My current perceptions of young children’s learning comes from working as a parent helper assistant at my children’s kindergarten for many years and my observation of children’s learning.
The educational theory that most aligns with my current view is Vygotsky with his theories of social interaction, scaffolding, zone of proximal development and use of language. Vygotsky regarded language as a critical bridge between the sociocultural world and individual mental functioning, and acquisition of language as the most significant milestone in children 's cognitive development. According to Jackman et al. (2015, p. 10), it is from language that the child constructs reality. What I believe about children’s learning, is that family are first teachers,
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This approach encourages children to construct their own knowledge. According to Jackman et al. (2015, p. 11) interactions with teachers, contribute significantly to a child 's intellectual development. This is still embracing a Vygotskian approach to childrens learning. Ball as cited in (Cobb 2015, p. 14) believes education should be about building bridges between the experiences of the child and the knowledge of the expert. ACARA as cited in (Roppola & Whitington 2014, p. 67) proposes The Australian Curriculum proposes that ‘critical and creative thinking’ is one of the seven ‘general capabilities’ students must develop. Vygotsky determines developing a culture is a social relationship between people (intermental category) and then, within the child as an intramental category to (Cobb 2015, p. …show more content…
ACTDIK002 Foundation to Y2, Digital Technologies and Understanding. Recognize and explore patterns in data and represent data as diagrams, symbols and drawing (ACARA 2016 n.p.).
ACMMG039 Tell time to the quarter-hour, using the language of ‘past’ and ‘to’ (ACARA 2016, p. 8).
Using a digital clock and a normal (analogue) clock with movable hands. Ask the children questions such as what time does school start, what time is little lunch, what time does the home bell ring, and what time does everyone go to bed. The children record their answers and record their data as a large group on whiteboard or small group representations.
Example 2: Seasons & Sounds of Mother Nature.
ACHASS1008 Foundation to Year 6 HASS. Students explore daily and seasonal weather patterns (ACARA 2016, n.p.).
Cross Curricular: Mathematical, data representation.
ACMSP049 Collect, check and classify data.
ACMSP050 Create displays of data using lists, tables and pictures (ACARA 2016,
Piaget’s theory is developed from the idea that the child constructs their knowledge individually whereas Vygotsky argued that children develop tools of learning by communicating with more knowledgeable others (O. Lourenco 2012). Piaget suggested that children develop through a series of four stages in their thinking – the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational stages each of which causes broad changes in the child’s intelligence structure and their logic (reference). These four structures are mental operations which are applied to anything in the child’s world these mental operations are referred to as schemas which grow and change from one stage to the next (book). Vygotsky had very different idea on this subject although they both agreed that the child is the active constructor of their own knowledge
This reading reminded me about how Vygotsky’s theory is mostly based on the interactions and influences help children to learn. I really do believe this theory is very accurate, because students can learn from each other. If a teacher is having trouble explaining a complex topic to a student, another student can explain it in more relatable way. Also, I was fascinated when I read about what cultural tools, were and how they related to Vygotsky’s beliefs. Learning about what cultural tools were, helped me to broaden my understanding of how crucial cultural tools are to student’s learning process. Also, the chapter did a great job of elaborating on how these tools can help to advance and grow in the understanding of student’s thinking process. Another aspect of this reading that interested me was the elaboration on private speech and the Zone of Proximal Development. Each of the definitions displayed help me to advance my own thinking on what it was and how it is used in regards to the education of students. The description of what private speech and how it is basically the inner narration of their thinking process helped me to understand how this aspect can help with students learning. Also, the Zone of Proximal Development helped me to make a connection to both what is and how it relates to private speech as well. The Zone of proximal development plays a crucial role in the
The Child Development Center of College of San Mateo provides early care and educational programs for children between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. Children are divided into classrooms with a “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two or three “associate” teachers. Klara attended Classroom, “A,” a stimulating and well-resourced classroom. Klara was observed for two hours on Monday from 9 am to 11 am and for two hours on Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am. During these two hours, classroom activities consisted of “free time,” “story time,” and an outside “play time.” A “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two “associate” teachers were present during observations. Additionally, a total of eighteen children were in attendance during the observed days.
Lev Vygotsky’s theory of learning begins with the idea that cognitive development occurs from sociocultural origins, that through social interaction children learn how to think (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner & Krause pp. 84) and how to use and access language and communication skills specifically as members of their culture and society.
Lastly, there is a zone of proximity that Vygotsky believes in. This goes along with his group aspect of learning. He believes that one learns better through life interactions. (Woolfolk, 2004) Similarities in Piaget and Vygotsky In the article we were supposed to read for class this week it says “there are seven similarities: 1) a genetic, i.e., developmental, perspective; 2) a dialectical approach; 3) a non-reductionist view; 4) anon-dualistic thesis; 5) an emphasis on action; 6) a primacy of processes over external contents or outcomes; and 7) a focus on the qualitative changes over the quantitative ones.”
John-Steiner, V., & Mahn, H. (1996). Sociocultural Approaches to Learning and Development: A Vygotskian Framework. Educational Psychologist, 191-206.
Gredler, M. (2012). Understanding Vygotsky for the Classroom: Is It Too Late?. Educational Psychology Review, 24(1), 113-131. doi:10.
The differences these theorists have are how they view a child development just as the active role. For Piaget, the child is view as the constructor of knowledge where as for Vygotsky; the child is views as the co-constructor of knowledge. A child’s learning is subordinate to their development in Piaget’s opinion. In other words child are born with knowledge and learn on their own through what they experience by themselves. A child’s learning proceeds development in Vygotsky’s opinion. In other words, children learn from others as well with the help of a wiser and experienced individual. The similarities both these theorists have is that social interactions played an exceptional role in a child cognitive development. Piaget encouraged interactions and the most beneficial where the ones where the child interacted with peers their own age because children feel a basic equality. Vygotsky felt that social interactions leads development. Through interactions between children and adults cooperate in helping build meaningful constructions which learning therefore becomes a reciprocal experience where the children becomes the wise
My observations have led me to realize that children are capable of learning a great deal when they are stimulated by fascinating things and activities coupled with being given the time, attention and guidance needed “children are capable of great concentration when they are surrounded by many interesting things to do and given the time and freedom to do them” (Teaching english to young learners, p. 25). Also, that personal experience and social experience cannot be
Lev Vygotsky developed his theory of learning in the 1920’s but it was not until the late 1960’s that his ideas about learning became popular and were used to contribute to “Constructivism” as a method of teaching. (Krause [et al.] 2010 p. p81).
Another major difference seen in Lourenco’s (2012) article is that Piaget felt that instruction lead to memorization and not a functional understanding. Piaget felt that we keep children from understanding something completely when we teach them something they could have discovered on their own. Concepts are formed naturally and scientific concepts are not gained by a teacher. Vygotsky on the other hand found that children did better with guidance form an adult. He felt that scientific concepts are gained from teachers and that the child-adult relationship promoted development. In his theory the adult or higher-functioning peer plays an important role in the child’s development and knowledge. Whereas Piaget’s theory looks at social relationships as two equal peers, Vygotsky’s theory looks at an authority based
There are five ways in which Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development. The very first way that teachers can use these theories to teach constructively is by providing scaffolded instruction within the ZPD for their students (292). In other words, a teacher must be able to assist children in achieving a goal that may be slightly too difficult for them to reach alone. An example of this would be if a teacher had decided that her class should do an experiment on how well plants grow based on the amount of water they receive, she could challenge her students to make a hypothesis about what they think will happen. This teacher could allow her students to individually plant their seeds and then guiding her students to predict or hypothesize what they believe will happen if one plant gets more water than another. This example directly correlates with Vygotsky’s idea of ZPD because
A number of psychological perspectives are evaluated, these perspectives include the behaviourist theory of B.F. Skinner and the the nativist concepts of Noam Chomsky. Following this is a more indepth review of the psychology of cognition and cognitive development, highlighting the contrasting theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and their contributions to the discourse. Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development are explored in relation to language acquisition and Vygotsky’s theories surrounding the Zone of Proximal development, and the practical application of ‘scaffolding’ are examined. A case study is then presented highlighting atypical language development in a child aged three, this includes details of the child’s personality, and the impact his communication difficulties are having in terms of his social skills and depth of social interaction with peers. Delayed language development is then delineated and defined, and interventions to support language development are offered. Finally areas for future professional development are discussed, along with their implications for
By using Vygotsky’s theory, educators are able to realize what a child is able to do with assistance and they can help a child develop the skills on their own. They are engaged in the discovery process, but they are receiving guidance from a more knowledgeable source.
What Kids Really Learn in Preschool. Parenting. (Fall 99):Vol. 13 Issue 7, p 74. October