thought and speech have different roots in
humankind, thought being nonverbal and
language being nonintellectual in an early stage.
But their development lines are not necessarily
parallel - they cross again and again. At a certain
moment around the age of two, the curves of
development of thought and speech, until then
separate, meet and join to initiate a new form of
behavior. That is when thought becomes verbal
and speech becomes rational. A child first seems
to use language for superficial social interaction,
but at some point this language goes underground
to become the structure of the child's thinking.

10. • To Vygotsky, a clear understanding of the
interrelations between thought and language
is necessary for the understanding of
intellectual development. Language is not
merely an expression of the knowledge the
child has acquired. There is a fundamental
correspondence between thought and speech
in terms of one providing resource to the
other; language becoming essential in forming
thought and determining personality features.

11. Zone of Proximal Development:
• has been defined as "the distance between
the actual developmental level as determined
by independent problem solving and the level
of potential development as determined
through problem solving under adult
guidance, or in collaboration with more
capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p86).

12. • In other words, it is the distance of what the
learner can accomplish independently, and
what that same learner can accomplish while
working with a more skilled adult or peer. This
zone/ distance defines the actual potential of
the learner, because what the learner can do
with assistance today is likely to be what the
learner will soon be capable of doing
autonomously. Cognitive growth is maximized
if social interactions occur within the learner’s
ZPD.

14. • Constructivist theorists suggest that teachers
transfer this long-standing and highly effective
model of teaching and learning to day-to-day
activities in classrooms, both by engaging
students in complex tasks and helping them
through these and by involving students in
cooperative learning groups in which more
advanced students help less advanced ones
through complex tasks.

15. Scaffolding:
• within the ZPD, learners interact with more
skilled peers or adults to perform a task that
those learners can’t do independently. The
adults or more skilled peers guide and support
the learners to perform these difficult tasks.
This guidance is referred as scaffolding.

16. • Scaffolding usually follows a three-step
sequence. At first, the adults or more skilled
learners assume more responsibility for
completing the task. For example, they may
modal and explain what they are doing.
Second, the learner or the peer guide share
responsibility for task completion. The guide
gradually relinquishes control to the learner as
the learner’s skills increase.
Finally, the learner takes full responsibility for
completing the task. This final step represents a
transition from socially supported performance
to independent performance.

17. Mediated learning:
• Vygotsky believed that while students are
engaged in activities within their social
environments, they create their
understandings of their worlds. Each
environment provides cultural tools that
support or mediate students’ activities.
Vygotsky identified two types of cultural tools
:

18. • Technical / physical tools: that are used to act
on objects in the environment like:
blackboard, pen, spoon,hammer, etc
• Psychological/symbolic tools: that guide and
mediate thoughts and behavior such as:
language( to establish contact, influence
others etc), mathematics ( when u face a
problem of measurement or calculation), etc

19. Cognitive apprenticeship:
• This term refers to the relationship in which
an expert stretches and supports a novice’s
understanding and use of a culture’s skills. In
other words, it is the process by which a
learner gradually acquires expertise through
interaction with an expert, either an adult or
more advanced peer

20. • In many occupations, new workers learn their
jobs through a process of apprenticeship, in
which a new worker works closely with an
expert, who provides a model, gives feed-
back to the less experienced worker, and
gradually socializes the new worker into the
norms and behaviors of the profession.
Student teaching is a form of apprenticeship.

21. Tutoring:
• basically, tutoring is a cognitive apprenticeship
between an expert and a novice. It can take place
between an adult and a child or a more-skilled
child and a less-skilled child. Individual tutoring is
an effective strategy that benefits many students,
especially those who are not doing well in a
certain subject. Sometimes, it is frustrating to
find some students need more individual help
than you as their teacher can give while working
on the needs of the classroom as a whole. Here,
classroom aides, volunteers, and mentoring can
help reduce some of this frustration.

22. Teaching connection: How is
Vigotsky theory is used in class?
Zakaria Jamaati

23. How is Vigotsky theory used in class?
1. Assess Ss ZPD:
• Resort to diagnostic assessment (different challenging
levels), formative assessment and alternative
assessment to determine where to start instruction, the
progress of Ss and what point you want to reach.
2. Exploit your Ss ZPD in teaching:
• Teaching should aim that S reaches the upper limit of
the ZPD acquiring higher level of skill and
knowledge.

24. How is Vigotsky theory used in class?
• T should provide only the support and assistance
needed, and encourage timid and hesitant Ss.
• T needs to differentiate instruction as Ss‟ ZPD differ
from one another.
• Homework should be aimed at the Lower limit of
ZPD to develop Ss self-esteem  challenging, but
Achievable

25. How is Vigotsky theory used in class?
3. Use more-skilled peers as teachers:
• Remember that it is not just adults that are important
in helping children learn:
“Children also benefit t from the support and
guidance of more-skilled children” (Gredler, 2009).

26. How is Vigotsky theory is used in class?
4. Monitor and encourage children’s use of private
speech.
• T should be aware of the developmental change from
externally talking to oneself when solving a problem
during the preschool years, to privately talking to
oneself in the early elementary school years.
•  In the elementary school years, T is advised to
encourage children to internalize and self-regulate
their talk to themselves.

27. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
1. Top-Down Processing:
• Emphasis is on top-down instead of bottom-up
instruction:
• Ss are pushed to deal with complex learning problems
and work out with the mediation of T to solve them and
discover essential learning skills they need to do that.
• # Traditional bottom-up process, in which learners are
equipped with basic skills, then build on them with more
complex skills.

28. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Ss have to begin with are complex, complete and
authentic task which urges them to use their
cognitive knowledge and experience to preform those
tasks successfully.
• T need to use scaffolding in top-down teaching;
providing his support if needed and resorting to group
work ➔ essential to reach High-order learning.
(Brooks & Brooks, 1993)

29. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
2. Cooperative Learning:
• Ss are more likely to discover and comprehend
difficult learning concepts if they can interact with
each other and exchange ideas about that concept.
• Advocacy of the social nature of learning.
• Group and peer work are used to model appropriate
ways of thinking, where Ss challenge each others‟
misconceptions ➔ cognitive change.

30. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• 3. Discovery learning: (Experiential Learning)
• "We teach a subject not to produce little living
libraries on that subject, but rather to get a
student to think for himself, to consider
matters as an historian does, to take part in the
process of Knowledge-getting. Knowing is a
process, not a product“ (Bruner:1966, p. 72)

31. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Bruner (1966) was the first one to coin this
component of constructivist approach.
• Ss are encouraged explore and discover, to learn
actively on their own and concepts and principles.
• T should encourage Ss to go through experiences and
experiment to discover principles themselves.

32. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Discovery learning is really beneficial:
• It arouses S curiosity, motivating him to continue
working until he finds answers.
• S learns independently (Autonomous learning).
• Develops problem-solving and critical-thinking skills;
S must analyze and manipulate information.

33. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• To avoid errors and wasting time, guided discovery
learning is highly recommended. (Pressley et al., 2003):
• ➔ T plays a more active role, prompts clues,
structures portions of an activity, or provides outlines.

34. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
4. Self-regulated Learning:
• “Self-regulated learners are ones who have
knowledge of effective learning strategies and
how and when to use them” (Bandura, 1991; Dembo
& Eaton, 2000; Schunk & Zirnmerman, 1997; Winne, 1997)

35. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Self-regulated learner is:
- highly motivated by learning itself.
- very patient with long-term tasks till he is done.
- effective learner; combines effective learning
strategies, motivation and determination to apply
these strategies.

36. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Self-regulated learner is able to:
o breaks complex problems into simple steps.
o tests different solutions before applying them.
(Greeno & Goldrnan, 1998)
o knows when to skim or read for deep
comprehension.
o Knows how to write for different purposes and
for different audiences. (Zimmerman & Iitsantas, 1999)

37. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
5. Problem-solving and Thinking Skills:
• "Problem-solving is a mental process that involves
discovering, analyzing and solving problems. The
ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome
obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the
issue.“ psychology.about.com
• Thinking Skills are the mental processes we use to
do things like: solve problems, make decisions, ask
questions, make plans, pass judgments, organize
information and create new ideas.

38. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
General Problem-solving Strategies: (IDEAL)
• Identify problems and opportunities.
• Define goals and represent the problem.
• Explore possible strategies.
• Anticipate outcomes and act.
• Look back and learn. (Bransford and Stein 199)

39. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• besides teaching analytical / logical problem solving
strategies, T is advised to teach also Creative
Problem-solving, in which he prepares students for
life outside the classroom; (managing relationships
problems, prepare a electronic machine to work,
etc.)
• Engage learners in a motivating problem-solving
tasks that are build up around appealing and
stimulating situations.

40. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Provide constant feedback, focus on the process and
practice rather than the correctness of the solutions.
• Incorporate thinking skills in lessons and develop a
culture of thinking in the class.
• Encourage S to think out of the box, avoid pre-
judgments and consider all solutions before applying
one.
• Develop a supportive, relaxing, open and tolerant
learning environment.

41. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• — Critical thinking is a
" conception based primarily in
particular skills, such as observing, inferring,
generalizing, reasoning, evaluating reasoning, and
the like. critical thinking is „the correct assessing of
statements‟“ (Ennis, 1996)

42. Constructivist Approaches
to Teaching & Learning
• Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)

43. I- Comparing cognitive (Piaget)
and social constructivism
(Vygotsky).
II- General implications of
constructivism.
Abdelaziz Ait Taleb

44. Piaget Vygotsky
(Cognitive constructivist) ( Social constructivist)
• Learning: • Learning:
Individuals “construct” emphasizes the role of the
meaning based on prior teacher, parents, peers and
knowledge and experience other community members
.It’s an active process in in helping learners to
which the learner master concepts that they
transforms information, would not be able to
constructs hypothesis, and understand on their own
makes decisions using
his/her mental models.

45. Piaget Vygotsky
• Socio-cultural Context: • Socio-cultural Context:
Little emphasis Strong emphasis
Knowledge: • Knowledge:
Individually Mutually constructed
constructed in the with others
social world Stages:
Stages: No general stages of
Strong emphasis on development proposed
stages (sensorimotor, ( It’s assumed that
preoperational, children function and
concrete operational, think in similar ways
and formal operational) throughout their life)

46. Piaget Vygotsky
• Role of Language: • Role of Language:
Language has a A major role; language
minimal role; cognition plays a powerful role in
primarily directs shaping thought
language Key Processes:
Key Processes: • Zone of proximal
Schema, assimilation, development, language,
accommodation, dialogue, tools of the
operations, culture
conservation,
classification
( John W.Santrock )

47. Task:
• Complete the text with the appropriate
words from the list.

48. Implications of constructivism
for teaching and learning
• Constructivist teaching seeks to provide an
environmentally rich, problem-solving context that
encourages the learner’s investigation , invention,
insight and inference. ( Alan Pritchard &John Wollard
2010)
• Instruction should be built around more complex
problems, not problems with clear, correct answers.
• Instruction must be concerned with experiences and
contexts that make students willing & able to learn
(readiness)
• Instruction must be structured so it is easily grasped
(spiral organization)

49. • In the constructivist classroom, the learners are the
makers of meaning and knowledge. Learners are not
empty vessels into which knowledge and
wisdom is poured. ( Alan Pritchard &John Wollard
2010)
• Student interest and effort are more important than
textbook content.
• Experimentation replaces rote learning.
• Exploration and active learning are important.
• Learning is collaborative and cooperative, not just
individual.

50. • The constructivist teacher is one who values learner
reflection and cognitive conflict and encourages peer
interaction
( Alan Pritchard &John Wollard 2010)
• The instructor should help negotiate goals and
objectives with learners
• Teachers should adapt curriculum to address students’
suppositions

51. •This model describes a teaching
sequence that can be used for
entire programs, specific units
and individual lessons.

52. • Students are introduced to the instructional
task during the ENGAGE stage. They make
connections between past and present
learning experiences and think about what
they’ll learn during the upcoming activities.
• Do this! Engage the students and get them
interested in learning
Ex: ask a question, define a problem, surprise
them, use problematic situations

53. • This phase of the 5 E's provides students with
a common base of experiences:
• Get the students directly involved in the
material
• Act as a facilitator
• Use their inquiry to drive the process

54. • This phase of the 5 E's helps students explain
the concepts they have been exploring.
• This phase also provides opportunities for
teachers to introduce formal terms,
definitions, and explanations for concepts,
processes, skills, or behaviors.

55. • Students expand on concepts learned
• Make connections
• Apply understandings to own environment &
world around them
• These connections lead to further inquiry &
new understandings

56. • This phase of the 5 E's encourages learners to
assess their understanding and abilities and
lets teachers evaluate students'
understanding of key concepts and skill
development.

57. • On-going diagnostic process
• Can occur at all points of the instructional
process
-Examples: teacher observation, student interviews, portfolios,
project & problem based learning products, etc.
• Used to guide teacher in further planning of
lessons

58. References
• Salivan E,R. (2006). Educational Psychology Theory
and Practice. 8th Edition. Boston: Pearson Education.
• Santrock J,W. (2011). Educational Psychology. 5th
Edition. NYC: McGraw Hill.
• Ennis, R H. (1996) Critical Thinking. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
• Alan Pritchard& John Wollard( 2010) Psychology for
the classroom.