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MODULE 9: VYGOTSKY’S SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY

“What a child can do in cooperation today, tomorrow she/he

will be able to do alone” – Lev Vygotsky

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

• explain why Vygotsky’s theory is called “socio-cultural” theory;

• differentiate Piaget and Vygotsky’s views on cognitive development; and
• explain how scaffolding is useful in teaching a skill

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 accomplish a task. Learn more about it as
you do the activity. Read on!

ACTIVITY
1. As a child, recall a skill that you wanted to learn and eventually learned well, through the help of
another person (like swimming, riding a bike, playing the piano, skating, etc.).
2. What made you interested to learn the skill?
3. Who taught or assisted you?
4. Describe how you went about learning the skill. Describe what steps or actions the person did in
order to help you learn.

ANALYSIS
1. Form groups of three members each. Share your answers in 1-4.
2. What factors in the environment influenced you to learn the skill?
3. Did the person who taught or assisted you make use of scaffolding? If yes, How?

ABSTRACTION/GENERALIZATION
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.
Reference: Corpuz, Brenda, Lucas, Ma. Rita D, et al. (2015). Child & Adolescent Development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Address: Davao del Norte State College Website: www.dnsc.edu.ph

Tadeco Road, New Visayas Email: [email protected]
Panabo City, Davao del Norte, 8105 Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/davnorstatecollege
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Piaget and Vygotsky

Vygotsky worked on his theory around the same time as Piaget in between the 1920’ and 30’ 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 believed that there are More social in focus did not propose stages but
universal stages of cognitive development emphasized on 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 on the
social interactions 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 social activities,
making the social context of learning crucial. Parents, teachers and other adults in the learners’ environment
all contribute to the process. They explain, model, assist, give directions and provide feedback to the learner.
Peers, on the other hand, cooperate and collaborate and enrich the learning experience.
Cultural factors. Vygotsky believed in the crucial role that culture played on the cognitive
development of children. Piaget believed that as the child develops and matures, he goes through universal
stages of cognitive development that allows 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 a 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 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 on his
own thinking. Children talk to themselves. Observe pre-schoolers play and you may hear, “Gagawin ko itong
airplane (holding a rectangular block), tapos ito ang airport (holding two long bloacks).” 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 that 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

Reference: Corpuz, Brenda, Lucas, Ma. Rita D, et al. (2015). Child & Adolescent Development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Address: Davao del Norte State College Website: www.dnsc.edu.ph

Tadeco Road, New Visayas Email: [email protected]
Panabo City, Davao del Norte, 8105 Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/davnorstatecollege
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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
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 shows how a 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
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.

The Zone of Proximal Development

APPLICATION
An exercise in scaffolding:

1. Choose a skill you are good in.

2. Identify an individual to whom you can teach this skill. Somebody who will benefit from scaffolding.
3. Break down the steps you will take in teaching the skill.
4. Determine how you will use scaffolding. Describe the specific actions you will do to scaffold.
5. Teach the skill to the individual.
6. Describe how the learning activity went.

Reference: Corpuz, Brenda, Lucas, Ma. Rita D, et al. (2015). Child & Adolescent Development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Address: Davao del Norte State College Website: www.dnsc.edu.ph

Tadeco Road, New Visayas Email: [email protected]
Panabo City, Davao del Norte, 8105 Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/davnorstatecollege