ILTS 206 Sub-Area 1 Practice Question #03

Which of the following scenarios in a kindergarten class would best support Lev Vygotsky's social constructivist theory of learning?

Two children at the games table work on identical puzzles independently without interacting.One child watches another child dump out a set of puzzle pieces and arrange them by size.Two children at the table-toy area work side by side on different puzzles.One child watches another child rotate a puzzle piece to fit a space and then tries out the same strategy.

Correct Response: D.

According to Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory of learning, social learning precedes development. Vygotsky noted that “Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people and then inside the child.” Additionally, he stated that often children will learn from a “More Knowledgeable Other”, as demonstrated in this scenario. One child learns a new puzzle-solving strategy by observing another child use the strategy first.