LEV VYGOTSKY – formulated the Socio-Cultural Theory of

Development

3 central factors of cognitive development according to Vygotsky

1. Culture – infants are born with the basic materials/abilities for

intellectual development and through the interaction
within the socio-cultural environment, these abilities
tend to be developed.
a. Attention
b. Sensation
c. Perception
d. Memory
2. Social Interaction – participation
– More Knowledgeable Others –teachers, parents, an
older adult, a more advanced peer, etc.
1. Language – used to know and understand the world and to solve
problems

2 critical roles of language in cognitive development

a. It is the main means by which adults transmit info to the
children.
b. Language itself becomes a very powerful tool of intellectual
adaptation.

Private Speech – form of self talk that guides the child’s thinking and
actions.

Hands-on - activities help children acquire more knowledge than

passive listening. It is even more fruitful when children interact with
knowledgeable adults and peers.

Zone of Actual Development

-learning a skill and may perform a certain level of
competency alone.

Zone of Proximal Development

“The zone of proximal development defines those functions that have not
yet matured, but are in the process (of doing so)…”

 In this case “proximal” means what comes next.

 The idea is that a child is only able to take the next step in their
cognitive development if another person – typically an adult – supports
and prompts them to do so.

• ZONE – learning opportunity where a knowledgeable adult assists the

child’s development

• SCAFFOLDING – the right amount of support or assistance that lets

the child accomplish a task s/he cannot accomplish independently.

• Scaffold and Fade-away Technique – withdrawing the guidance

when the child could do on their own what they could not initially do
without assistance.