1.9: Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
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Image Source: Lev Vygotsky. Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian psychologist whose work was discovered in the United States in the 1960s but became more widely known in the 1980s.
Vygotsky differed with Piaget in that he believed that a person not only has a set of abilities, but also a set of potential abilities that can be realized if given the proper guidance from others. Vygotsky concentrated on the child’s interactions with peers and adults. He believed that the child was an apprentice, learning through sensitive social interactions with more skilled peers and adults.
His sociocultural theory emphasizes the importance of culture influences and social interaction in the development of cognitive abilities.
Scaffolding: "I Do" - "We Do" - "You Do"
Vygotsky believed that through guided participation known as scaffolding, with a teacher or capable peer, a child can learn cognitive skills within a certain range level.
Scaffolding is a core concept in early childhood education, where children’s learning is fostered through intentional guidance and encouragement. Caregivers offer a temporary level of support to a child that is tailored to the child’s developmental level to help them accomplish tasks or acquire new skills.This support is gradually removed as the child gains independence.
Teaching a Child to Brush Their Teeth
- Caregiver starts by brushing their teeth and demonstrating good brushing technique and describing what they are doing in an upbeat and positive tone. ("I do.")
- When the child can hold a toothbrush properly they can brush their teeth alongside the caregiver in front of a mirror. ("We do.")
- Let the child brush their own teeth. ("You do.")
The term scaffolding originated from the Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). This zone represents the range of tasks a child can perform with help but cannot yet achieve independently. Scaffolding bridges this gap by providing the right level of assistance to advance a child’s learning.
Zone of Proximal Development
Image Source: Zone of Proximal Development. Sketchplanations.com. The images and associated explanatory text on this website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
The zone of proximal development is the space between what a learner can do without help and what a learner can do with adult guidance or help from a peer who has already mastered the skill needed for the task.
The area of extended learning describes the ability of a child may complete tasks slightly beyond their developmental level if they are guided by the supportive adult. This is the area of extended learning is what we wish to strive for in working with challenging but achievable goals. Vygotsky's belief was that development occurred first through children’s immediate social interactions, and then, as the child begins to internalize their learning, move to the individual level.
Comparing Piaget and Vygotsky
- Piaget saw the child as actively discovering the world through their individual interactions with it.
- Vygotsky saw the child as an apprentice and focused on the child’s immediate social and cultural environment and their interactions with adults and peers.
Sources
- Exploring Cognition by Lumen Learning is licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Ana R. Children’s Development by is licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Hutchinson, Maddie. What is scaffolding in early childhood education? Building Blocks. Lillio.com. Updated January 2025.