VYGOTSKY'S SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY

I.                   INTRODUCTION

The key theme of Vygotsky's theory is that social interaction plays a very important
role in cognitive development. He believed that individual development could not be
understood without looking into the social and cultural context within which
development happens. Scaffolding is Vygotsky's term for the appropriate assistance
given by the teacher to assist the learner to accomplish a task.

II.       LEARNING OUTCOMES        

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

  Explain why Vygotsky's theory is called the "Socio-cultural" theory.

III.             COURSE CONTENT

DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES AND OTHER RELEVANT THEORIES

(Vygotsky's Socio-Cultural Theory)

IV.            LEARNING EXPERIENCE/S

When Vygotsky was a young boy, he was educated under a teacher who used the
Socratic method. This method was a systematic question and answer approach that
allowed Vygotsky to examine current thinking and practice higher levels of
understanding. This experience, together with his interest in literature and his work
as a teacher, led him to recognize social interaction and language as two central
factors in cognitive development. His theory became known as the Socio-Cultural
Theory of Development.

Piaget and Vygotsky

Vygotsky worked on his theory around the same time as Piaget in between the
1920's and '30s but they had clear differences in their views about cognitive
development. Since Piaget was taken up already in the preceding module, it would
be easier now to see how his views compare with Vygotsky's.

Piaget Vygotsky
More individual in focus More social in focus

Believed that there are universal stages of Did not propose stages but
cognitive development emphasized cultural factors in cognitive
development
Did not give much emphasis on language Stressed the role of language in cognitive
development
 

Social Interaction. Piaget's theory was more individual, while Vygotsky was more
social. Piaget's work on Piagetian's tasks focused heavily on how an individual's
cognitive development became evident through the individual's own processing of
the tasks. Vygotsky, on the other hand, gave more weight to the social
interactions that contributed to the cognitive development of individuals. For him,
the social environment or the community takes on a major role in one's
development.

Vygotsky emphasized that effective learning happens through participation in

Cultural factors. Vygotsky believed in the crucial role that culture played in the
cognitive development of children. Piaget believed that as the child develops and
matures, he goes through universal stages of cognitive development that allow him
to move from simple explorations with senses and muscles to complex reasoning.
Vygotsky, on the other hand, looked into the wide range of experiences that culture
would give to a child. For instance, one culture's view about education, how children
are trained early in life all can contribute to the cognitive development of the child.

Language. Language opens the door for learners to acquire knowledge that others
already have. Learners can use language to know and understand the world and
solve problems. Language serves a social function but it also has an important
individual function. It helps the learner regulate and reflect on his own thinking.
Children talk to themselves. Observe preschoolers play and you may hear,
"Gagawin ko itong airplane (holding a rectangular block), tapos ito ang airport
(holding two long blocks)." For Vygotsky, this 'talking-to oneself' is an indication of
the thinking that goes on in the mind of the child. This will eventually lead to private
speech. Private speech is a form of self-talk that guides the child's thinking and
action.

Vygotsky believed in the essential role of activities in learning. Children learn best
through hands-on activities than when listening passively. Learning by doing is even
made more fruitful when children interact with knowledgeable adults and peers.

Zone of Proximal Development

When a child attempts to perform a skill alone, she may not be immediately
proficient at it. So, alone she may perform at a certain level of competency. We refer
to this as the zone of actual development. However, with the guidance of a More
Knowledgeable Other (MKO), competent adult, or a more advanced peer, the child
can perform at a higher level of competency. The difference between what the child
can accomplish alone and what she can accomplish with the guidance of another is
what Vygotsky referred to as the zone of proximal development. The zone
represents a learning opportunity where a knowledgeable adult such as a teacher or
parent or a more advanced peer can assist the child's development. See the
illustration on the next page.

The support or assistance that lets the child accomplish a task he cannot accomplish
independently is called scaffolding. Scaffolding is not about doing the task for the
child while he watches. It is not about doing shortcuts for the child. Unzipping the
lunch bag, opening the food container, and putting a straw in the child's tetra pack
juice for him is not scaffolding. Scaffolding should involve the judicious assistance
given by the adult or peer so that the child can move from the zone of actual to the
zone of proximal development. When the 'adult unzips the zipper an inch or two and
then holds the lunch bag still so that the child can continue to unzip the lunch bag is
scaffolding. Loosening the food container lid just a bit and letting the child open the
lid himself is scaffolding. Leading the straw to the hole and letting the child put the
straw through the tetra pack hole is scaffolding.

The examples given above show how the right amount of assistance can allow the
child to accomplish the task. The instructor should scaffold in such a way that the
gap is bridged between the learner's current skill levels and the desired skill level. As
learners become more proficient, able to complete tasks on their own that they could
not initially do without assistance, the guidance can be withdrawn. This is called the
scaffold and fade-away technique. Scaffolding, when done appropriately can make a
learner confident, and eventually, he can accomplish the task without any need for
assistance.

When the MKO scaffolds, the process moves in four levels:

1.    I do, you watch.

3.    You do, I help.

4.    You do, I watch.

Learning will depend on the skill of the MKO, and the learner's readiness and ability
to learn, and the difficulty of the skill being learned.

The Zone of Proximal Development