Vygotsky vs. Piaget

     Today we studied Vygovsky's theories of learning. Generally, I agree with him on many points. However, like with Piaget, I have definite problems with the notion that in the absence of language, no thinking takes place. I suppose I believe that our mind uses whatever medium we are most exposed to in our thoughts, thus for infants, they would think in pictures, for blind men, in sounds, whether these sounds are indeed languages or not. I am bilingual, and when I am sitting in a French class or having a conversation with someone, I think in French even though it is not the language with which I am most comfortable. In those situations, my brain is receiving input in French, therefore my mind compensates by switching the language in which the reasoning process takes place to better accommodate the input it receives. I imagine therefore that in the absence of language, the brain would merely choose whatever form of input it most receives and use it in much the same symbolic function of language for the thought process.

     However, I do agree with the rest of Vygotsky's theory. I feel that it is indeed vital in teaching to constantly assess the current, individual learning level of each student and find ways to challenge them and support them in their learning. I personally see Piaget's theory as limiting the success of students by categorizing them with age groups as opposed to simply cognitive development. I believe that this practices of putting stages and ages together leads teachers to sacrifice the needs of those who are developing more slowly or quickly than the majority in order to cater to most students as opposed to putting extra effort into approaching students at their respective levels.

     As I have already stated in a previous post, I feel Piaget's approach dehumanizes the younger levels of thinking as it almost suggests that they are incapable of intelligent thought until they are older, while Vygotsky's theory allows us to view their current progress as intelligent for the level of learning which they are currently at. Anyhow, while I disagree with Vygotsky and Piaget that thought does not exist in the absence of language, I find the remainder of Vygotsky's theories actually quite accurate.
-Rachel

Helen Keller couldn't communicate through language for quite some time.  Yet, I would argue that she was capable of reason and thought......