ABSTRACT
This chapter formulates several theoretical frameworks such as structure building framework, vygotsky's sociocultural theory, and theories of transfer. The structure building framework was proposed by Gernsbacher. According to Gernsbacher's framework, the activation of memory nodes is modulated by two different mechanisms: enhancement and suppression. Enhancement increases the activation of memory nodes when their content is relevant to the mental structure being developed. Suppression dampens the activation of the nodes when their content is irrelevant or unrelated to the mental structure. A central postulation in the framework of sociocultural theory is the social nature of individual development, including higher mental functioning. According to Vygotsky (1978), many mental functions appear on two planes: first interpersonally on a social level through social interaction, and later intrapersonally on an individual level. The key argument that Vygotsky makes is that thought and language must be viewed as interacting, that higher thought is impossible without language.
