SOCIAL INTERACTIONIST THEORY
-Lev Vygotsky-
1) Key Concepts
Social Interaction Theory- The basis of Vygotsky’s theory is that a developing
child needs social interaction to develop skills like reasoning, memory,
attention, and language.
Example: Answering the phone. When the phone rings, you exhibit many
cognitive functions you learned because of social interaction with a parent
or other adult.
Perception (hearing the phone ring)
Decision Making (Answering or not)
Motor skills (Lifting the phone)
Language skills (Talking and understanding language)
Social skills (interacting properly)
All of these you learned by watching your parent answer the phone.
Process of Social Interaction:
1. Seeing: You see an adult doing an activity.
2. Jointly doing: You do that activity together.
3. Independently doing: You gained sufficient skill to do that activity by
yourself.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)- The ZPD is the difference between
what a learner can do without help and what the learner can do with help.
-Stages:
1. Tasks a learner can accomplish without assistance- refers to tasks that
the learner can perform independently.
2. Tasks a learner can accomplish with assistance- the learner needs the
guidance of a more knowledgeable person to complete the task.
3. Tasks a learner cannot accomplish with assistance- refers to tasks that
the learner cannot do, even with the guidance of a more knowledgeable
person.
Scaffolding Technique- A method of guided learning. The adult aids the child
when they are struggling, then steps back when the child is doing well.
Example: Learning how to drive. Your parents are guiding you along the
way by showing you the mechanics of how car operates. As you progress,
Less and less instruction is needed, until you can drive on your own.
2. Focus on Language Acquisition
Relationship between Language Acquisition and Theory of Social
Interactionist:
-First language acquisition explains language development with
strong emphases on the role of social interaction between the developing
child and linguistically knowledgeable adults
-The Social Interactionist theory points that children can only learn
language from someone who wants to communicate with them. They
believe that language is a byproduct of children’s social interactions with
the important people in their lives.
-the child observes the interaction between other people and then the
behavior develops inside the child. This means that the child first observes
the adults around him communicating amongst themselves and then later
develops the ability himself to communicate.
Influence of Family, Teacher and School Factors on Language Acquisition:
1. Family Factors- serves as the primary educational institution for
children, impacting their language development through social
interactions and communication processes at home.
2. Teacher Factors- creates a positive and interactive learning
environment that promotes language acquisition.
3. School Factors- Social interaction within the school environment
contributes to language acquisition and overall educational outcomes.
-Negative criticism or disruptive interactions among classmates can
hinder language acquisition and impede the learning process,
emphasizing the importance of maintaining a conducive classroom
environment.
3. Vygotsky's Theory and Language
According to Vygotsky's theory, it mentioned that that social interactions help
children develop their ability to use language. Furthermore, here are three
stages/forms of language in the development process:
1. Social speech - communication between children and others (usually
from the age of 2)
2. Private speech - private speech that is directed to the self but has not
yet been internalized (usually from the age of 3)
3. Silent inner speech - a child's internal monologue (usually from the age
of 7)
4. Applications of the theory
Classroom Application:
1. Reciprocal teaching – Teachers and students collaborate together until
students are successful.
2. Scaffolding – Teacher or advanced peer provides support until a learner
can work successfully.
3. Collaborative Learning – Peer to peer (group) work that helps less
advanced learners work successfully.
REFERENCES
ANONYMOUS. (N.D.). Lev Vygotsky's Theory of Child Development. Gowrie NSW.
[Link]
EMERSON, L. (2018). Social Interaction Theory – Vygotsky.
[Link]
FAHIM, M., AMERIAN, M. (2015). First Language Acquisition: Revisiting the Social
Interactionist Paradigm. ResearchGate.
[Link]
_Revisiting_the_Social_Interactionist_Paradigm
GERADINE, C. (2017). Vygotsky's Social Interaction. You Tube.
[Link]