What children can do with the assistance of others might be in some sense even more indicative of their mental development than what they can do alone
Lev S. VygotskyRead
The child begins to perceive the world not only through his [or her] eyes but also through his [or her] speech
Interpretation
Children learn about the world through both observation and communication.
Lev S. Vygotsky emphasizes the dual nature of children's understanding of their environment, highlighting that perceptions are shaped not only by what they see but also by how they communicate about those experiences. This suggests that language plays a critical role in the cognitive development of children, allowing them to interpret and express their reality in a nuanced way.
In practice
In a classroom setting, a teacher might use this quote to highlight the importance of encouraging students to express their thoughts verbally.
What children can do with the assistance of others might be in some sense even more indicative of their mental development than what they can do alone
It may be said that the basic characteristic of human behavior in general is that humans personally influence their relations with the environment and through that environment personally change their behavior, subjugating it to their control.
Language is the tool of the tools
There is reason to believe that voluntary activity, more than highly developed intellect, distinguishes humans from the animals which stand closest to them.
Thought is not merely expressed in words, it comes into existence through them
The true direction of the development of thinking is not from the individual to the social, but from the social to the individual.
When the panting and thirsting soul first drinks the delicious waters of truth, when the moral and intellectual tastes and desires first seize the fragrant fruits that flourish in the garden of knowledge, then does the child catch a glimpse and foretaste of heaven.
Real knowledge, like every thing else of the highest value, is not to be obtained so easily. It must be worked for, β studied for, β thought for, β and more than all, it must be prayed for.
The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.
Without education, there is no hope for our people and without hope, our future is lost
What we can do is provide the tools, through our educational system, for people to be able to tell sense from nonsense. These tools include the scientific method, skeptical questioning, empirical evidence, verifying sources, etc.
When I'm writing, I'm never trying to teach anything - maybe I'm trying to illuminate.
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