BY:

MS.LESLY ANN A. SARIL

MR.DAVE JOHN DE VENECIA
 LEV SEMONOVICH VYGOTSKY
Vygotsky
(1896-1934)
• Vygotsky was called "The Mozart of
Psychology“.
• He was born in 1896- same year
as Piaget - in the small Russian town of Orsha.
• Middle-class Jewish family.
• He entered into a private all boys secondary
school known as a gymnasium—a secondary
school that prepared students for the university.
• In 1913 entered Moscow University through
lottery.
• In December of 1917, he graduated from Moscow University
with a degree in law.
• Vygotsky completed 270 scientific articles, numerous
lectures, and ten books based on a wide range of Marxist-
based psychological and teaching theories.
• He died on June 10, 1934, at the young age of thirty-seven after
long battle with TB.
• Vygotsky’s work did not become known in the West until
1958, and was not published there until 1962.
 INTRODUCTION
The Sociocultural Theory:
• Did NOT focus on the individual child but on the child as a
product of social interaction, especially with adults (parents,
teachers).
• Focus on DYADIC INTERACTIONS (e.g., child being taught by
a parent how to perform some culturally specific action), rather
than child by himself.
• Social world mediates children's cognitive development.
Cognitive development occurs as child's thinking is molded by
society in the form of parents, teachers, and peers. This leads to
peer tutoring as a strategy in classrooms.
• People's thinking differs dramatically between cultures because
different cultures stress different things.
 THEORY’S PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS
 Children construct their knowledge.
Knowledge is not transferred passively, but is personally
constructed.
 The learning is mediated.
Cognitive development is not a direct result of activity, but it is
indirect; other people must interact with the learner, use
mediatory tools to facilitate the learning process, and then
cognitive development may occur.
 Language plays a central role in mental development.
The most significant sociocultural tool is language, as it is
used to teach tool use and is vital in the process of developing
higher psychological functions.
 THEORY’S PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS
Learning appears twice.
First on the social level, and later, on the individual level;
first between people (interpsychology), and then inside the child
(intrapsychology).

Development cannot be separated from its social context.

The context needed for learning is that where the learners
can interact with each other and use the new tools. This means
that the learning environment must be authentic, that is, it must
contain the type of people who would use these types of tools
such as concepts, language, symbols in a natural way.
 ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT
The zone of proximal Thus, the term “proximal”
development refers to the refers to those skills that
difference between what a the learner is “close” to
learner can do without mastering.
help and what he or she
can achieve with guidance
and encouragement from
a skilled partner.
 Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD).
The difference between what a
child can do independently and what the
child needs help from a more
knowledgeable person to do is the

Zone of
Proximal
Development
The zone of proximal
development (ZPD) has been
defined as:
"the distance between the
actual developmental level as
determined by independent
problem solving and the level
of potential development as
determined through problem-
solving under adult guidance,
or in collaboration with more
capable peers" (Vygotsky,
1978,)
Vygotsky believed that when To assist a person to move
a student is in the zone of through the zone of proximal
proximal development for a development, educators are
particular task, providing the encouraged to focus on three
appropriate assistance will important components which
give the student enough of a aid the learning process:
"boost" to achieve the task.
The presence of someone with
knowledge and skills beyond
that of the learner(a more
knowledgeable other).
Social interactions with a
skillful tutor that allow the
learner to observe and
practice their skills.

Scaffolding, or supportive
activities provided by the
educator, or more competent
peer, to support the student
as he or she is led through
the ZPD.
 There is one game, however, that James has never learned.
card game Yu-Gi-Oh. James knows his brother plays it very well.
James would like to learn, but is unsure where to start.
 James finally asks his brother Ali for help. Ali agrees, and
begins working with James in learning the game of Yu-Gi-Oh.
James is learning in the region Vygotsky would call ZPD.
 In ZPD, James is doing something requiring the help of someone
more capable. Without Ali’s help, James would be unable to play the
game.
Eventually, James will learn the game well enough to play the game by
himself.
 Once James learns Yu-Gi-Oh, the skill moves out of the ZPD region
and is added to all the other games James plays independently.
In time, James becomes the more capable player, and begins to teach
his sister .
 CONCLUSION
The conclusion being that • Interaction with peers are
guided learning within effective ways of
the ZPD led to greater developing skills and
understanding/performanc strategies. 
e than working alone
(discovery learning).
REFERENCES
THANK YOU!!!