Example of lev vygotsky research paper

Social-Cultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky is often known for his socio-cultural theory of psychological development. His theory has been applicable to children/adolescents in real-life settings such as schools, parent-child interactions such as parenting behaviors or therapy done with children in clinical settings. According to Berk (2012), Vygotsky’s theory is based on five major theses. First is that development of individuals takes place during the early formative years, and has a specifically historical content, character and form. This means that development differs with when and where one grows up. Second, development takes place during alterations in an individual’s social situation or during changes in the activities undertaken by the person. Third, people observe an activity and then internalize the fundamental form of that activity. Fourth, the systems of symbols and signs have to be available for one to internalize activities. Fifth, people assimilate the values of a specific culture through interactions with other people in that culture.
Therefore, it is no surprise that many schools model their curriculum after these principles presented by Vygotsky. This allows children to have access to supportive learning environments which enable them to develop their individual strengths. School experiences often contribute to learning both outside and inside the classroom. These include play, zone of proximal development, social interaction and language. The same also applies parent-child interactions. Often, children are said to take after their parents. According to Perez & Gauvain (2009), this is because a child interacts with the parent, assimilates the social aspects and then takes that information and internalizes it. For example, children learn their first language from their mothers. As the child develops, these family and social values evolve into personal values. Therapeutic interventions for children largely revolve around the concept of the zone of proximal development. Vygotsky was of the view that children should be tested on their capability to perform under ideal conditions rather than on their current knowledge. Educators and parents have a huge role to play in the cognitive development of a child by enabling them to feel confident and comfortable in their abilities.

References

Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants, Children, and Adolescents. New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
Perez, S. M. & Gauvain, M. (2009). Mother-to-Child Planning and Child Emotional Functioning. Child Development, 80, 776-791.