The Sociocultural Theory of Lev Vygotsky

We delve into the influence of the sociocultural environment on the cognitive development of children.

In what sense and proportion can culture and society influence the cognitive development of children? cognitive development Is there any relationship between cognitive development and the complex collaborative process that adults carry out in the education and learning (specific and general) that children receive?

Likewise, what are the main implications of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory? Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory for the education and cognitive assessment of children?

The Sociocultural Theory of Lev Vygotsky

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory emphasizes the proactive participation of children with the environment around them, with cognitive and cognitive development a collaborative process. Lev Vigotsky (Russia, 1896-1934) argued that children develop their learning through social interaction: they acquire new and better cognitive skills as a logical process of their immersion in a way of life.

Those activities that are carried out in a shared way allow children to internalize the thought and behavioral structures of the society that surrounds them, and to appropriate them.by appropriating them.

Learning and "Zone of proximal development

According to Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, the role of adults or more advanced peers is to support, direct and organize the child's learning, in the step prior to him being able to master these facets, having internalized the behavioral and cognitive structures that the activity demands. This orientation is most effective in helping children to cross the zone of proximal development (ZDP). development zone (PDZ)This could be understood as the gap between what they are already able to do and what they cannot yet achieve on their own.

Children who are in the ZDP for a particular task are close to being able to perform it autonomously, but they still lack some integrated thinking cue. However, with the right support and guidance, they are able to perform the task successfully. To the extent that collaboration, supervision and responsibility for learning are covered, the child progresses adequately in the formation and consolidation of their new knowledge and learning.

The scaffolding metaphor

Several followers of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory (e.g., Wood, 1980; Bruner and Ross, 1976) have brought up the metaphor of 'scaffolding'.scaffoldingto refer to this mode of learning. The scaffolding consists of temporary support from adults (teachers, parents, tutors...) who provide the child with the objective of performing a task until the child is able to carry it out without external help.

One of the researchers based on the theories developed by Lev Vigotsky, Gail Rossstudied in a practical way the process of scaffolding in children's learning. Instructing children between the ages of three and five, Ross used multiple resources. She used to control and be the center of attention of the sessions, and she used slow, dramatized presentations to students in order to demonstrate that task achievement was possible.. Dr. Ross thus became the one in charge of foreseeing everything that was going to happen. She controlled all parts of the task that the children worked on to a degree of complexity and magnitude commensurate with each child's prior abilities.

The way in which he presented the tools or objects that were the object of learning allowed the children to discover how to solve and perform the task themselves, more effectively than if they had only been told how to solve it. It is in this sense that Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory points out the "zone" existing between what people can understand when they are shown something in front of them, and what they can generate autonomously. This zone is the zone of proximal development or ZDP that we mentioned earlier (Bruner, 1888).

Sociocultural Theory: in context

The Sociocultural Theory of the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky has transcendent implications for education and the evaluation of cognitive development. ZDP-based tests, which highlight the child's potential, represent an invaluable alternative to standardized intelligence tests, which often emphasize the child's existing knowledge and learning. Thus, many children benefit from sociocultural guidance. sociocultural and open-ended orientation developed by Vygotsky.

Another fundamental contribution of the contextual perspective has been the emphasis on the social aspect of development. emphasis on the social aspect of development.. This theory argues that the normal development of children in one culture or in a group belonging to one culture may not be an adequate norm (and therefore not extrapolable) to children in other cultures or societies.

• We recommend you to read: "Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development".

Bibliographical references:

• Daniels, H. (Ed.) (1996). An Introduction to Vygotsky, London: Routledge.
• Van der Veer, R., & Valsiner, J. (eds.) (1994). The Vygotsky Reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Yasnitsky, A., van der Veer, R., Aguilar, E. & García, L.N. (Eds.) (2016). Vygotski revisited: a critical history of his context and legacy. Buenos Aires: Miño y Dávila Editores.