The complexity and mystery of the mind has baffled psychologists for decades and – to some – the developmental stages of the brain have amplified this mystery. Two developmental psychologists that sought to expose the ambiguities of the mind were Piaget and Vygotsky. Piaget’s theory allows teachers to identify the characteristic ways in which students learn based on their age group and grade level, and Vygotsky’s theory gives teachers the ability to instruct students based on where they are developmentally by the concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding; these concepts can, also, be reflected in teaching in a variety of ways.
Understanding Piaget’s theory is vital to understanding the mental developmental of children. Each …show more content…
The Zone of Proximal Development is a “range of tasks that are too difficult for the child to master alone but that can be learned with guidance” from educators and other students (Santrock, 2011, p. 50). A teacher can identify what is in a student’s Zone of Proximal Development by assigning activities to a student that range in levels of difficulty, and see which activities they can complete alone. Scaffolding is changing the amount of support that a student receives – either from a teacher or another student – and the amount of guidance is adjusted as a student progresses (Santrock, 2011, p. 52). Utilizing these techniques can assist teachers to teach students based on their cognitive …show more content…
Piaget’s theory helps teachers understand the mental developmental of children, as each developmental stage has characteristics that show their cognitive ability; for example, middle school students – depending on their age – could be in the Concrete Operational Stage or the Formal Operational Stage. Vygotsky’s concepts – the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding – can help educators properly instruct students based on their cognitive ability, and a teacher can identify what is within a student’s Zone of Proximal Development by assigning activities that range in difficulty. An instructor can determine how much help a child will need depending on where the activity falls on their Zone of Proximal Development; if it is upper level, students will require more help, and if it is on the lower level, students should be able to work independently. The concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding can be reflected in teaching in quite a few ways; scaffolding can be used by allowing educators or advanced students to tutor students that are struggling, and, then, gradually decreasing the guidance as the struggling student begins to grasp the material. The Zone of Proximal Development can be reflected in teaching by educators giving students assignments that they can
Understanding Piaget’s theory is vital to understanding the mental developmental of children. Each …show more content…
The Zone of Proximal Development is a “range of tasks that are too difficult for the child to master alone but that can be learned with guidance” from educators and other students (Santrock, 2011, p. 50). A teacher can identify what is in a student’s Zone of Proximal Development by assigning activities to a student that range in levels of difficulty, and see which activities they can complete alone. Scaffolding is changing the amount of support that a student receives – either from a teacher or another student – and the amount of guidance is adjusted as a student progresses (Santrock, 2011, p. 52). Utilizing these techniques can assist teachers to teach students based on their cognitive …show more content…
Piaget’s theory helps teachers understand the mental developmental of children, as each developmental stage has characteristics that show their cognitive ability; for example, middle school students – depending on their age – could be in the Concrete Operational Stage or the Formal Operational Stage. Vygotsky’s concepts – the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding – can help educators properly instruct students based on their cognitive ability, and a teacher can identify what is within a student’s Zone of Proximal Development by assigning activities that range in difficulty. An instructor can determine how much help a child will need depending on where the activity falls on their Zone of Proximal Development; if it is upper level, students will require more help, and if it is on the lower level, students should be able to work independently. The concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding can be reflected in teaching in quite a few ways; scaffolding can be used by allowing educators or advanced students to tutor students that are struggling, and, then, gradually decreasing the guidance as the struggling student begins to grasp the material. The Zone of Proximal Development can be reflected in teaching by educators giving students assignments that they can