Tools of the mind : the Vygotskian approach to early childhood education / Elena Bodrova, Deborah J. Leong.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-223) and indexes.

section I. The Vygotskian framework : the cultural-historical theory of development -- 1. Introduction to the Vygotskian approach -- Tools of the mind -- Why mental tools are important -- History of the Vygotskian approach -- The Vygotskian framework : principles of psychology and education -- 2. Acquiring mental tools and higher mental functions -- The purpose of tools -- Language : the universal tool -- The concept of higher mental functions -- The development of higher mental functions -- Individual differences in the development of mental functions -- Compensating for the deficits in the development of higher and lower mental functions : Vygotskian approach to special education -- 3. The Vygotskian framework and other theories of development and learning -- Piaget's constructivist approach -- Behaviorist theories -- Information processing theory -- Critique of the Vygotskian approach -- section II. Strategies for development and learning -- 4. The zone of proximal development -- Defining the zone of proximal development -- Independent performance and assisted performance -- Using the ZPD to study development -- Implications for learning/teaching -- Using the ZPD to teach -- 5. Tactics : using mediators -- Mediator as mental tools -- The function of mediators -- Developmental path of mediators -- Mediation of social and emotional behaviors -- External mediation of cognition -- Using mediators in the classroom -- 6. Tactics : using language -- Language as a cultural tool -- The functions of speech -- Developmental path of speech -- The development of meaning -- The development of written speech -- Using language in the classroom -- 7. Tactics : using shared activities -- Interaction during shared activity -- How shared activity promotes learning -- Shared activity, other-regulation, and self-regulation -- The role of the teacher in shared activity -- The role of peers in shared activity --

section III. Applying the Vygotskian approach to development and learning in early childhood -- 8. Developmental accomplishments and leading activity : infants and toddlers -- The concept of developmental accomplishment -- The concept of leading activity -- Developmental accomplishments of infancy -- Leading activity of infants : emotional interactions with caregivers -- Developmental accomplishments of toddlers -- Leading activity of toddlers : object-oriented activity -- 9. Supporting the developmental accomplishments of infants and toddlers -- Supporting infants from birth to 6 months -- Supporting infants from 6 to 12 months old -- Supporting toddlers from 12 to 24 months old -- Supporting toddlers from 24 to 36 months old : transition from toddlerhood to preschool -- 10. Developmental accomplishments and leading activity : preschool and kindergarten -- Developmental accomplishments -- Make-believe play : the leading activity -- How play influences development -- The developmental path of play -- Nonplay activities in preschool/kindergarten -- 11. Supporting the developmental accomplishments in preschool and kindergarten -- Scaffolding make-believe play as a leading activity -- Levels of play found in the preschool/kindergarten classroom -- Scaffolding other activities in the preschool/kindergarten classroom -- 12. Developmental accomplishments and leading activity : primary grades -- Formal schooling and development in the primary grades -- The developmental accomplishments of the elementary school child -- Leading activity : learning activity -- 13. Supporting the developmental accomplishments in the primary grades -- Supporting the critical elements of learning activity -- Step-by-step formation as a way to support the development of learning actions -- Scaffolded writing, the application of step-by-step formation to writing -- Supporting primary-grade children who are missing the developmental accomplishments of preschool and kindergarten years -- 14. Dynamic assessment : application of the zone of proximal development -- Traditional vs. dynamic assessment -- What is dynamic assessment? -- Epilogue -- Glossary.