Vygotsky believed that a child's development couldn't be separated from their culture. It's like saying you can't understand a painting without considering the artist's environment and influences.

Key Points

• Social Interaction: How we connect with others around us.
• Language: Words, symbols, emojis—all the things we use to communicate! 😄
• Historical Context: The big timeline of human history and culture.

Imagine trying to learn to cook without recipes or talking to someone who's done it before. It would be pretty tricky, right? Vygotsky's theory suggests the same applies to learning about the world.

Born in Russia in 1896 and dying in 1934, Vygotsky's ideas were as controversial as pineapple on pizza! 🍍🍕 He blended well with socialist philosophy but clashed with the official ideology, making his acceptance a slow process.

Vygotsky was all about that brain power! He divided cognitive processes into

• Lower Cognitive Functions: Stuff that just happens without thinking, like breathing or blinking.
• Higher Cognitive Functions: Like thinking about a math problem or deciding to eat that last slice of cake. 🎂

He saw these as something that first appears in social interaction (like learning manners from parents) and then becomes personal (using "please" and "thank you").

Think of it like playing a multiplayer game 🎮. First, you learn from others, and then you apply what you learn on your own.

The ZPD is like a video game difficulty setting

• Easy Mode: What the child can do alone.
• Medium Mode: What the child can do with help (ZPD zone!).
• Hard Mode: What the child can't do, even with help.

Vygotsky thought learning should be like playing on medium difficulty—challenging but not impossible, like learning to ride a bike with training wheels.