Lev Vygotsky

徐礼进

The beginning of the 20th century was a time of great change in education.  Many psychologists and philosophers were discussing learning. They were observing children to understand them better. Because of their discussions， schools， teachers education， and curriculum all changed.

One of these people was a Russian psychologist and educator. Like another psychologist， the Swiss philosopher Jean Piaget（1896-1980）， Lev Vygotsky was interested in how children learn. Like Maria Montessori in Italy and Rudolf Steiner in Germany and Austria， he turned his ideas into action. Unlike Steiner and Montessori， however， he didnt start any schools.

Vygotsky and Piaget did not always agree. According to Piaget， for example， a child developed first. Learning followed the development. In Vygotskys opinion， a child develops because of social interaction. The child， he said， learns everything twice. First the child copies what older and experienced people do and say. Then the child learns on an individual level， inside his or her head. A good relationship with an older person （like a parent or a teacher） helps the child learn quickly and well.

Another of Vygotskys ideas is about when a child learns. Maria Montessori believed in a childs “sensitive period”. During this time， she said， a child was ready to learn a particular skill. Steiner believed a child had to be ready to learn. To Vygotsky， this period is even more important. He said a child could learn only during this period. If a child did not learn during this period of time， the child would never learn the skill.

For this reason， Vygotsky believed in education. Only human beings are born into a history of learning. For centuries， people have been learning. A child must learn how to use the experience of the past. Hearing the stories is part of learning. Talking with other people （who know） makes the information real to a child. Vygotsky wrote about his ideas. He taught his students about his beliefs. Fortunately， his students saved his notes. Vygotsky died very young， at the age of 38. Even so， his ideas have been very important in the history of education.