Lev Vygotsky: Socio-cultural theory

Function of language: Important- language plays a powerful role in shaping thoughts.

Socio-cultural context: Strong emphasis

MKO- more knowledgeable other

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Culture provides children with instruments of intellectual transformation that allows them to use mental functions more successfully.

Stages: No general stages of development

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Fundamental processes in development and learning:Zone of proximal development, scaffolding, language/dialogue, tools of the culture.

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Environment influences how students think and what they think about.

Noam Chomsky: Universal Grammar Theory

Cognitive functions are the following: (1)Beliefs, (2)values, and (3) tools of transformation.

Teaching implications: Opportunity for students to learn with the educator and more intelligent students.

Social interaction is the root from social interaction

cognitive development occurs from internalization of language.

Lev Vygotsky proposed that infants are born with abilities for intellectual development called "elementary mental functions".

Tools of intellectual transformation include: (1)thinking and problem solving plan)

ZPD- zone of proximal dvelopement

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Individual who has a higher ability level than that of the learners.

What the child can achieve with guidance, and what they can achieve alone.

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Adults are a key component in cognitive development

Chomsky believed that human beings were born with the natural ability to learn language

He began to place less emphasis on universal grammar, and more emphasis on plastic cerebral circuits.

In 1960, Linguistics became fascinated with a new theory regrading grammar.

Basic structure of language already encoded in the human brain at birth.

Linguistic Noam Chomsky,concentrateon the uncomplicated language learning in young children.

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"Universal grammar" theory proposes that each language has some the same laws.

Child's environment determines which language they will use

Child is born with the instruments to learn any language.

Universal grammar contains a set of senseless limitations that allow us to decide if a sentence is correct or not.

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The procedure by which a given language, sentences are recognized as right while others are not, is called universal and independent meaning.

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Researches have found that, a baby that's a few days old is able to differentiate the sounds of any language.

The babies have a natural ability to process the sounds of a human voice.

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Observations support Chomsky theory

Evolution of language: Noam Chomsky didn't view linguistic operations as something that began due to pressure but by accident.

Based his views of recursivity- "ability to embed one clause inside another".

In 1990s, Noam Chomsky research concentrated on what he called the "minimalist program".

Demonstrated the brains function are the minimum facilities that are expected, with regards to outside conditions that are forced on us alone.

Biologist argue that it's only the brain's general ability that is pre-organized.

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Biologist think we must address language from that of the evolution and biological structures that have led to it.

There are various aspects that question how universal grammar had emerged.

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Jean Piaget:
Constructivism Theory

Refers to stages, which predict what children can or cannot understand at a certain age

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Construction of understanding can be done through individual experience and schema.

Sensorimotor stage (birth to 2yrs old)

Preoperational stage (2 to 7yrs old)

Concrete-operational stage (7 to 11yrsold)

Formal-operational stage (11yrs to adluthood)

Children play an active role in their learning

Assimulation

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Makes use of visuals to aid in forming understanding

Occurs when socially engaged in dialogue and active in experiments and experiences

Accomodation

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Practical experience of language aids in language development

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At every stage, accommodation takes place