Lev Vygotsky

Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (Лев Семёнович Выго́тский; Леў Сямёнавіч Выго́цкі; November 5, 1896 – June 11, 1934) was a Soviet psychologist, best known for his work on psychological development in children and creating the framework known as cultural-historical activity theory. His major ideas include: The Social Origin of Mind: Vygotsky believed that human mental and cognitive abilities are not biologically determined, but instead created and shaped by use of language and tools in the process of interacting and constructing the cultural and social environment. The Importance of Mediation: He saw mediation as the key to human development, because it leads to the use of cultural tools and becomes a pathway for psychological development through the process of interiorization. The Zone of Proximal Development: Vygotsky introduced the concept of the ZPD which refers to the gap between a child's current level of development and the level they are capable of reaching with tools provided by others with more knowledge. The Significance of Play: Vygotsky viewed play as a crucial aspect of children's development, as the best sandbox to build and develop practice of mediation. Lev Vygodsky (he changed the spelling of his name in early 1920s to Vygotsky) was born in the town of Orsha, Belarus (then belonging to the Russian Empire) into a non-religious middle-class family of Russian Jewish extraction. His father Simkha Vygodsky was a banker. Vygotsky was raised in the city of Gomel, where he was homeschooled until 1911 and then obtained a formal degree with distinction in a private Jewish gymnasium, which allowed him entrance to a university. In 1913 Vygotsky was admitted to the Moscow University by mere ballot through a "Jewish Lottery": at the time a three percent Jewish student quota was administered for entry in Moscow and Saint Petersburg universities. He had an interest in the humanities and social sciences, but at the insistence of his parents he applied to the medical school at Moscow University.