Explain your understanding of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development.

If we want to understand the learning need and developmental stages of a child, we need to take into consideration their society and all surrounding. Learners are capable of completing task, but they need the guidance of an adult, which can be their parents or their teacher.

1.Summarise the most important aspects of the learning theories of Erikson, Piaget and Vygotsky for your teaching practice as foundation phase teacher.

Erikson stated that a strong sense of individuality and perception is of outmost importance in the life of a child.

The four stages of Piaget focus is on   ,sensor motor intelligence, preoperational thinking, concrete operational thinking, and formal operational thinking.  Piaget believed that all children pass through these phases from birth to adolescent.

Here Vygotsky states that social interaction is of paramount importance to the cognitive development of a child.

4.Why is it important to have basic knowledge about the musical development of foundation phase learners?

Music development helps learners with the development of language and reasoning. It enables the learner to learn new words and concepts through activities such as rhymes, creating sounds using music instruments and sing songs that teachers them how to create rhythm. Exposing children to music helps them to learn sounds and meaning of new words.

5.Create suggestions for music activities which will support the various developmental areas of foundation phase learners (see Music and the holistic development of foundation phase learners). Formulate at least three music activities that could support and promote each developmental area.

* Imitate simple rhythmic patterns on music instruments, for learners to observe 

  different sounds of the various instruments.

*  Use music instruments to manipulate rhythm.

*  Walk or run in steadily on the response of varying drum beats.

* Incorporate movement and rhythm into lesson.

* Use a song to learn new concepts such as body awareness (body parts).

6.Write a short critique about the implications of knowledge about learning theories such as those of Erikson, Piaget and Vygotsky with regards to the way in which this knowledge informs your teaching approach as well as the way you approach activity planning.

Vygotsky, puts emphasis on scaffolding, which I as a teacher in my class incorporates. No learner can perform an activity without making use of the ladder concepts. Teachers should increase the activities from showing what to do and  gradually increases it to make it more challenging for the learner in order for them to understand the concept that is taught. His theory is based on teaching and learning should be done on guidance.