PRESENTED BY –

MATHMATICS B.Ed. STUDENTS

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LEV
VYGOTSKY AND JEAN PIAGET
DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY
 INTRODUCTION

Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist known for his sociocultural theory of
development, emphasizing the role of social interaction ,language and culture. Jean
Piaget, a Swiss psychologist , proposed the stages of cognitive development theory,
highlighting the progression of thinking abilities from infancy to adulthood.
Vygotsky and Piaget made significant contributions to the understanding of human
development but approached it from different perspectives. Vygotsky's focus was on the
social and cultural influences, while Piaget emphasized cognitive structures and stages.
 LIFE HISTORY OF LEV VYGOTSKY
 BIRTH- Born on November 17 , 1896 in Orsha a town in the Russian
Empire.
 EDUCATION : He studied law at Moscow University but was
drawn to psychology and literature, leading him to pursue a career
in psychology.
 PROFESSIONAL CAREER- Vygotsky worked extensively in psychology,
focusing on the study of human development, education, and language.

 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATION-Lev Vygotsky, a Soviet psychologist, made significant

contributions to the field of developmental psychology, particularly focusing on the socio-
cultural aspects of learning. His work has profound implications for education, emphasizing
the importance of social interaction and cultural context in the learning process. He wrote
‘THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE’ (1934), ‘MIND IN SOCIETY’(1978) Etc.
 LIFE HISTORY OF JEAN PIAGET
 BIRTH-Born on 9 August 1896 in Neuchatel , Switzerland

 EDUCATION-He studied zoology and philosophy at

the University at Neuchatel , Switzerland and
psychology at the University of Zurish in 1919

 PROFESSIONAL CAREER-Returned Switzerland from Peris became

director of Rousseau Institute. In 1925-1929 joined University of Geneva as a
professor of child psychology.

 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATION-Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his

pioneering work in the field of developmental psychology, particularly in the cognitive
development of children. His theories have had significant educational implications, influencing
the field of education in various ways . Wrote 50+ books ‘ALBINO SPARROW’ , ‘THE
PSYCHOLOGY OF INTELLIGENCE’ , ‘THE MORAL JUDGEMENT OF CHILD’ .
 LEV VYGOTSKY

 ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT

(ZPD)
 SCAFFOLDINGS

 PRIVATE SPEECH

 CULTURAL TOOLS

 SOCIAL INTERACTION
 JEAN PIAGET

 SENSORIMOTOR STAGE - – 0-2 Years

 PREOPERATIONAL STAGE - 2-7 Years

 CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STAGE - 7-11 Years

 FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE - 12 & Above

 POINT OF CONVERGENCE

 Both theorist recognise the importance of social interaction in the learning process.
 They agree that cognitive development plays a crucial role in shaping a person’s
understanding of the world .
 Both believed children were active learners in their own development , but also
believed that development in learners would decline as they grew elder .
 Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky both believed egocentric speech played a role
in cognitive development , but in different ways.
 POINT OF DIVERGENCE
JEAN PIAGET LEV VYGOTSKY
1.Jean Piaget radical constructive 1.Lev Vygotsky is social constructive.

2.He was giving importance to heredity 2.He was giving importance to the society.

3.He ignores the culture 3.He give importance to culture.

4.According to Jean Piaget cognitive development is 4.According to Lev Vygotsky cognitive development
universal across culture varies across culture.
5.According to their thoughts comes before
5. According to him first language and thought
language and language depends on thought for
is in separate, then it become interconnected
development

6.Egocentric speech and collective monologue is not useful 6.Internalise the language helps in cognitive developmen

7.Development lead learning 7.Learning helps in development.

8.Development takes place from intra to inter 8.Dvelopment takes place inter to intra

9.Biological development comes before learning 9. Socio cultural learning causes development.
 APPLICATION IN EDUCATION
Lev Vygotsky
Zone of Proximal Emphasized the Zone of Proximal Development,
Development(ZPD) vs where learning occurs with the help of a more
Stages of knowledgeable person.
Development Teacher plays a important role in guiding the
students through tasks with in their ZPD.
Social interaction vs Highlighted the significance of social interaction
Individual Exploration in learning
Collaborative activities and discussions are
essential for cognitive development
Role of Language Viewed language as a crucial tool for cognitive
development.
Language helps children internalize and mediate
their thoughts and classroom discussion
Teacher’s role Saw the teacher as a facilitator and guide.
Role involves scaffolding and with in ZPD.
Readiness to learn Stressed the importance of social interaction in
pushing learners slightly beyond their current
capabilities, fostering development.
Jean Piaget
Focused on the stages of development(
Sensory motor ,preoperational, Concrete
operational , formal operational).
Piaget believed children actively construct
knowledge through their experiences.
Emphasized on individual exploration and
discovery.
Piagetian classroom often involves hands-on
experiences to allow students to actively
explore and understand the concepts.
Recognized the importance of language but
viewed it as a product of cognition rather than
a facilitator.
Language becomes more sophisticated.
Emphasized a more hands-off approach,
where teacher creates environment for
exploration. Discover on their own.
Emphasized on the concept of readiness,
suggesting that learners are ready that
acquire certain skills at specific stages.
 CONCLUSION

In summary, while both Piaget and Vygotsky made significant

contributions to our understanding of cognitive development, they
differed in their emphasis on stages vs. continuous development, the
role of language, and the importance of social interaction.
Combining aspects of both theories can provide a more
comprehensive understanding of cognitive development in children.