Product Description

As the only text of its kind, this book provides in-depth information about Vygotsky's theories, neo-Vygotskians' findings, and concrete explanations and strategies that instruct teachers how to influence student learning and development. Key changes to this edition include a new chapter on dynamic assessment, separate and expanded chapters on developmental accomplishments of infants and toddlers, preschool/kindergarten, and primary grades and on supporting those accomplishments, and elaborations of Vygotsky's ideas from neo-Vygotskians from Russia. FEATURES: *Written for the beginning student, the book provides a clear discussion of Vygotskian principles including...a historical overview and a complete chapter on the "Zone of Proximal Development," (ZPD). *Each section of the book builds on the other...framework, strategies, and applications of the Vygotskian approach. *The work of Vygotsky is compared in a fair and balanced way with the work of Piaget. *Examples and activities have been class-tested in a variety of classroom environments including a Head Start program, private preschool, and in the Denver Public Schools.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16654 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780130278043
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover

This unique text provides in-depth information about major concepts and principles of the cultural-historical theory developed by Lev Vygotsky, his students and colleagues, as well as three generations of neo-Vygotskian scholars in Russia and in the West. Tools of the Mind enables teachers to arm young children with the mental tools necessary for learning.

Concrete explanations and strategies on how to scaffold young children’s learning and development are provided throughout the text.  These are a product of 15 years of collaboration between the authors and early childhood teachers from diverse programs across the United States, most of which serve children from at-risk populations.

Key changes to this expanded edition include:

• Separate chapters on developmental accomplishments of infants and toddlers, preschoolers/kindergartners, and primary grade children, each followed by a chapter on supporting those accomplishments
• Additional strategies for supporting children with special needs
• A new chapter on dynamic assessment as an application of the zone of proximal development  
• Research findings and practical applications from the neo-Vygotskian approach

About the Author

Elena Bodrova is a senior researcher at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) in Denver, Colorado.  Prior to her coming to the United States, she was a senior researcher at the Russian Center for Educational Innovations and the Russian Institute for Preschool Education.  She received her Ph.D. from the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, Moscow, Russia, and her M.A. from Moscow State University.  In addition to her work with Dr. Leong, she co-authored the book, For the Love of Words: Vocabulary Instruction That Works, Grades K-6 (Jossey-Bass) with Diane E. Paynter and Jane K. Doty.

Deborah J. Leong is a professor of psychology and the director of the Center for Improving Early Learning (CIEL) at Metropolitan State College of Denver.  She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University and her M.Ed. from Harvard University.  In addition to her work with Dr. Bodrova, she is co-author with Oralie McAfee of Assessing and Guiding Young Children's Development and Learning (Allyn & Bacon) that is now in its fourth edition.

Customer Reviews

If You Don't Understand The Vygotskian Approach...
...look no further than this book. Even though reading Lev Vygotsky's own words in MIND IN SOCIETY is irreplaceable, most of us teachers have little time or patience to wade through that theoretical complexity.

Thus, Bordrova and Leong give us an excellent way to both understand V's theory and how it applies to each set of early childhood age ranges. Personally, I the infant and toddler sections are the most valuable because embellishing intersubjectivity at the earliest possible point of development will increase the child's ability to navigate and learn within an increasingly complex social setting.

Glorious text.

Vygotsky blows Piaget out of the water!
This is an excellent resource. I think it is a tragedy that Vygotsky's educational and developmental philosophies have taken this long to be distributed in America and taken seriously. We would have a completely different educational system and level of achievement in our public schools were the teachings in this book made the norm and mastery of it was required before anyone got ahold of our young children in schools (or in the home in the role of parents generally or homeschooling parents). There is nothing I would have wanted to know before purchasing the product because I was familiar with Vygotsky theories from graduate studies in clinical psychology. Again, an excellent book. So much more relevant and quite frankly, accurate and helpful than any methods based soley on child-led learning and/or Piaget.

Lots of good information and practical ideas!
I used this book as part of my professional development for the past school year. As an educator of young special needs children, I found activities based in theory which I've already implemented successfully in my classroom. It's not an easy read and will not give you "10 Easy Ways to Implement Vygotsky Into Your Classroom"; you'll need to dig a little, but it will be worth your while!