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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. Vygotsky
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Children's abilities are enhanced through social interactions and support from others, highlighting the importance of collaboration in development.

This quote by Lev S. Vygotsky emphasizes the role of social interaction and assistance in a child's learning process. It suggests that the potential a child shows when supported by others can reveal more about their cognitive development than what they can achieve independently, underscoring the significance of collaborative learning environments and the importance of guidance in education.

Themes

ChildrenDevelopmentLearningSocial InteractionEducation

In practice

Example use cases

In a parent-teacher meeting, discussing the importance of collaborative learning for children's mental growth.

More from Lev S. Vygotsky

The child begins to perceive the world not only through his [or her] eyes but also through his [or her] speech
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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.
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Language is the tool of the tools
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There is reason to believe that voluntary activity, more than highly developed intellect, distinguishes humans from the animals which stand closest to them.
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Thought is not merely expressed in words, it comes into existence through them
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The true direction of the development of thinking is not from the individual to the social, but from the social to the individual.
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