Introduction and Theoretical Summary
Lev Vygotsky's theory gives an insight into the roles of social interactions in cognitive development and change in children (Lantolf et al., 2018). Vygotsky implies that what the child interacts with on social environment will be fundamental towards the development of cognitive attributes like language and literacy development. Therefore, according to the psychologist, culture and other social interactions are essential in speech and language development that are part of the cognitive enhancements experienced in children. There is the aspect of cultural-historical and its contributions towards cognitive development. To this extent, Vygotsky envies that culture plays a vital role in the development of higher mental enhancement in children (Lantolf et al., 2018). The implication is that the development of speech and reasoning in children is influenced by the society and the culture where the child is raised.
The theory is a non-stage theory because it does not define the development of a child into distinct developmental stages (Lantolf et al., 2018). The assertion is that it attaches the changes in cognitive aspects of the child to social interactions. Besides, there is the concept of More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) as a principle, where the child learns from someone who has a higher understanding, and they are more knowledgeable than the child. According to Lantolf et al. (2018), many are the times when a child learns from their teachers who tend to have a better understanding of things compared to the learners. Lantolf et al., (2018), further point out the second principle of Zone of Proximal Development. According to Lantolf et al. (2018), Zone of Proximal Development concept that gives an insight into the difference between some of the things that a child can learn through the help of a skilled trainer and those that a child can learn independently (Lantolf et al., 2018). Technology is considered as an essential tool that aids in the development of cognitive attributes in children. Therefore, the theory suggests that for the child to develop speech and languages they have to interact with people higher understanding to help them develop their own.
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Popular Press Article Summary
More on children development
The article was written by David Leonhardt to give a summary of “What Children Need,” by Jane Waldfogel. The article states that children tend to have the best cognitive development when they interact socially (Leonhardt, 2009). The author majorly talks about the concept of cognitive and behavioral development that will always be at its best when children spend most of their time with their parents. David envies that when children are raised in a day-care facility where there is much social interaction, they are more likely to develop the best cognitive development on language and literacy levels. When it comes to quality in cognitive development, the teacher-child ratio is an essential aspect. The implication is that the quality of language development will be at its best when children are introduced to teachers at an early age because they always have a higher knowledge than the children (Leonhardt, 2009). On the other hand, the literacy ability of the children will also develop swiftly when the teacher-child ration is high.
When children are allowed to attend pre-school at an early age, preferably at the ages of 3 and 4, they tend to learn cognitive skills faster compared to their counterparts who stay at home with their caretakers (Leonhardt, 2009). It thus implies that the environment where the child is exposed is one of the determining factors that depict the level of the cognitive development like language and literacy. Notably, when children are exposed to a more social environment with positive aspects, they are more likely to experience lesser behavioral challenges like the inability to speak well and being mentally retarded. The article is of great significance to educators who handle children because it gives vital information on how best one can train children to develop the best cognitive skills (Leonhardt, 2009). Additionally, the educators and any other professional can have an understanding that children’s brain can only hold a certain amount of knowledge at a time.
In giving a critique of the article concerning its contributions to the study of child development, the author presented the points in a thoughtful way that precisely provides a lead into the cognitive development in children (Leonhardt, 2009). The assertion is that the author narrates the ages that are affected by social interaction; schooling is one of such social factors. It also is commendable how the author points out how educators should be embraced as essential elements concerning the development of cognitive skills in children. Interestingly, the point of introducing children to people of much understanding than them, possibly their teachers is a valid analogy because it enables a child to have better cognitive skills. For instance, for the child to develop good speech and a well-formulated language, they have to spend a substantial amount of time with their teachers at the pre-school (Leonhardt, 2009). However, it is unfortunate that the points embraced in the article do not give full insight into the cognitive developmental stages in children as it only covers the development of language and literacy skills. The article thus offers limited information on the particular topic which is also a vital aspect in child development.
Theoretical Application
The concept of Lev Vygotsky's theory gives a clear summary of the main points depicted by David Leonhardt in the article (Eun, 2017). The theory implicates that social interactions play a key role in the development of cognitive attributes in children like language and literacy. The aspect of social interaction embraced by the theory implies to the people the child interacts with and the environment that they stay. In the article, the social interactions that have been brought to light are the preschool and the educators that the child associates with on their everyday life (Eun, 2017). The theory can, therefore, be used to summarize the content of the article through the use of its principles.
More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) as one of the principles summarizes the analogy that children need to be taken to pre-school at the age of 3 and four years. This offers the child with a opportunity to interact with their teachers who tend to be more knowledgeable than the children. “Vygotsky states cognitive development stems from social interactions from guided learning within the zone of proximal development as children and their partner's co-construct knowledge.” (Eun, 2017). In this line, children who spend more time with their parents as indicated in the article is summarized by the statement that cognitive development originates from social interactions.
There is the second principle of Zone of Proximal Development that implies that there are cognitive skills that a child can learn independently and those that they learn through another medium. Language is one of the cognitive attributes that a child will learn through the help of others who already knows the language. However, there are some concepts embraced in the article that the theory falls short in explaining (Eun, 2017). The theory fails to explain why social interactions do not apply in the cognitive development of all children as indicated in the article.
References
Eun, B. (2017). The zone of proximal development as an overarching concept: A framework for synthesizing Vygotsky’s theories. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 1-13.
Lantolf, J. P., Poehner, M. E., & Swain, M. (Eds.). (2018). The Routledge handbook of sociocultural theory and second language development. Routledge.
Leonhardt, D. (2009).More on Child Development. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/education/07economix1.html
