In this unit you will revisit two renowned theorists in the field of Psychology: Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Each of these innovative thinkers has put forth ideas about how children learn language in relation to their views on learning and intelligences. Piaget is a cognitive stage theorist whose work is strongly grounded in the biological frame of reference for language development. Piaget’s work acknowledges the influence of social factors on a child’s thinking and reasoning but the emphasis is on the child as an independent operator in cognitive development. Vygotsky’s primary interest was in language development related to thought. According to Vygotsky, language and thought play a dual role; they are psychological tools that inform other mental functions and are at the same time mental functions that “undergo cultural development” (Vygotsky, 2000 p. xxx). Thus, Vygotsky promoted the notion that the child maintains a cooperative relationship with his environment and culture.
In a 3-4 page paper (not including the cover page or reference page) that follows APA formatting, compare and contrast Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories of language development and cognition. Highlighting the similarities and differences between these theories, discuss what makes Vygotsky’s ideas the theory of choice to explain the relationship between thinking and language development.
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