【Abstract】Two main types of constructivist theories， i.e. social constructivism originated from Vygotsky （1978） and cognitive （or individual） constructivism from Piaget （1977）， are constantly applied in an effective class （Powell & Kalina，， 2009）. Constructivism is a concept explaining the phases of how learners learn by constructing their own knowledge using their own experience （Ackermann 2004）. Vygotsky has tied great significance to culture as well as society to knowledge obtaining and stressed that a socio-cultural backgrounding is vital for students’ learning. Piaget （1977）， on the other hand， put more emphasis on cognitive construction and how individual constructs knowledge. “Cognitive constructivism came directly from Piaget’s work” （Powell & Kalina 2009 p242）. Piaget thinks students acquire knowledge through a series of constructing process by associating the new information with their own understanding and this process cannot be oversimplified and regarded as "receiving" and "storing" （Ackerman 2004）. Students have to build up their own knowledge based on their individually experiences. However， although Piaget developed his central theories on individual cognitive development， he also admitted the significant impact of social interactions on students’ development.
【Key words】Vygotsky Piaget learning theories Cooperative learning
【作者簡介】Wu Piao， University College London.
1. Introduction
This essay introduces both Vygotsky’s and Piaget’s constructivist theories and discusses their application in English as a second language （ESL） class in one of the Chinese institutional school （called EIC ChangSha） where I personally worked as an English teacher for over three years. The context of the institutional school has been fully introduced. The essay illustrated in details of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory （1978） including zone of proximal development theory and the later-developed "scaffolding"theories as well as Piaget’s theory on cognitive development and knowledge construction （1953）. Teachers ought to have better understanding of both constructivist theories from Vygotsky and Piaget in order to conduct teaching strategies， tools and methods more effectively （Ackermann 2004）.
2. Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning “is a student-centered， instructor-facilitated instructional strategy in which a small group of students is responsible for its own learning and the learning of all group members”. （Li & Lam 2005 p3）
