Theories


 * Vygotsky's Theory of Cognitive Development **

Children construct knowledge. Learning can lead development. Development can't be separated from its social context. Language plays a central role in mental development.
 * Vygotsky's Development Theory:**

The provision for assisted performance is known as scaffolding. Common elements of scaffolding include
 * Scaffolding:**
 * Task definition
 * Direct or indirect instruction
 * Specification and sequencing of activities
 * Provision of materials, equipment and facilities
 * Other environmental contributions

Scaffolding may include assistance with planning, organising, doing and/or reflecting on the specific task. Such assistance is best made available in a timely manner matched to the learning needs and interests of the learner. **ZPD**
 * Gardner **

Developed by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner in 1983 and subsequently refined, this theory states there are at least seven ways (“intelligences”) that people understand and perceive the world. These intelligences may not be exhaustive. Gardner lists the following:
 * Multiple Intelligences Theory**
 * Linguistic. The ability to use spoken or written words.
 * Logical-Mathematical. Inductive and deductive thinking and reasoning abilities, logic, as well as the use of numbers and abstract pattern recognition.
 * Visual-Spatial. The ability to mentally visualize objects and spatial dimensions.
 * Body-Kinesthetic. The wisdom of the body and the ability to control physical motion
 * Musical-Rhythmic. The ability to master music as well as rhythms, tones and beats.
 * Interpersonal. The ability to communicate effectively with other people and to be able to develop relationships.
 * Intrapersonal. The ability to understand one’s own emotions, motivations, inner states of being, and self-reflection.

This theory, while widely popular over the last two decades, has its share of critics. Some argue that Gardner’s theory is based too much on his own intuition rather than empirical data. Others feel that the intelligences are synonymous for personality types. //Implications for Classrooms.// The verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences are the ones most frequently used in traditional school curricula. A more balanced curriculum that incorporates the arts, self-awareness, communication, and physical education may be useful in order to leverage the intelligences that some students may have.

Noam Chomsky postulated that the mechanism of the language acquisition is derived from the innate processes. Innate is something which is already there in mind since birth. The theory proposed by Chomsky is proved by the children living in same linguistic community. Moreover, they are not influenced by the external experiences which bring about the comparable grammar. He thus proposed his theory on language acquisition in 1977 as "all children share the same internal constraints which characterize narrowly the grammar they are going to construct." He also proposed that all of us live in a biological world, and according to him, mental world is no exception. He also believes that as there are stages of development for other parts of the body, language development can also be achieved up to a certain age.
 * Chomsky's Theories **

** Non verbal Language ** In everyday life you can find that almost 75% of the information we obtain in our interactions comes from non verbal language.

There are many Sciences that study the meaning of those movements:

1. PROXEMICS 2. KINETICS

3. SEMIOTICS

**THE MOST COMMON NONVERBAL SIGNS ARE:**


 * Emblems:** Gestures with precise meaning known by a culture.
 * Illustrators:** Gestrures that enhance verbal messages.
 * Adaptors:** Help a person adapt release tension, also called “manipulators”. Hands are used vey often ( scratch, touch, smood...)
 * Regulators:** Used to regulate, manage or control a conversation . Turn taking, control the conversation.
 * Affect displayers:** Facial expressions showing emotions. Micro-expressions.

But we also use sounds associated to words to convey meaning. Those sounds work on their own, even if we do not understand the words/ sentences those associated sounds will help us to create the context, imagine what the speaker want to say and predict a future response. This is known as PARALANGUAGE. The most common ones are:


 * Qualifiers:** volume, inflection, pitch, pacing, tone, melodiousness.
 * Characterizers:** sounds, sights, mumbling, groans, whines, yawning, laughing, cryings ( show character, emotions, and sensations)
 * Segregates:** Fillers in speech, Pauses, silence or sounds: Oh! Ah-ah!, like-a, sh, Uhuh!..

** PARALANGUAGE. ** The most common ones are:
 * Qualifiers
 * Volume, inflection, pitch, pacing, tone, melodiousness.
 * Characterizers
 * sounds, sights, mumbling, groans, whines, yawning, laughing, cryings ( show character, emotions, and sensations)
 * Segregates
 * Fillers in speech, Pauses, silence or sounds: Oh! Ah-a!, like-a, sh, Uhuh.