Chapter 3: Cognitive

Learning Theories
Lesson 2: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural
Theory of Cognitive Development

Presented by: Diadio, Kyla Mariz B.

Who is Vygotsky?
Lev Vygotsky was born November 17, 1896, in
Orsha, a city in the western Russian Empire. In
1917, he earned a law at Moscow State
University, where he studied a range of topics
including sociology, linguistics, psychology and
philosophy. His interests were diverse, but often
centered on child development, education, the
psychology of art, and language development.
He developed several important theories about
the way children learn and grow within culture
and society.
Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory of
Cognitive Development
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory asserts that
learning is an essential process in which the support
of parents, caregivers, peers and the wider society and
culture plays a crucial role in the development of
higher psychological functions.
Three Fundamental Concepts that
Define the Sociocultural Theory

01
Social 02
interaction Language is an 03
plays an essential tool in Learning
important role the learning occurs within
in learning. process. the Zone of
Proximal
Development.
01 Role of Social
Interaction
It plays an important role in learning.
Vygotsky believed that thinking has social origins
and that cognitive development cannot be
understood without reference to the social context
within which it is embedded.
 He proposed that social interaction plays
a critical role in the process of cognitive
development, especially in the development of
higher thinking skills.

Social activity between a parent and a

child or teacher and a learner lays a foundation for
how and what the child think and do in other
situations.
02 Role of Language
Vygotsky’s theory emphasizes that
language plays a central role in the theory of
human cognitive development. Language
plays multiple roles including culturally
shaping overt (observed) behaviour of
individuals as well as influencing their
covert (hidden) behavior such as thinking
(Burkholder & Pelaez, 2000).
The Stages of Speech Development

a
Social or b
External Egocentric c
Speech Speech Inner Speech
(a) Social or External Speech
At this stage (birth to approximately age 3),
thinking is not related to speech at all. Instead it is
primarily in the form of images, emotions and
impressions. Speech only occurs on the external or
social level to express a desire or to convey simple
emotions such as shouting or crying.
(b) Egocentric (c) Inner Speech
It is a soundless
SpeechAt this stage
speech or thought. Speech
becomes internalized and is
(approximately ages 3 – 7). used to guide thinking and
Children think out loud or behaviour. It eventually
talk to themselves as they are leads to higher levels and
doing something. more complex types of
thinking.
03 The Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD)
Vygotsky’s concept of the “Zone of
Proximal Development” (ZPD) posits that human
potential is theoretically limitless; but the practical
limits of human potential depend upon quality
social interactions and residential environment.
 It is also defined as the space between what
a learner can do without assistance and what the
learner can do with adult guidance or in a
collaboration with more capable peers.

The goal of ZPD is to help the child move

from the level of current independent performance
(competence demonstrated to do a task alone) to the
level of potential performance (competence
achieved with the guidance of others).
Actual Level
It is the level of learning that a child achieves
when alone.

PotentialIt isLevel
the highest or maximum level that a child
can achieve with the assistance of a more advanced
person (MKO).
More Knowledegeable Others
Vygotsky defined the “More Knowledgeable
Others” (MKO) as anyone who has better understanding or a
higher ability level than the learner, particularly in regards to
a specific task, concept or process.
Scaffolding
Vygotsky’s scaffolding is a method of teaching that
helps learners understand educational content by working
with an educator or someone who has better understanding
of the material.
“The true direction of development of thinking is not from the
individual to the social, but from social to the individual.”
- Lev Vygotsky
Thankyou and Godbless!