VYGOTSKY,L.S. AS THE FOUNDER OF A NEW APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION

L. Vygotsky formulated the concept of 'development-generating learning ' that was later elaborated by his disciples and followers. According to this concept, school instruction from the very beginning should be based on a process of supplying students with the systems of general e ssential knowledge in certain fields. This knowledge is acquired by st udents in the course of specially organized activity aimed at mastery and internalization of the processes underlying this knowledge. It was shown in a number of research projects that the Vygotskian approach t o instruction ensures a high level of acquisition and transfer of know ledge, and facilitates the students' cognitive development.