Learning science in a first grade science activity: A Vygotskian perspective

The objectives of this article are to: (a) synthesize the key aspects of Vy gotsky's sociocultural theory of learning; and (b) interpret classroom vign ettes and child interviews from a first-grade science activity in light of Vygotsky's theory. The key aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory explo red in terms of the teaching-learning process are: the social interactional nature of learning; the role of psychological and technical tools, the rol e of social interactions in mediating children's thought; and the interplay between everyday and scientific concepts. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons,Inc.