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pp. 1525-1545 | Article Number: ijese.2017.097
Published Online: August 11, 2017
Abstract
Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky’s respective theories on human development have made meaningful contributions to numerous fields, including education. Hence, various authors have spelled out the applicability of these theories, jointly or individually, in areas such as mathematics, language, assessment and so forth, mainly; in senior classes within the field of education. However, there seems to be a dearth of scholarly work that brings to light the applicability of these theories in the integration of Environmental Education (EE) in the realm of Early Childhood Education (ECE). The author contends that this paucity could be attributed to the general ‘neglect’ of ECE. Thus, through this article, the author tries to demonstrate how the two theories can be applied in the integration of EE in Grade R. He uses a theme drawn from the mathematics National Curriculum Statement (NCS) pursued in the South African public school system to make his point.
Keywords: Piaget, Vygotsky, Assimilation, Environmental Education, Early Childhood Education, Grade R, Scaffolding, Internalization
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