Vygotsky and multiple representations: converged readings for science teaching

Abstract

This paper presents a discussion centered on the theme of Vygotsky's language and thought in order to show that the author's views on the matter are that underlie the arguments that support the framework of multimode and multiple representations. Just over a decade in development, the research program of multimode and multiple representations has been showing progressive, guaranteed completion by both the international scope of their research and the breadth of issues involved in dealing with Science and Math education. As the Semiotics Theory that supports this research program and Psychology that supports the Vygotskian studies, this makes the latter almost always absent in reference to the first. However, multimode and multiple representations framework make assertions that prove compatible with Vygotsky's position regarding the inseparable interdependence between language and thought. Thus, based on this interdependence, the paper discusses and points out that the use of many languages, in its various representations, defended by multimodal and multiple representations reference, is consistent and convergent with the Vygotskian reading on the subject.