Development And Lev Vygotsky's Theory Of Cognitive Development

Piaget's theory of cognitive development is at its peak from ages 6-8 but doesn't end until around adulthood. Again, this was the first theory to address children as being able to adapt logically and creatively instead of being mindless and ignorant. It showed the capabilities of children and helped us take a closer examination of what was going on in children's learning abilities. However, this is not the only theory. This paved the way for a new theory to emerge which is Lev Vygotsky’s theory of social development. Vygotsky’s theory differs in that he did not believe that development occurred in stages but was rather a process dependant upon a child's environment and experiences. It stresses the importance of a child's social interaction

Vygotsky did not agree with Piaget's stages as the studies were done mostly on white, middle class families. This is why he started to do research on the effects of culture. Vygotsky also proposed the zone of proximal development. This is when a child learns much more from another child who is slightly better than them. A child will do better academically, physically and mentally when they have someone around the same age to learn from. A child will not learn as well from a parent or an adult since the developmental difference is too large.

Social factors are of utmost importance with Vygotskys theory. Cognitive development occurs through childrens interactions with others in the world as they begin to explore their independence and construct knowledge of their own. Environment is a huge factor in influencing children and will determine how they think and about what they think. Language is also an important structure to this theory. Even if children do not know how to talk, they construct an internal dialogue in which they develop until they are able to actually

Physical abuse is when you intentionally harm someone else physically. This can be in the form of hitting, punching or throwing things at another person. Emotional abuse comes in the form of name-calling, teasing, or putting down another person. Sexual abuse is any unwanted sexual contact or exploitation. This could be unwanted touching or showing a child inappropriate pictures or videos. Neglect is when a child’s basic needs are not take care of. This can mean not feeding or properly clothing your child. This can also mean ignoring a child when they are crying. Each type of abuse can do so much damage to a child’s psyche into adulthood.

There are many things parents can do to support their children's development. Parents can help their children set achievable goals and give recognition when those goals are met. They can discipline when needed but instead of using punishment to make them feel bad, discuss why they made the wrong decision and what they can do the next time. Parents can support children taking on new challenges and encourage them to act positively when something doesn't go their way. Children are so open to new experiences at this time and a loving, nurturing environment is the key to building