SOCIOCULTURAL

THEORY
According to Lev Vygotsky

By: April Jane Garma

Objectives
►Explain why Vygotsky’s theory is called
“Sociocultural” theory.

►Differentiate Piaget and Vygotsky’s views on

cognitive development.

►Explain how scaffolding is useful in teaching

skills.
Lev Vygotsky “Mozart of Psychology”

● Born November 1896, Russia

● He graduated with a degree
in law in 1917 from Moscow
University
● His interest in Psychology were
quite diverse but often
centered of child development
and education
● He believed that children’s
thinking is affected by their
social knowledge
● Died June 1934 at the age of 37
Vygotsky sociocultural theory
● The key theme of this theory is
that social interaction play a
very important role in cognitive
development.

● He believed that social

interaction and language
are the two central
factors in cognitive
development therefore, his
theory became known as
the Socio-cultural Theory of
Development.
A person’s cognitive development is largely influenced by their surrounding and culture
Piaget vs Vygotsky
Children’s development must
necessarily come before their
learning

No! Social learning comes before

development
 Piaget Vygotsky

Social Interaction More individual in focus More social in focus

Cultural Factors Believed that there are Did not propose stages but
universal stages of emphasized on cultural
cognitive development factors in development

Language Did not give much Stressed the role of

emphasis on language language in cognitive
development
 Language is the primary method
Languages becomes a powerful
adults transmit information to
tool in learning
children

Self-talk

Private Speech
Scaffolding
►temporary support given to a child by a MKO that enables the child to perform a task until such time
that the child can perform this task independently.
Examples of Scaffolding
“What a child can do in 
cooperation today, he/she
will be able to do alone.

Lev Vygotsky
THANK YOU!!

GOD BLESS
EVERYONE
 QUESTION
 How do you use Vygotsky’s
theory in the classroom?