Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Developmental Education

The purpose of this study is to produce knowledge about the impact of pets on preschool children's desire to learn and their development. The research question asked is: What do children learn from and with pets: The example of dog and cat? Socio-cultural theories and developmental pedagogy are used in order to study children’s learning in the preschool. The socio-cultural theories are based on a model describing interactions between people presented by Vygotskij (1978) and further developed by Säljö (2011). This study employed a qualitative exploratory research method with the aim of gaining knowledge concerning a group of 24 children, aged 4-5 years. Individual interviews were used as the method of data collection. The results are presented as two main categories: 1) The pet supports the child in their learning and development process 2) The child is the teacher of the pet. Each main category comprised two subcategories: 1a) Developing empathy and emotions, 1b) Being good at school-related tasks, 2a) Teaching the pet playful exercises, 2b) Teaching the pet to obey. The results show that pets provide children with positive experiences and a sense of feeling good. The children said that they could talk to all the animals and that the animals are listening. When a child is doing activities with an animal or tries to teach an animal some exercises, the child receives a response from the animal. This leads on to new experiences and an increased knowledge regarding social behavior. Using pets for educational purposes in the home, preschool and school, might stimulate an interest in animal care and a commitment to the world´s wildlife and fauna in general. Key words: animal, children, development, preschool learning.

Developmental teaching is a conception of teaching developed in cultural-historical psychology and pedagogy. The main objective of this research is to identify theses and dissertations that address in their studies developmental teaching and concepts of cultural-historical psychology for working with students and adults. The Catalog of Theses and Dissertations of Brazil is used in the study. This research has a quali-quantitative approach of descriptive and bibliographic character. The data analysis followed the interpretative research technique. We were able to identify 59 research papers on developmental teaching (with only the keyword ‘developmental teaching’). Of this total, only two (one thesis and one dissertation) address developmental teaching. These two research studies discuss, respectively, professional education and preparation of specialists in the concepts of cultural-historical psychology and education. It is important to understand the bibliographic production about developmental teaching in the scientific literature, so that it is possible to understand how this teaching can contribute to the psychological development of students, both young and adult.

Sociocultural Theory (SCT), as formulated by Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky nearly a century ago, is distinct among traditions in the field of second language (L2) studies in its commitment to praxis. According to this view, theory and research provide the orienting basis for practice, which in turn serves as a testing ground for theory (Vygotsky, 1997). This Element offers a synthesis of foundational concepts and principles of SCT and an overview of two important areas of praxis in L2 education: Concept-Based Language Instruction, which organizes language curricula around linguistic concepts, and Dynamic Assessment, a framework that integrates teaching and diagnosing learner L2 abilities. Leading approaches to L2 teacher education informed by SCT are also discussed. Examples from studies with L2 teachers and learners showcase praxis in action, and emerging questions and directions are considered.

Discourse analysis is one of the principal methodologies of sociocultural research in education. sociocultural research focuses on understanding how cognitive, social, cultural, affective, and communicative factors influence instruction. we review how sociocultural theory conceptualizes teaching and learning, some fundamental constructs of both the theory and the methodology, and the basic guidelines for discourse analysis. we discuss the applications of sociocultural theory and discourse analysis to remedial and special education by focusing on three areas of research: the social construction of disability, contingent instruction between adults and learners, and miscommunication between adults and working class or minority students.

In U.S. deaf education, disablement results from a normative interpretation of disability in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. However, Vygotsky's Fundamentals of Defectology (1993) allows educators to view current deaf education pedagogical practices through a sociocultural-constructivist lens and reject the current remedial special education model. We explore our experience as teachers of the deaf to analyze the current state of deaf education, synthesizing two core areas of Vygotskian research-sociocultural theory and deaf pedagogy-and applying them within a framework outlining characteristics of accessible educational environments that facilitate deaf children's sociocultural and intellectual development. We also examine how special education laws create barriers to implementing Vygotsky's recommendations, then offer practical, actionable solutions based on our sociocultural-constructivist deaf education synthesis. We close with suggestions for systemic change in deaf education that can provide deaf students with equitable, accessible educational environments.

The article describes the current problems of research training activities in terms of the requirements of the Federal state educational standard of primary education. The initial methodological basis for the formulation of the problems is the theory of developmental education by Davydov and his followers. The article raises the question of the possibility of using the ideas of Dewey and Maslow to develop research training activities. There is the analysis of such subjects as formulating and performing learning tasks as a way of mastering theoretical knowledge in «from abstract to particular» microcycle; the content of theoretical generalizations formed before training activities (naive scientific concepts); forms of assimilation into the collective training activities; forms of cooperation in teaching and project activities; the content and form of requirements for training activities. Possible practical use of the study results are described. This area provides a lot of topics for Master’s thesis in the “Cultural-Historical Psychology and Activity Approach in Education” research Master’s program.

This study aims to determine the impact of Project MATH (Manipulatives, Active Participation, Targeted Instruction, and Hands-on Activities) on the performance and interest of Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) students at Monkayo College of Arts, Sciences, and Technology (MonCAST) during the 2024–2025 academic year. Project MATH consists of ten sessions held every Friday, with specific objectives designated for each session. Anchored in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the project MATH aimed to enhance students’ proficiency in basic mathematical operations and boost their confidence in applying mathematical concepts. The participants, composed primarily of probationary BSED students, engaged in structured remedial instruction. Assessment through pretests and posttests revealed a marked improvement in mathematical performance. In addition, students reported a moderately high level of enjoyment and perceived achievement, low negative emotions, and strong recognition of mathematics’ relevance in daily life. The results underscore the dual benefits of Project MATH in strengthening academic competence and fostering positive attitudes toward mathematics. Continued use of targeted instructional strategies that address both cognitive and emotional dimensions is recommended to promote sustained student engagement and success in mathematics.

Sociocultural theories based on the work of Vygotsky have been increasingly influential in educational sciences. Developmental education (DE) is a pedagogical approach based on Vygotskian theory that has inspired primary schools in the Netherlands to change the learning environment innovatively in a comprehensive way. In this article, we focus on the learning environment for reading comprehension of informative texts in upper-primary grade classrooms in DE. Our aim is to contribute to a more profound understanding of the characteristics of learning environments that are inspired by a Vygotskian approach and that are conducive to reading comprehension of informative texts. Five fourth-grade expert DE teachers participated in a multiple case study aimed at describing and analysing these characteristics for the domain of reading informative texts. Data were collected over a period of six to eight weeks for each teacher and consisted of videotaped interviews, classroom observations and documents. We conclude that DE learning environments are focused on maximising meaning from text for students. This is achieved by organising learning on the basis of emergent goals within students’ participation in sociocultural practices.

The purpose is to study children’s participation in two different circle times. The theoretical starting points consist of the socio-cultural theory and the developmental pedagogy theory. Developmental pedagogy emerged from empirical studies where there was a dynamic interplay and close cooperation between children, teachers and researchers. Data collection methods are: video recording/observation using a digital video camera and interviews with children in the form of talk about questions based on the videotaped circle time context. What are the differences between the two circle times? The study shows that children were participation to varying degree in circle activities. In circle 1 the theme was not problematized and the children did not understand the aim of the task. The children were less participation in the activity. In circle time 2 pre-school teachers try to take the content and theme a step further and arouse the children's interest. The children were participation in the activity and the theme could also further develop. Circle time 2 shows that it is possible to turn the child's spontaneous questions, play, and imagination into a learning opportunity and involve the children in the activity. This was not seen in circle time 1. Play and learning activities constitute an educational model for work in preschool classes and the circle times. In practice, the good preschool teacher with knowledge of learning plays an important role in the preschool class in promoting children's learning and development in a pleasurable way.

The following study is part of a larger study exploring reading identity in students who were placed into a mandatory developmental reading class because of low scores on college placement exams. Sociocultural theories of learning framed the qualitative study. Although the larger study addressed two overarching questions related to reading identity (how students placed in the developmental education class described themselves as readers, and how students’ in-school and out-of-school literacy practices affected their perceptions of themselves as readers), this smaller portion of the study examined the relationship between the course syllabus and students’ perceptions of themselves as readers. I analyzed the data using document analysis and grounded theory methods. Data analysis revealed that the course syllabus often mirrored participants’ notions that good readers have a specific set of “reading skills,” such as a large vocabulary or the ability to quickly read and understand a text. The narrow definition of reading presented by the syllabus often dovetailed with participants’ dual notions of themselves as struggling readers with school-sanctioned texts and successful readers with texts not valued by the institution. Therefore, given the widely publicized low success rates of developmental education courses, faculty teaching these courses should attend to students’ identifications with reading as they design course documents. Course documents that reflect a wider view of reading practices potentially offer students inroads to recognizing reading strengths that can help them work through difficulties, thereby challenging negative and debilitating labels often associated with their mandated placement in developmental courses.

<p>In the article we carried out a historical and psychological analysis of psychological and pedagogical research of joint activities (its genesis) from the 60s of the XX century to the present time. Research reference points have been identified/ The first one is the beginning of the 60s of the XX century with a primary study of the genesis of the subject of joint activity in groups of children of preschool and primary school age. The secon is the end of the 80s of the XX, early XXI centuries within the framework of the development of the theory of developmental education (V.V. Davydov, V.V. Rubtsov, D.B. Elkonin, etc.) based on the positions of cultural-historical psychology L.S. Vygotsky, who emphasizes joint activity as the most important sociocultural mechanism of development. The third point takes place in the second decade - the beginning of the third decade of the XXI century, it’s the study of the issues of promoting the ideas of sociogenesis in the traditions of cultural-historical psychology and activity theory, and an attempt to look differently at the key problems of joint activities in a modern school environment. The space of possibilities for modern children is analyzed. Current research shows that educational organizations today form and develop not only the abilities of students, but also their activities (from joint games, educational activities, to role-playing experimentation and project activities).</p>

Project activities of students regarded as a form of developmental teaching. Coping with domestic school crisis is possible using the activity-related forms of education. Author believes that initiating of students project activities widely used in the practice of the last decade should be assessed positively. In most cases, what is presented as “project activity”, in fact is not. Project activity contains significant opportunities for the realization of the idea of developmental education developed in the scientific school of cultural-historical psychology. Hypothesizing and experimental confirmation of the leading role of education in the development of the human mentality and working out the theory of developmental education are the biggest achievements of the scientific school. The theory of developmental education determines the educational activity in primary school and poorly designed for its middle and senior levels. It has inner problems that need to solve for further progress in building a new practice of schooling. It is shown how using the features of project activities can expand the boundaries of the implementation of the developmental education ideas.

<p>The article presents a review analysis of V.V.Rubtsov's monograph Socio-Genetic Psychology of Educational Interactions. Selected Articles, Speeches, Projects. The author examines the most important results of the implementation of the research program of V.V.Rubtsov's socio-genetic psychology. The author believes that V.V. Rubtsov's fundamental research has confirmed the innovative and revolutionary nature of developmental education proposed by V.V. Davydov and D.B. Elkonin. Also, these studies helped Rubtsov to put forward several important ideas for modern educational policy. These include the development of the Russian School of the Future concept (together with Y.V. Gromyko, V.A. Guruzhapov, and A.A. Margolis), social policy for better childhood conditions, the development of inclusive education for children with special needs, the education for future research psychologists, and the introduction of digital technologies in education. By investigating various forms of learning interaction in the system of developmental education, V.V. Rubtsov clarified and concretized the basic principles of cultural-historical psychology, as well as highlighted the most important problems that require further solution.</p>