Knowledge and Understanding in the Teaching of English

Knowledge and Understanding in the Teaching of English Lev Vygotsky developed â€Å"Social Constructivist â€Å"theory, which outlines the importance of social context for cognitive development. Vygotsky theory benefits children’s literacy learning as children develop skills through the use of encouragement from an experienced educator or from their peers. Research has shown that as a result of Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory, early years literacy learning practices and student learning has been enhanced. Not only does â€Å"Social Constructivist† theory focus on constructing knowledge but also promotes social and communication skills (oral language). This theory appealed to me because I believe Vygotsky’s theory was very relevant to the way I learnt English at school. The â€Å"zone of proximal† theory is a very effective means of achieving skills for the learner at school. I used this concept when developing a new skill by interacting with my peers and learning from them. I believe that when I was actively involved in my learning, I was able to retain and develop my skills quicker and more effectively. Many theorists believe that Vygotsky’s theory is a very effective way to develop cognitive development and I strongly agree and believe that children today will learn more effectively through this theory’s approach. Annotated Bibliographies: (1) Bruce L. Mallory and Rebecca S. New (January 1, 1994) Social Constructivist Theory and Principles ofShow MoreRelatedTeaching Is An Interesting Profession1528 Words   |  7 Pages For me teaching is an interesting profession. It makes me feel good. My thoughts regarding teaching were the same before I started working, so I did not experience any disappointment. In short teaching profession is joyful and instructive (English Teacher/6 years, Female). After undergraduate education, I thought that I could do everything and I would be a good teacher. 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