Peter,
I am still trying to make sense of Davydov's theory, particularly in
terms of the initial cell, which you suggested some time ago as being
word/meaning for other language learning. For adults who are using
their first language as a mediational tool for learning another
language (i.e. where higher concepts are matured/already maturing), I
wonder what hypotheses are being made? Obviously different to young
school children, but what qualitative differences to adults? Sorry to
confuse this with more than one language.
Phil
On Jan 15, 2004, at 2:55 AM, Peter Moxhay wrote:
>
>> What is the "special" meaning that LSV attaches to the word
>> imitation?
>
> I think the question of the role of imitation in the ZPD is a really
> interesting one.
>
> It might be fruitful to look not just at LSV's writings but also at the
> work of contemporary Russian researchers in learning activity to see
> how they have subsequently concretized the idea of the ZPD -- that is,
> what they see as the forms of adult-child interaction in instruction.
>
> For example, I am currently reading Galina Tsukerman's book "How do
> young school children learn how to learn?" (2000). She has a large
> table in which she lists various properties of the first four of
> Elkonin's
> stage, including "what is the leading activity" and also "what the
> child
> expects from the adult partner."
>
> For Elkonin's stage 2 (early childhood), we have:
> - leading activity: object-manipulative activity
> - what child expects from adult partner: demonstrations of
> examples, step-by-step help, control, and evaluation
>
> (The above sounds like imitation/copying to me.)
>
> For Elkonin's stage 4 (elementary school), we have:
> - leading activity: learning activity
> - what child expects from adult partner: help in checking
> the hypotheses put forth by the child, pointing out of
> contradictions.
>
> It sounds like the viewpoint here is that in early childhood imitation
> of examples is very important, but that it plays a much-diminished
> role in
> the school-age child since imitation is no longer the form of
> adult-child
> interaction that's linked to the leading activity (though imitation
> would
> of course still be present).
>
> Hope this isn't too far off the original query...
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>
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