Conceptual bases of historical-cultural approach to the understanding of language

Abstract

The following article, as a result of our PhD thesis, intends to present the conceptual basis of Vigotsky's cultural-historical approach for the comprehension of language, proper to the human species. To understand the individual as a social and cultural being in a developmental history, that goes from interpersonal to intrapersonal, and language being the mediator of all his/her relations. Likewise, to highlight the contributions of this approach for the education of people with special needs. To stress that this person is a social individual that develops through social, cultural and historical relations by the mediation of another individual and the existing signs in this mediation, the language being the main sign. We can conclude that, from the cultural-historical approach, a leap is expected in the development of the individual with special needs in the personal relations context, in the teacher's enabling and engaging attitudes and the mediating action of signs.