The Key to Learning Curriculum

Abstract

The programme Key to Learning is based on the ideas of L. Vygotsky, A. Leontiev, A. Zaporozhets, L. Venger, O. Diachenko, N.Veraksa. Vygotsky (Mind in society: the development of higher mental processes. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1978) proposed that cultural tools that determine cultural development of a child are the result of socially determined process. The child cannot acquire those tools by himself – he needs an adult who transfers cultural tools to a child. This interaction occurs in the zone of proximal development and makes possible appearance of higher mental functions. This process should be rich in content – determined by most important kinds of child’s forms of activity (Zaporozhet AV. Izbrannye psikhologicheskiye trudy [Selected works in psychology]. Pedagogy, Moscow, 1986). The programme Key to Learning is aimed at development of general abilities: cognitive, regulative and communicative. Abilities are understood as actions of orientation through application of special imagery tools (Venger LA. Development of child cognitive abilities. Pedagogika, Moscow, 1991; Leontiev AN. Lekcii po obshchey psikhologii [The lectures of general psychology]. Smysl, Moscow, 2000; Diachenko OM. Development of imagination of a preschool child. International Psychological Educational College, Moscow, 1996; Veraksa AN. Int J Early Year Educ 1:89–102, 2011b). Education process is determined towards acquisitions of those mental actions, which are applied in different situations for the purpose of solving different problems. The programme has module organisation and thus makes it possible to develop abilities systematically.