Essay Example on Vygotsky's Theory: Social Interaction & Cognitive Development

Summary

Vygotsky's theory of social development outlines that social interaction antecedes development; and cognition and consciousness result from social behavior and socialization. Notably, it presents three major themes which include the zone of proximal development (ZPD), social interaction, and the more knowledgeable other (MKO). The social interaction contributes significantly to the process of cognitive development while refers to an individual with advanced knowledge or skills than the student, with respect to given tasks, processes, or concepts. the zone of proximal development (ZPD) provides the needed assistance to provide a student with a significant 'boost' to accomplish a particular task. The interaction process between the MKO and a child can significantly affect the learner's development in understanding Spanish, especially if the interaction takes place within the student's ZPD. Vygotsky's solution of peer-teaching is more effective in comparison to what a teacher would achieve on their own. Peers have a very significant role in children's development, and the healthy relationship among the peers presents an opportunity for them to develop their exploration and investigation

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There are four elements of social constructivism, which include cooperative learning, tutoring, cognitive apprenticeship, and scaffolding. For cognitive apprenticeship, the critical emphasis is placed on the significance of the method that MKO transfers that skill to a learner. Scaffolding is a process through which instructors demonstrate or model ways in which to solve a challenge and then distance themselves while at the same time offering the needed support. Human learning constructivism approaches have resulted in the advancement of cognitive apprenticeship theory. Finally, peer tutoring is a peer-mediated and flexible method that involves learners themselves acting as academic students and teachers. Notably, both peer education and scaffolding are significant components of cognitive learning theories by Vygotsky and Piaget who have remarkably impacted practice and theory of learning worldwide

Introduction

Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who is attributed as the pioneer of social constructivist theory. Vygotsky was inspired by John Piaget's work, which was primarily based on personal construction of knowledge and stages of child development. His theory of social development argues that social interaction antecedes development; cognition and consciousness result from social behavior and socialization (Kalina and Powell 2009). Notably, it presents three extensive major themes which include the zone of proximal development (ZPD), social interaction, and the more knowledgeable other (MKO).

Mcleod (2018) notes that social interaction contributes significantly to the process of cognitive development. Vygotsky noted that the development is antedated by social learning and argued that "Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level." (Instructionaldesignorg 2019). The social level happens when a child associates with others (inter-psychological) while the individual level happens within (intra-psychological). The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) is the other theme which refers to an individual with advanced knowledge or skills than the student, with respect to certain tasks, processes, or concepts. Sundararajan (2010) notes that even though the insinuation that an older adult or a teacher is the MKO, however, this is not usually the case, and oftentimes, the students' peers also fits the category. According to Vygotsky, availing the needed assistance can give a child significant 'boost' to accomplish a certain challenge when a student is in the zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Chaiklin 2003). Today, the learning constructivism approaches based on Vygotsky's work has gained significant recognition in the learning of foreign and second language. However, social constructivist rhetoric is, in most cases seen as remote and even irrelevant to practicing instructors. The aim of the study is to explain the constructivist approach to teaching students of Spanish as a foreign language in a year 9 class. Also, the study will outline the impacts of Vygotsky's social constructivism method with a focus on peer interaction.

Constructivism and the School Literacy

According to Bada and Olusegun (2015), constructivism learning has significantly advanced as a fundamental approach of teaching and in the numerous past scholars have reviewed the constructivist learning theory's historical precedents. Bada et al. (2015) note that this constructivism advocate for the change from behaviorism-based education to cognitive theory-based. Therefore, the nature of behaviorist epistemology is dependent on reinforcement, knowledge levels, domains of objectives, and intelligence. However, students construct their own knowledge depending on their environment and how they interact in the case of constructivist epistemology (Bada et al. 2015). The constructivism's main message is that dynamic learning significantly allows the students to develop their own knowledge and understand in their own way what is being taught. Aljohani (2017) argues that students develop their own personal representations of the world. He further notes that students are viewed as a single holistic unit in a humanistic approach, whose feelings and emotions are paramount since they shape their attitude. Comparatively, students' creative capacity permits them to develop their view of the world uniquely. Notably, the cognitive processes are reviewed in operating and analyzing the issues that students experience in their connection with their surrounding (in constructivists' view). Social constructivism and cognitive constructivism are the two main constructivist theories that vary depending on the environment's role in students' cognitive development. Currently, constructivism key benefaction to learning psychology is the student-based approach that places key emphasis on the students' autonomy in their education process.

Maggi, Irwin, Siddiqi, and Hertzman (2010) noted that peer interaction is paramount for social, cognitive, and language development all through childhood and adolescence. Notably, there are learning aspects that are evident as a result of peer interactions in comparison to interactions with teachers or other adults. Students obtain vocabulary and language from these interactions (Classroominterpretingorg, 2019). Moreover, they obtain knowledge on how to persuade, negotiate, and argue while considering other people's feelings. Notably, these interaction acts as the basis for numerous paramount elements psychological development such as identity, self-esteem, and self-concept.

Contribution to Spanish Language Learning and Teaching

McLeod (2014) notes that Vygotsky strongly believed that language is constructed from interactions with society for purposes of communication. Mcleod further argues that Vygotsky perceived language as an individual's most significant tool for conversing with the external world and was responsible for two crucial functions in cognitive development: (i) language is the basic mode via which children receive information from adults and (ii) language is a strong tool for intellectual adaptation. To understand learning in theory and practice for a year 9 Spanish class, it is important to understand how Vygotsky discerns between three language forms: private speech (assumes a self-synchronizing duty and is silently altered into inner speech); private speech (acts as a cognitive function and is self-controlled); and finally, social speech (external communication). Vygotsky further notes that argument of language and thought are initially different frameworks from life's inception, integrating at the age of three, whereby thought and speech are interdependent. Notably, the speech becomes representational, and the thoughts become verbal, resulting in internalization of children's monologues (inner speech). According to Vygotsky, language internalization drives cognitive development, and he states that:

"Inner speech is not the interior aspect of external speech - it is a function in itself. It still remains speech, i.e., thought connected with words. But while in external speech, thought is embodied in words, in inner speech words dies as they bring forth thought. Inner speech is, to a large extent thinking in pure meanings." (Vygotsky 1962).

Moreover, the Spanish students can be directed and motivated to understand the primary notions via discovery learning in the constructivism theory's perspective. For instance, this can be achieved by learning the Spanish vocabulary through playing word strips; learning about the relationships, and the effects of subjects through experiments. Notably, this can be used to present the students' individual opinions on how certain elements play a significant role in constructivism as they explain how they fix mistakes. The strategy of constructivism places key emphasis on notional understanding instead of rote learning. According to Suhendi (2018), Vygotsky encourages learners to study peer groups and apply their knowledge which means that the Spanish instructors are responsible for teaching students to identify the key ideas of what is being taught and get the details 'top-down.'

Moreover, the theory of social constructivism, as seen in Vygotsky's standpoint, can be applied in teaching year 9 Spanish class. In this case, the focal point of knowledge will not originate from the instructor but from how the learners can be able to develop their own understanding. The following are some of the characteristics of social constructivism in a Spanish classroom.

• The applied curriculum in a Spanish class can absorb the students' interest assimilating with their individual cultures.
• The instructor's role is as a facilitator who overviews the thinking of the students
• The objectives are emphasized in a collaborative meaning.

From the social constructivism characteristics, it is paramount place key emphasis on the general environments which are not within a student's mind. Additionally, it is imperative for the peers as well as the teacher to have the outstanding role in the application itself. There are four elements of social constructivism, which include cooperative learning, tutoring, cognitive apprenticeship, and scaffolding.

Scaffolding

Boblett (2012) Scaffolding is a process through which instructors demonstrate or model ways in which to solve a challenge and then distance themselves while at the same time offering the needed support. Mcleod (2018) notes that Vygotsky advocated for students receiving help from educators to obtain knowledge within their Zone of Proximal Development to advance their knowledge and skills without being frustrated by difficult challenges that are currently hard to conquer. The idea of ZPD was arrived at after an in-depth study by Vygotsky to demonstrate the effectiveness of numerous methods of teaching and how children learn. Sarikas (2018) agrees with Vygotsky on that tests based on individual knowledge-based are in most cases not a feasible way to analyze the intelligence a young student arguing that children should interact with more intelligent students in order to learn. Sarikas further notes that students stand a better chance of applying learnt knowledge independently when they receive the much-needed support from teachers while learning something new. Notably, these aids are moderately eliminated as the students achieve independent learning strate...