Lev Vigotsky

Psychologist and pedagogue. He is born in the Soviet Union 1896 and dies in 1934 at the same place. He worked specially in the practical problems of education where his psychological theories emerged from. He was specifically interested in cognitive and linguistic aspects. His researches focused on observing how much help from teachers kids needed in order to perform their duties and how independent they were from him/she. For Vigotsky, this aspect determined the level that the subject is about to reach, that is the zone of close development. Another fundamental aspect of his investigation tasks was the importance given by the existent relation between the use of language and the development of the kid. The more knowledge of the language, the bigger development of the kid and vice versa. Regarding game (or play), Vigotsky attributes to it a fundamental importance for the development of kids since it allows abstract meanings that favour the development of mentally superior functions. In addition, he considers it as indispensable in order to learn to relate with social rules and to empower self-control.