Vygotsky and educational psychology: Some preliminary remarks

In this short article I will discuss some of the key elements of developments in psychology that have been attributed to the work of L.S. Vygotsky. He drew attention to the way in which humans use tools, such as speech, which mediate their engagement with the world. This understanding of mediation was central to his analysis of the social, cultural and historical influences on the formation of mind. I will provide a brief summary of the key elements of this theory which carry with them radical implications for the work of applied psychologists working in education.