Lev Vygotsky, a notable psychologist, was born in Belarus in 1896 to a Jewish family. Vygotsky's theory highlights how society, friends, and adults impact the developing kid. To explain this impact, Vygotsky developed the "zone of proximal development." This zone describes the difference in a kid's performance when she tackles a problem independently vs when an adult or older child aids. For example, supposing a youngster is having difficulty writing letters, and with the assistance of an adult who types out sample letters or helps the child trace over letters, the child can make progress. The help from the adult is called scaffolding. Just as the scaffolding of a building helps to support it, assistance from adults and peers in a child's environment helps support the child's development.
Vygotsky also discussed the importance of cultural tools to the sociocultural approach. These items in the culture, such as computers, books, and traditions, teach children about the group's expectations. By participating in the cultural events and using the tools of the society, the child learns what is essential in his culture. For example, in the United States, a child attends school from about six years of age until eighteen years of age, and thus, children learn essential skills such as reading, writing, and math in school. However, in some countries, such as Brazil, children learn mathematics by buying and selling candy in the city streets.
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