Just released! New edition of Tools of the Mind book

We are excited to share that a new edition of Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education is now available from Routledge Publishing. First published nearly 30 years ago, Tools of the Mind captures the theory and practices that are the foundation of Tools teaching. Explanation of the Vygotskian approach to learning and development and how it can be applied in classrooms has made it an invaluable resource to countless teachers and educators seeking to build children’s foundational self-regulation and social skills through mature, make-believe play.

This 2023 edition retains the original content, grounded in Vygotskian ideas about how children construct knowledge and the integral role of language and social interactions in learning and development. In addition, there are new chapters to explore on brain development and scaffolding in the zone of proximal development (ZPD), as well as additional content on technology, dual language learners, and students with disabilities. With the inclusion of new work from post-Vygotskians in Russia and across the globe, our Tools co-founders continue to keep Vygotsky’s approach current and responsive to teaching and learning today.

In the forward of the new edition, Michael Cole, UC San Diego’s Director Emeritus of Laboratory for Comparative Human Cognition, refers to the original Tools of the Mind as “a major milestone” and describes the new book as “chock-full of practical examples that bring the theoretical ideas to life in ways that teachers can put to immediate use.”

If you have a well-loved copy of a previous edition, or if you haven’t had the chance to dig deeper into the theory behind Tools, click here to learn more about the new edition of Tools of the Mind and maybe even order a copy of your own!