ABSTRACT
This chapter uses the term "early childhood" to describe Vygotskian and post-Vygotskian ideas mainly as they apply to children aged 3 to 6, and includes a short description of Vygotskian views of infants, toddlers, and the students of primary grades. Vygotskians view child development as driven by a complex interplay of biological maturation, societal expectations, and the child's own active participation in culturally determined activities and social interactions. Child development thus may follow different trajectories depending on the social context. To understand how Vygotskians view early childhood education, it is important to understand their approach to education in general and the cultural-historicaldefinition of development as its foundation. Unlike other developmental theories that hold that children can learn only those skills and concepts for which they are ready, Vygotskians suggest that this readiness itself can be determined and promoted through the processes of teaching and learning.
