LEV VIGOTSKY

María Clara Hernández

November 10th, 2012

Lev Vigotsky

-Lev Vygotsky was born in Orsha, a city in the western region of the Russian Empire.

-He attended Moscow State University, where he graduated with a degree in law in 1917.

-He studied a range of topics while attending university, including sociology, linguistics, psychology and philosophy.

• Social interactions: Play a fundamental role in the process of cognitive development. Higher mental processes have their origin in social interactions.

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• The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): Refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner. (Teacher-peer, or even a computer.

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• The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) 3

What are the theory main points?

The Zone of Proximal Development • It is the distance

between a learner´s ability to solve problems independently and the learner´s potential level of comprehension when given guidance or in collaboration with a MKO. Learning occurs in this zone.

First, the child tries to figure out problems independently.

In conclusion, through a series of social interactions, the child has learned to internalize concepts and figure out problems.

The Zone of Proximal Develpoment

Then, he tries to solve the problem with adult guidence or in collaboration with peers. (MKO)

What are aspects you personally see positive and challenging about his proposal?

-Change the belief that teachers just deliver the curriculum.

-Provide meaningful learning experiences in which students play an active role in their learning process through social interactions.

-Teachers collaborate actively with their students in order to help facilitate meaning construction and problem solving strategies. -Learning as a reciprocal experience for students and teachers.

-Promote cooperative learning activities with different groups of children at different levels who can help each other learn. -Strengthen social and team work skills.

How could this particular proposal enrich your personal or your school´s practice?

Students must must learn to "negotiate" with others.

Constructivism gives students

ownership of what they learn, since learning is based

on students' questions and explorations.

Constructivism promotes social and

communication skills by creating a

classroom environment that

emphasizes collaboration and exchange of ideas.

Students in constructivist

classrooms learn to question things and

to apply their knowledge to real-

life situations.

Children learn more, and enjoy learning more when they are

actively involved, rather than passive

listeners.

We have the power to change a child’s life…..