Lev Vygotsky was born in 1896. He studied at the University of Moscow and though he received a degree in law, he became a teacher of literature. Vygotsky’s interest in language and literature blended with his interest in psychology and lead him to theorize about language/ cognitive development in children. He hypothesized that development of inner speech in children developed in the same manner as all other mental processes. His theory can be used as a map of cognitive development in children. Vygotsky’s theory leads one to believe that cognitive development takes place out of a need to communicate our needs to others. After his death in 1934, his work was hidden away by the communist party in his native Russia until 1958.

    This site is an overview of Vygotsky's theory of development in childhood which he believed was concurrent with language development.