THEORIES OF

COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
PIAGET AND
VYGOTSKY
Piaget’s key points of his theory:
■ Cognitive development occurs following a series of universal
stages.

■ Children are active learners who construct knowledge through

interaction with their environment.

■ They learn through assimilation and accommodation, and

complex cognitive development occurs through balance.

■ Interaction with the physical world is key to cognitive

development.
Basic principles of Vygotksy's
theory:
■ Children develop through informal and formal
conversations with adults.

■ The first years of life are critical for development, as this is

where thinking and language become increasingly
independent.

■ Complex mental activities begin in basic social activities.

■ Children can perform more difficult tasks with the help of a

more skilled individual.