Vygotsky's sociocultural theory emphasized that cognitive development occurs through social interaction and language. According to Vygotsky, higher mental functions first appear on a social level through interaction with others and then on an individual level. He introduced the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development to describe the difference between what a child can do independently and with guidance and collaboration. Assisted learning through scaffolding helps children develop skills within their ZPD. Vygotsky also saw language as a critical tool that shapes thinking.

1. VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL
THEORY
Gautam G. Gaude
M.Ed (R.I.E.)
CC:5 Learner and the learning Process
Roll No.: 03
2014-15

2. CONTENT:
Introduction
The social issues of individual thinking
Zone of proximal development (ZPD)
Assisted learning
Comparison between Vygotsky and Piaget theory

3. INTRODUCTION:
• Socio-cultural theory – Sociohistoric
• Social constructivism
• Lev Semenovich Vygotsky
• Russian Psychologist
• He was born in 1896- same year
as Piaget - in the small Russian town of Orsha.
• He came form Jewish family.

4. Continued…..
• He was a brilliant students of law, literature and cultural
studies at the University of Moscow.
• The work for which He was awarded Ph.D is
“ Psychology of Art”
• “Thought and Language” his best known work, was first
published in 1934.
• Produced over 100books and articles.
• He died on June 10, 1934, at the young age of 37 after
long battle with tuberculosis.

5. Conti….
• Like Piaget, he saw the child as active constructor of
knowledge and understanding.
• But he differ from Piaget in his emphasis on the role of
direct intervention by more knowledgeable others in this
learning process.
• He argued that it is as a result of the social interaction
between the growing child and other members of that
child’s community that the child acquires the tools of
thinking and learning.

6. The Social Issues Of Individual Thinking
• He assumed that every function in a child’s cultural
development appears twice:
1) On the social level [between people
(interpsychological )]and later
2)On the individual level [ inside the child
(intrapsychological)]

7. 6yr old Lost a
toy
Ask father to
help
He asks series of
questions – did
you have it in
your room?
The child says: I
can’t rememeber
Father asks:
where she last
saw the toy?
Outside? Next
door?
To each question
child says : No
When he says in
the car?
She says “ I
think so” And
goes to retrieve
it.
Example:

8. • Conti… .
• Who remembered the answer? The answer is
neither the father nor the daughter , but the two
together.

9. • Conti… .
• Who remembered the answer? The answer is
neither the father nor the daughter , but the two
together.
• The remembering and problem solving was co-
constructed between people- in the interaction.

10. • Conti… .
• Who remembered the answer? The answer is
neither the father nor the daughter , but the two
together.
• The remembering and problem solving was co-
constructed between people- in the interaction.
• But the child has internalized strategies to use
next time something is lost.

11. • Conti… .
• Who remembered the answer? The answer is
neither the father nor the daughter , but the two
together.
• The remembering and problem solving was co-
constructed between people- in the interaction.
• But the child has internalized strategies to use
next time something is lost.
• At some time child will able to function
independently to solve the kind of problem.

12. • Conti… .
• Who remembered the answer? The answer is neither
the father nor the daughter , but the two together.
• The remembering and problem solving was co-
constructed between people- in the interaction.
• But the child has internalized strategies to use next
time something is lost.
• At some time child will able to function
independently to solve the kind of problem.
• So like the strategy for finding the toy, higher
function appear first between a child and a teacher
before they exist within the individual child.

13. Conti…. .
Vygotsky’s theory stresses
• the role of interpersonal processes and
• the role of society
in providing a framework within which the child’s
construction of meaning develops.

14. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
• The zone of proximal development is
the difference between what a child can do alone and
what s/he can do with help from a more expert.

15. Conti… .
The zone of proximal development is
the area where the child cannot solve a problem alone, but
can be successful under adult guidance or in collaboration
with a more advanced peer.

16. • Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Distance Between Actual and Potential Knowledge
potential
knowledge
potential
actual
knowledge actual
Two children with the same actual knowledge travel different distances
to their potential knowledge; therefore different ZPDs
ZPD
ZPD

17. In ZPD, Sham is doing something requiring the help of someone more
capable. Without Ali’s help, Sham would be unable to play the game.
Eventually, Sham will learn the game well enough to play the game by
himself.
This is an example of how ZPD can work in the life of a child

18. Assisted learning
• Children cannot and should not be expected to
reinvent or rediscover knowldege already available
in their cultures.
• Rather they should be guided and assisted in their
learning – so vygotsky saw teacher’s, parents, and
other adults as central to the child’s learning and
development. ( Karpov & Heywood, 1998)

19. Conti…. .
• Assisted learning or guided participation in the
classroom, requires
scaffolding –
giving information, prompts, reminders and
encouragement at the right time and in the right
amounts and then gradually allowing the students to
do more on their own.
• Examples : Cognitive apprenticeships

20. Scaffolding
• Scaffolding means
providing a child with a great deal of support during
the early stages of learning and
then diminishing support and having the child take
on increasing responsibility.
( Slavin, 2003, pp. 45-46)

21. • Scaffolding:
▫ Provides support
▫ Extends the range of what a learner can do.
▫ Allows the learner to accomplish tasks otherwise
impossible
▫ Used only when needed
• Example :
An example of scaffolding in the classroom setting could
include a teacher first instructing her children on how to
write a sentence using commas and conjunctions. As the
week goes on, she has her students practice writing
these sentences with peers, gives students feedback
and eventually has the kids to complete this skill without
her guidance.

22. Comparison between Vygotsky and Piaget
Piaget Vygotsky
Both agree children are active learners who actively construct knowledge
Thinking develops in recognisable
stages which depend on natural
maturation
Development of thinking is
dependent upon language and
culture
Role of teacher important but use
of “more-expert other” not
central
Use of “more-expert other” seen
as fundamental part of cognitive
development
Readiness is a central concept in
education – children need to be
ready to progress in their learning
Children should be actively
encouraged to move through ZPD –
do not need to be ready but should
be given opportunity to engage in
problems which are beyond current
level of ability but within ZPD

23. Vygotsky and Piaget
Piaget Vygotsky
Scaffolding not a key concept Scaffolding is a central concept
Language reflects level of
cognitive development
Language helps to develop
cognitive abilities.
This theory was very influential in
education but has need revising
and underestimation of children’s
abilities still a problem
This theory is still very influential
in education

24. Vygotsky and Piaget
Piaget Vygotsky
Cognitive development is mostly
universal across cultures
Cognitive development varies
across cultures.
Individual (egocentric)
processes become social
processes (for example,
egocentric speech is adapted in
ways to allow more effective
communication)
Social processes become
individual - psychological
proceses( for example, social
speech becomwes private speech
and, eventually, inner speech)

25. References
• Smith, Cowle, Blades(1998), Understanding
Children’s Development, third edition, Blackwell
Publishers, pp. 425-444
• Woolfolk(2013), Educational Psychology, Ninth
Edition, Pearson, pp. 78-84
• Edwin D. Bell, Theories of Development Piaget
and Vygotsky, Winston-Salem State University,
ppt.(slideshare)