Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory states that child development is more than merely a response to personal experience. Children are influenced by their surroundings, family, …show more content…
Behaviorists believe that behaviour is the only thing that can be treated. Feelings or internal states cannot be treated. (Gordon, A.M., & Browne, K.W, 2011:112-115) Theorists like Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, Edward L. Thorndike, B.F. Skinner and Albert Bandura contributed to Behaviorist theories. In these theories, it is stated that there are three types of learning : classical conditioning (association learning), operant conditioning (reinforcement learning) and modeling (observation and imitation learning). I observed an example of operant conditioning when the children in the class were colouring a page in their books. Once the children had finished, some came to show me their colouring and I gave each of them a “high five”. Once Jeremiah had seen this, he tried to get his colouring done quickly and neatly and rushed to me to show me his colouring, in order for me to give him a “high five”. I also witnessed an example of modeling. Jeremiah models and imitates his teacher through his good manners when he says “please”, “thank you” etc. and he models her kind nature as he is kind and compassionate at heart. I experienced this when I was playing a card game with him and a group of his friends. Nobody had dealt me any cards and Jeremiah saw this so he offered me all of his cards. This showed me that he is caring in nature, like his teacher. Learning through association, reinforcement and modeling will influence …show more content…
Basic needs include food, water, clothes etc. (Gordon, A.M., & Browne, K.W, 2011, 129-130) Maslow believed that a hierarchy of basic and growth needs is what people need for growth. Growth needs emerge as a desire to grow individually. It is believed that basic and physical needs have to be met before higher cognitive learning can take place. I witnessed this theory in action on the day that we had our Sports Day for the children in Grade R at Funda Ujabule School. After we painted their faces, sang songs with them and started playing some of the games with the children, Jeremiah came up to me and asked me if he could go and eat his food because he was hungry. He did not want to continue to participate in the games because his basic needs had not been met. The children normally eat at ten o’clock and it was long past this time when he had asked me. This proves that children cannot even “play” never mind “think”, “concentrate” and “write” in a classroom if they have to do it on an empty stomach or if they are tired. Their basic needs have to be met first and this needs to be the teacher’s first priority/concern within the