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How to write your teacher training personal statement

Your teacher training personal statement should express why you'd make a great teacher and spell out your experiences, qualities and skills. We've got the inside track from Admissions Tutors on how to go about writing a good teacher training personal statement, what to do and what not to overlook...

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Let's start with a look at when to apply for teacher training. Places on teacher training courses are filled on a first come first serve basis. This is due to two factors. Firstly, the Department for Education set the maximum number of trainees on some courses. But the thing that really limits the number of places available is ensuring that there are enough school placements for all trainees. Training providers can only recruit up to a number that is manageable in terms of providing the trainees with the placement experiences they need.

Places for the most popular subjects tend to go early, for example, Physical Education (PE), Primary and Psychology. Shortage subjects such as Chemistry, Computing, Maths and Physics don’t fill up so fast.

The route you are taking into teaching may also influence when you apply. School Direct is run by the schools themselves and they can only take as many trainees as they can train within their schools. They may only have the one place available for your chosen subject and once those placements are gone, they’re gone. Universities tend to have larger and wider networks of partner schools which provide school placements. This gives them more options for finding school placements so they may have places available for longer. Unlike School Direct you don’t get to choose exactly which school you go to, though they’ll try to match your school placements to your preferences as much as possible. If you apply late you run the risk that all the placements are gone.

So, you want to apply as soon as you can, with a brilliant personal statement that reflects who you are and why you want to become a teacher. So, what does that look like?

Your teacher training personal statement broadly needs to convey four things:

• Your passion for wanting to become a teacher and commitment to the profession.
• Your reasons for wanting to teach your chosen subject.
• The skills and experience that you’ll bring to the role of teacher.
• Your awareness of the realities of what lies ahead - it’s a challenging but rewarding role so you need to be realistic about this and be aware of some of the hot topics facing the sector.

Kate Brimacombe, Associate Professor of Education and Associate Director of the Teacher Education Partnership at Plymouth Marjon University, explains what she is looking for in a teacher training personal statement:

“It's really lovely to get something that's individual and firstly I want to see that passion for wanting to work with children. You absolutely can get that across - it comes off the page.

“It can’t feel half-hearted, it needs to feel committed. If independence, motivation, and self-reliance don’t sing off the page, then that's an error in a sense. You need to get your personality into the written word, I’m looking for that fire that says ‘this is absolutely what I want to do’. One common mistake is being too short so that it doesn’t get that passion across. The lack of content and desire are the main reasons I don't shortlist candidates.”

You must convey why you want to teach your subject. What is your expertise? Why do you love it? What are the challenges facing teachers of your subject? Why do you want to teach this? Think about the age group you’ll be teaching and discuss why you want to teach them. What relevant experience do you have? How does your experience to date influence your thinking?

Ultimately, you’ve got to inspire others to love your subject, so be clear about how your own relationship to it is going to enable this.

The ingredients of a convincing teacher training personal statement are:

• Passion for teaching. Express your drive and fire on the page.
• Be individual. Stand out in a positive light; one tip here is not to waste characters on quotes, they don’t say anything about you.
• Convey your desire to work with children. Explain where this comes from.
• Prove it. Include the things you have actively done, what you’ve learnt from real life experiences in schools and/or working with children, and what you got out of it.
• Demonstrate the qualities of a teacher. Point out your commitment, empathy, independence, innovation, motivation, patience, self-reliance, and tip-top organisation skills.
• Depth. Don’t cut it too short, you’re allowed up to 4000 characters which is around 600-700 words, so write until you’re thereabouts, and then edit it so that it reads even better.

In addition, for a strong personal statement you’ll want to demonstrate some awareness of the national curriculum for your subject and then highlight how your subject knowledge maps to it.

Back to Kate for another crucial tip: “The other big thing is that we’re checking the accuracy of your spelling and grammar, it must be correct if you’re going to be a teacher. To be fair, we don't get a lot of mistakes because I think people understand that expectations around written and verbal communication are high in teaching.”

Some aspiring teachers know they want to teach but are uncertain on the age group or subject. For example, maybe you love sport and are keen to be a secondary PE teacher, but you also enjoy working with younger children at sports clubs so you’re feeling split. In this scenario, try to settle this before you apply but if you can’t then write honestly about the situation and take extra care to ensure that neither option comes across being the fallback one that you’re not really committed to.

The magic ingredient: Examples from your own experience

There's no one way to structure your teacher training personal statement but be sure to back up every point you make with evidence. A great way to do this is give real life examples of what you actually did, and what you learned from it. It’s not enough to just list your work experience, you need to explain what you learned and how this experience will help you as a teacher.

You don’t need school experience to apply for a teaching course, though it helps. But if you don’t have school experience then you at least need some transferable skills, so any other experience of working with children is valid here, things like helping with sports teams and youth clubs are valid too. Use your examples to demonstrate the skills you’d bring to the role of teacher.

You could also refer to a teacher who made a difference to you at school, or who influenced your love of working with children and helping them to learn.

By discussing examples, you can also demonstrate that you are realistic about the role, in that is challenging as well as rewarding. For example, you might discuss a session you observed or taught, reflecting on what went well, how you adapted to the situation and how you would improve on it.

This is how to make effective use of real life examples, according to Julie Stevens, course leader for PGCE Secondary Education at Plymouth Marjon University: “I want to read about how you’ve helped a pupil to make progress. What did you change? How did you recognise they weren’t learning? What did you adapt to help them understand? Maybe you modelled it or talked it through? How did the child respond? You might talk for example about why a child was messing around or why a seating chart was put together in a certain way. It’s really encouraging when a candidate offers insights into teaching and that sense of self-reflection”.

You can talk about that examples that demonstrate transferable skills. For example, maybe you had to be resilient to get your Duke of Edinburgh award, maybe you’re a leader on the sports field or maybe you’re a dedicated musician with the music exams to prove it?

In addition, the way you talk about children is really important, the training provider needs to know that you see them as individuals and that you want to help them become independent thinkers. Back to Julie again for more about this: “I want to see candidates who talk about children as individuals and how you can help them make the best progress they can. Helping young people to make decisions for themselves and become independent learners, so that they take responsibility for their own success is essential for adulthood.

"It’s great when someone can talk about innovative things, like how to use social media for good outcomes. Anything like that is powerful because it means they understand our role as educators – we aren’t just filling them with knowledge, we're trying to get children and young people to understand how to develop themselves.”

Get your referee geared up

References really do matter. Julie and Kate report that in practice most of barriers to shortlisting a candidate come not from the personal statement, but from references that are too short. They’ve seen references as short as three lines and that doesn’t tell them enough about you and your suitability for a career in teaching. You could be an impressive candidate, but you can’t be offered a place until your reference checks out.

If you’re applying for undergraduate teacher training through UCAS then one reference is required. If you’re applying for postgraduate teacher training then you’ll need two references. If you’re at university, or have been within the past five years, then one reference must be from someone at your university. The other reference can be from someone who knows you from work, and if you’re applying for School Direct then one of your references must come from your current employer.

A good reference says good things about you and backs up some of qualities and skills you’ve outlined in your personal statement. Your referee needs to talk about your character and why they think you could be a great teacher. The training provider is looking for insight; a different perspective on you, and hopefully one that that verifies the impressions they’re taking from your statement.

You can do a lot to make sure your reference is on point. First ask your referees if they are willing to be your referee and if they think you’ve got the potential to be a good teacher. Next you need to arm them with all the arguments as to why you’ll be a good teacher, they probably don’t know everything you do. Ideally they would read your personal statement so that they can write a reference that complements it.

If applicable, ask your referee to comment on your academic abilities, including your predicted grades. If possible, go through the reference with your referee as you might see something they’ve missed. If so, ask if they are willing to add it, it’s up to them but you can suggest things.

A good teacher training personal statement shows passion and love for teaching, as well as that you’ve done some research and that you’re dedicated to teaching career. Show your personality; show them the teacher you could be. @marjonuni

Back to Kate for closing advice: “Speak with honesty and speak from the heart. I’m looking for passion. I'm looking for somebody I think the has the potential. Then when you come to interview, I already know that you have that passion and so you just need to add the shine to that and tell us more about it in-person, one to one. In that way your teacher training personal statement is the stepping stone into the interview, if it does its job then we’ll be excited to find out more about you”.

You’ve got this. Follow the advice above and you’ll have a brilliant teacher training personal statement in the bag. The next step will be your teacher training interview, so why not check out our articles on how to ace your teacher training interview and teacher training interview questions .

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Psychology Personal Statement Guide

Writing a personal statement is not simple, as it demands a lot from you. It requires you to be introspective and analytical about your opinions, interests, and motivations. It wants you to show yourself to your best advantage without coming across as arrogant and boastful . It asks you to convince people you’ve never met to offer a place on their course to someone they have little knowledge of. All of this in 4000 characters or fewer? Not so easy.

This guide is designed to help you navigate this challenging, but hopefully ultimately rewarding, task by taking you through what makes a good and a not-so-good psychology personal statement. It will give you a very good idea of what a personal statement is and isn’t, as well as what admissions tutors are looking for, and how to present yourself in the best light. The guide will lead you through the following points:

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in a Psychology Personal Statement?  
• What Should I Avoid in a Psychology Personal Statement?  

Advice on How to Start a Psychology Personal Statement  

Advice on how to finish a psychology personal statement  .

What Should I Avoid in a Psychology Personal Statement ?  

While personal statements should be personal to you, yours should not be about your own psychological or mental health history . Even if some or all of your motivation for studying the subject stems from this, it would be inappropriate to state as much since you should retain a scientifically objective interest in the formal academic subject beyond how it might be relevant to you personally.

You should also avoid talking about how the degree might help you to understand your own mentality or psychological health as this isn’t a guaranteed outcome of the course, and could suggest you’ve misunderstood what it involves.

Remember to maintain a formal, professional, and academic detachment and tone throughout.

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The start of your personal statement should set out why you’re interested in the subject and why you’d like to study it at university.

You should always avoid using quotations or clichés as these come across as hackneyed; instead, use simple and straightforward language that is appealing and memorable . You want to create a good impression through your own words, not someone else’s.

If you’re struggling with the first line, it might help to draft some reasons for your interest and motivation separately and incorporate these later. Once you have begun, make sure your statement follows a sensible order and that its structure is clear from reading it.

Like with the initial impression from the statement’s introduction, the final impression made on the reader should be a positive one that excites them and leaves them with a genuine sense of who you are and why you’re applying.

Without repeating what you’ve already said, you should try to emphasise the extent of your interest and why you’d like to study psychology. Plans for how you'd like to expand your academic performance at university can come into this section, as can any ambitions the degree could assist you with further down the line.

The important point to remember is that you want to leave the reader thinking it would be the best course of action to invite you to an interview or make you an offer

• What are some Tips for Writing a Strong Psychology Personal Statement?
• How Long Should my Psychology Personal Statement Be?
• What Kind of Extracurricular Activities Should I Include in my Psychology Personal Statement?
• How Can I Tailor my Psychology Personal Statement to the Oxford/Cambridge Course?

Refine your interests by looking into the broad areas of psychology that most universities will offer, e.g. developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, etc. Do some research into what appeals most to you through books and articles, and take notes so you can highlight your own personal informed interests where appropriate throughout the statement. This will give a much better impression than repeating what you know from your school syllabus.

Try to mention in the statement the academic skills you already possess and how these might equip you for success during the degree, e.g. your mathematical competency for dealing with statistics, or your experimental experience in the sciences. If you’ve won any academic prizes or awards, then by all means mention them but only if they’re made relevant to your ultimate study of psychology.

Your statement will be restricted to 4000 characters (including spaces) or to 47 lines of the UCAS form, whichever you reach first. Needless to say, such a limit makes every word count even more than usual, so it’s best to try to use all 4000 characters to express everything you need to. Create a list of points you want to include and tick them off to ensure you don’t omit anything.

So many activities you do outside the classroom will be underpinned by psychology, e.g. playing or coaching sports, gaming, and interacting with animals to name a few. Anything you do mention should go towards establishing your profile as a capable and skilled potential student of psychology, but these activities don’t necessarily need to relate directly – they could teach you different skills that would come in useful during the degree, such as research skills or empathy. Any mention of non-academic pursuits should be kept to a minimum and always related back to the subject you intend to study.

Whilst you cannot make your statement too specific to any one university, there are certain things you can do to ensure Oxbridge tutors know you are thinking of them.

Oxford and Cambridge value intellectual curiosity, an appreciation of interdisciplinary interest, and flexible thinking that allows you to test ideas. It’s therefore advisable to consider what evidence you have of these attributes which you can incorporate into your statement. Good examples of this would be challenging current ways of thinking, going beyond the confines of your school syllabus, or conducting an experiment with surprising results. In addition, given the system of small group teaching at the two universities and the onus they place on independent study, showing some evidence of academic autonomy would help to prove your suitability for their courses.

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Your teacher training personal statement

Your personal statement is your chance to make yourself memorable with teacher training providers and show them why you’ll make a great teacher.

You do not have to write it all at once – you can start it and come back to it. Successful candidates often take a few weeks to write their personal statements.

How long should my teacher training personal statement be?

Your personal statement can be up to 1000 words. 90% of successful candidates write 500 words or more.

You could include:

• skills you have that are relevant to teaching
• any experience of working with young people
• your understanding of why teaching is important
• your reasons for wanting to train to be a teacher
• any activities you’ve done that could be relevant to teaching (such as first aid courses, sports coaching or volunteering)

Teacher training providers want to see your passion and that you understand the bigger picture of teaching.

How to write your personal statement

When writing your personal statement you should make sure you check your spelling and grammar in your application. You want to make the best possible impression.

You can use ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help you write your personal statement. You should not rely on it to write your entire statement because:

AI tools use bland language and will not be able to give details about you as a person. Using them may result in your application being unsuccessful

your account to apply for teacher training may be blocked if you consistently submit personal statements that look like they have been written with AI tools

Do I use the same personal statement for each application?

You can use the same personal statement for every course you apply to.

However, there may be some instances where you’d like to tailor it to different courses.

For example, if you want to apply to train to teach maths and also to train to teach physics. In this case, you might want to change your personal statement to talk more specifically about the subject you’re applying to train to teach.

Should my personal statement be different if I’m training to teach primary or secondary?

You should use your personal statement to explain why you feel passionate about teaching a specific age range or subject.

If you’re applying for a primary course with a subject specialism, or you’re particularly interested in certain primary subjects, you can talk about that, too.

If you’re not sure if you want to teach primary or secondary, you can find out more about teaching different age groups .

Do I need school experience?

You do not need school experience to apply for teacher training, but it can help strengthen your personal statement.

Teacher training providers like to see that you have a good understanding of teaching, how the school system works and what your transferable skills are. You need more than just good subject knowledge and school experience can be a great way to get this.

Getting some school experience can also be a good way to make sure teaching is right for you before you apply for a course.

Find out how you could get school experience .

Get help with your personal statement

You can get help with your personal statement from our teacher training advisers . They have years of teaching experience and can give you free, one-to-one support by phone, text, or email.

Advisers can also help you understand more about what teaching is really like, which can help improve your application.

Having a teacher training adviser was really beneficial when editing my personal statement and preparing for interviews. My top tips for the application process would be to get an adviser, and to think about what transferrable skills you have when writing your personal statement and answering interview questions. Felix, former teacher trainee

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How to write a teacher training personal statement or Initial Teacher Training application

Teacher training personal statements: the dos and don'ts

An Initial Teacher Training (ITT) or teacher training personal statement is a key part of any initial teacher training application – it's your chance to sell yourself.

Your personal statement gives teacher training providers an opportunity to find out more about you – your motivations for pursuing a career in teaching, your reflections on any school experience you have and the skills, competencies, values and attitudes that you bring to the table. What can you offer teaching? What will make you an outstanding teacher who will inspire, engage and challenge pupils? 

A teacher training personal statement shouldn’t be a list of all your jobs or qualifications – those are set out elsewhere in your application. Nor should it simply be a factual account of what you have observed or what you did in a classroom during your school experience. While it's important to give a brief context of this, it's much more important to explain what you learnt during your time in school; skills you developed and reflections on what you observed or did. Teacher training providers or ITT partnership schools need to see that you have thought about your experience carefully.

It's also worth reiterating how important it is to check your spelling and grammar. You're going to be in charge of educating the next generation – you must have strong written communication skills.

Examples can be a great way of demonstrating what you have learnt

Steer away from overusing general teaching related statements such as “I’ve always wanted to work with children”, especially when writing a primary school teacher training personal statement. Obviously, teacher training providers want to see that you have an interest in working with children but this can be demonstrated through your reflections on what you learnt during any school or similar experience and what you found rewarding about the work.

Examples can be a great way of demonstrating what you have learnt. Think about the skills that  make a good teacher  and give examples of any relevant projects you've worked on or any children you've worked with (always remember to anonymise the people involved). What was challenging about the situation, what did you learn and what were the outcomes you achieved?

By all means draw on skills you've gained elsewhere, maybe in a different career field or in your own education or family life. If you've overcome obstacles or challenges that you believe show your resilience and adaptability, draw on that experience to demonstrate how you would handle the pressurised environment of teaching and working in a school.

Your teacher training personal statement should be coherent and well-structured

If you hold a non-subject specific degree and you know you have some gaps in your subject knowledge, it’s a good idea to mention this in your teaching training personal statement but to also offer the provider a solution. You can demonstrate that you've done some research and you've already considered a solution to this challenge by mentioning that you would like to do a  subject knowledge enhancement  (SKE)  course prior to starting your teacher training to bring your knowledge up to the level you need to teach.

Find out more about about SKE

There are plenty of guides on how to write a personal statement for teacher training which outline the basics, but the most important thing remains your own personal reasons for applying. Be clear about what motivates you. A personal statement that suggests you haven't thought through your reasons for going into teaching will not help your application to succeed. Teacher training providers are less likely to be concerned about someone who has had a diverse career but is now committed to teaching than someone who says they have always wanted to teach but can’t give clear reasons why. If you’re not currently based in the UK, include reasons why you want to pursue your teaching career here. And last but definitely not least, your personal statement should be coherent and well-structured.

In summary:

• Draw on your experiences  (especially teaching experience) to show what you've learnt and what you will bring to the teaching profession
• Evidence your skills , competencies and values, with relevant examples if possible
• Be clear about your motivations  for going into teaching
• Make sure your statement is  coherent and accurate
• Don’t copy!  Your statement should be entirely your own work; do not copy online examples.

Good luck! Further advice from UCAS can be  found here .

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If you're looking for programmes in  England , use the DfE's  'Apply for teacher training' service . If you're looking for programmes in  Wales or Scotland,  use  UCAS' search tool .

You can only complete one personal statement You can’t change it or create different ones for university or school-based choices. The providers you’re applying to understand this, so they won’t be expecting you to say specific things about them or their programmes. However, if you’re applying for programmes in a particular subject or age group, it would be helpful to explain why you have chosen them, and the skills and attributes you have that make them appropriate for you.

I read hundreds of UCAS applications for teacher training every year, and I cannot stress how important the personal statement is. Claire Harnden, Director of Initial Teacher Training at Surrey South Farnham SCITT

What to include

You do need to think carefully about the things that all your chosen providers will want to know about you. You’ll probably want to include things like:

• your reason(s) for wanting to teach
• evidence that you understand the rewards and challenges of teaching
• details of your previous education and how you have benefitted from it
• any other work with young people, such as helping with a youth club, working at a summer camp or running a sports team
• the range of relevant abilities and skills you can bring to teaching, for example, practical experience, managing people, working with or leading a team, and communication skills
• any reasons why there may be restrictions on your geographical mobility
• why you want to study in the UK, if you don’t currently live here
• whether you have any previous classroom experience, either independently or had a taste of school life via the  Get School Experience service .

These are the things all training providers want to know – whether they’re School Direct, a university or a SCITT – so there’s no need to worry that you can’t write different personal statements. Read what SCITT director, Claire Harnden, looks for in a  teacher training personal statement .

In addition to the details you give in the school and work experience section, you can also expand on your experience of teaching, such as visits to schools, classroom observations or working as a teaching assistant. To help, read  Chris Chivers' tips for completing your teacher training application .

Whatever the route, the process will have similar elements, which are worth considering, so that the appliation has the greatest chance of making an impression. Chris Chivers, experienced ITT tutor and mentor

How to write it

You can use up to 47 lines of text (4,000 characters) in your personal statement. Some word processing packages calculate line counts differently from the UCAS Teacher Training system, so you might need to redraft your statement if there’s a discrepancy between the counts.

• Write in English (or Welsh if you’re applying to Welsh providers) and avoid italics, bold or underlining.
• Get the grammar and punctuation right and redraft your statement until you’re happy with it.
• It’s a good idea to write your personal statement in a word processor first, then copy and paste it into your application.

Don’t copy!

Don’t copy anyone else’s personal statement or from statements posted on the internet.  Make sure your personal statement is all your own work.

You might also like to read

Ucas teacher training: after you send your application, sponsored articles ucas media service, five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter, how to find a job, teacher training: three things to consider before you apply.

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Tips for writing your teacher training personal statement

When applying for teacher training, you’ll have to submit a personal statement. follow our advice on how to show your full potential..

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The Clearing concierge has the answers

Include genuine and realistic reasons for wanting to teach

You’ll need to outline the reasons you want to teach. These reasons should be compelling. Applicants regularly reel out clichés, for example: 'I want to give back to society' or 'I want to help children'. Although true, what is it exactly you want to give back, and how does teaching help children?

Your reasons need to be developed and realistic. Teaching kids algebra isn’t going to solve the world’s problems. It might make a difference to individual lives, but how so? Don’t forget teaching has a lot to offer you too. Show your awareness of that.

Demonstrate your understanding of the challenges and rewards involved

Teaching can be a challenging profession – make sure you show your recognition of this. But, it can also be an extremely rewarding experience, so don’t forget to include the positives.

Show how your experience in schools helped you to understand the role of a teacher

You’re unlikely to be admitted to a teacher training programme without relevant experience. Make sure to include these details in your personal statement.

Don’t simply recall your experience as a teaching assistant. Relay what the experience meant to you and how it helped you understand what teachers actually do.

If you have experience of working with children in other capacities, include the details

Maybe you were a mentor in a summer camp for children, or you ran a local youth sports team. It’s all relevant. Mention how the experience will help your career in teaching. If nothing else, working with children will have developed your ability to build a rapport with them.

• READ MORE 
• University interviews
• Tips for virtual interviews
• Completing your UCAS application

Draw on other professional experiences and say how they’re relevant

Teaching calls for a variety of skills. You might have experience in managing people, working within a team or communicating across departments. These are all applicable, so include them and make sure to say how these skills will help you succeed as a teacher.

Don’t forget about your subject

Tailor your application according to the subject you hope to teach. This is especially important if you’re applying for secondary school training posts. What makes you an expert in the field? What are the challenges facing teachers of your subject? Why do you want to teach it?

If applying from outside the UK, explain why you want to train here

This could simply be a personal reason or otherwise. Admissions tutors want to know you’re serious about training in the UK.

Don’t waffle

Space is limited to around 4,000 characters across 47 lines – make sure every sentence counts.

Give yourself plenty of time

Don’t leave the personal statement until the day before the deadline. You’ll need time to proof and edit it to make it strong and complete.

• See university deadlines

Don’t keep it to yourself

Try to get feedback on your personal statement from a teacher you know, as well as a university tutor – they’re likely to have a unique insight.

Bear in mind who you’re writing it for

Are you applying for school-based or university-based training? This should have some impact on your personal statement, as a university may be looking for something different to what a school wants. Perhaps this will influence whose feedback you’ll listen to more closely.

Get the basics right

Consult DfE’s guide to make sure you’ve done everything correctly. Triple-check everything and take breaks between writing and editing. It’s hard to spot errors when you’re staring at your work for long periods of time.

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TIPS FOR PERSONAL STATEMENT

How to write an effective personal statement.

Please take time to read the following information which is designed to help you to write your personal statement effectively.

• Remember , the function of the personal statement is to secure an interview • Wring value out of every sentence you put in, cut the waffle • Be clear – don’t make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge • Use concrete examples . If you did something, say exactly what you did (e.g. As a TA I have supported children to develop a range of skills in mathematics. I used a cookery lesson to teach my Y5 pupils about weighing and measuring and have taught volume and capacity to Y1 pupils as part of a topic on looking after our fish) • Say what you learned (e.g. Whilst observing in a Y3 class, I was impressed at the way the pupils responded to the Learning Objectives. I understand how important it is to make these explicit as it helps the children to …) Broadly, the statement should cover these areas: • Why you want to become a teacher • your transferable skills, knowledge and experience relevant to teaching and what they will enable you to offer a school • your philosophy of education – what it’s all about (and this might be where you want to include your thoughts on things like inclusion); • what other transferable skills, knowledge and experience you can offer, including extra-curricular. • Try to include something ‘desirable’ – that little something which will make your application stand out e.g. Willing and able to coach the school football or netball team.

Final Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t: Go over the character limit – the form will just cut you off mid-sentence. Do: • Keep a copy of your application form – you will be asked questions based on it at interview • Draft your statement on Word first then cut and paste. • Proof read very carefully – errors in written English are frowned upon • Get someone else to read over your form before you press send Good Luck!

“LDBS SCITT was genuinely the best year of my life.” – Jade Corrick

© 2024 | Teaching London: LDBS SCITT | 2 West End Lane, Kilburn, London, NW6 4NT | 0207 932 1126 | [email protected]

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 21 September 2023 | 10 min read

Writing a psychology personal statement: expert advice from universities 

 Get tips from the top to help you nail your psychology personal statement 

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Research the course and make it clear that you understand what it’s all about

• Read more:  how to write an excellent personal statement in ten steps

Keep it focused on you 

… but make sure you understand what the course is all about and keep it academic.

• Read more:  how to write your university application

Answer the question of why you want to study psychology 

• Read more:  teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

Show the range of your interest

• Read more:  personal statement FAQs

Highlight any relevant work experience

• Read more:  the ten biggest mistakes to avoid when writing your personal statement

And work experience outside the healthcare sector could still be relevant, too

• Read more:  universities reveal all about personal statements

Reflect on your relevant experience

• Read more:  universities explain how to end your personal statement with a bang

Avoid cliches

• Read more:  how to write your personal statement when you have nothing interesting to say

Let it all flow out in your first draft

• Read more:  how long does it take for universities to reply to your application? 

Don’t worry if you don’t know exactly where you want your career to take you yet

And a few final tips from universities…, you may want to look at these..., how to write an excellent personal statement in 10 steps.

Help and advice on putting your application together

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Lev Vygotsky (Psychologist Biography)

Lev Semionovich Vygotsky was a Jewish-Russian psychologist who developed the Cultural-Historical Theory (also known as the Sociocultural Theory or the Social Development Theory). He believed community, culture, and social interaction play key roles in how children think and learn. Vygotsky also held the view that learning may differ from one culture to another. However, many of his theories are incomplete as he died when he was only 37 years old.

Lev Vygotsky's Childhood

Lev Vygotsky was born on November 17, 1896, in Orsha, Belarus. He was the second child in a family of eight children. His father, Simkha Vygodskii, worked as a banker and was known to have a stern personality. His mother, Cecelia Moiseievna, was a licensed teacher who devoted herself to her family and schooled her children at home.

During the time Vygotsky was born, Belarus was considered a part of the Russian Empire. When he was one year old, his family moved from Orsha to a nearby town called Gomel. Vygotsky was raised in a middle-class, nonreligious, Jewish family. His original family name is often rendered “Vygodskii” or “Vygodskaya.”

Vygotsky’s parents were fluent in a number of languages and they were very keen on giving him a good education. His father was very successful in banking and served as a model for Vygotsky to follow. Simkha Vygodskii often read philosophy and eventually introduced Lev to the works of Kant and Hegel. Vygotsky’s mother, Cecelia, introduced him to the German language, poetry, literature, and drama.

Simkha was very involved in the cultural activities in Gomel. He and his wife also founded a local public library. The collection of books they amassed had a positive effect on their large family. It helped to satisfy their children’s incredible love for reading.

Cecelia taught Lev to care for his younger siblings. She also ensured all the young ones shared in the household chores. In the evenings, Simkha and Cecelia held cultural sessions in their dining room and provided an intellectually stimulating environment for their children. The family frequently discussed topics related to literature, history, art, and theatre.

Vygotsky’s Educational Background

Vygotsky was homeschooled until he was fourteen years old. In addition to learning from his parents, he also had a private tutor named Solomon Ashpiz who taught him mathematics. In 1911, he enrolled at a private Jewish Gimnasium where he received a gold medal after completing his coursework. This distinction granted him the opportunity to attend a university in Russia.

In 1913, Vygotsky was selected to be a part of the 3% Jewish quota allowed for universities in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. He wanted to be trained as a teacher. However, Jewish teachers were not accepted at Government-sponsored schools in Russia before the revolution. To appease his parents, he eventually applied to the Moscow University medical school.

Higher Education

Although Vygotsky began his tertiary-level education studying medicine, his passion for the humanities and social sciences soon took over. He transferred to the Moscow University Law School before the end of his first semester. While studying law, he started attending classes at Shanyavsky People's University. Although this Jewish institution did not grant formal degrees, it gave him the opportunity to study linguistics, Jewish culture, philosophy, psychology, and literature.

Vygotsky completed his master’s degree in law in 1917. However, his formal studies at Moscow University were interrupted by the Moscow Bolshevik Uprising that began in October 1917. By the time Vygotsky left school, he was fluent in German and French, and able to read Hebrew, Latin, Greek, and English. In 1917, he returned to Gomel to teach as well as continue his reading on psychology and education. However, it did not take long for civil war and famine to affect his hometown.

Vygotsky spent seven years as a schoolteacher in Gomel. While he worked as the head of the psychology lab at the Teachers Training Institute, he also gathered the information he needed for his doctoral thesis. In 1924, he participated in the Second All-Russian Psychoneurological Congress in Petrograd (later renamed Leningrad). At the congress, he presented the paper “Methodology of Reflexological and Psychological Research.”

Vygotsky’s youthful age and bold choice of topic impressed several influential people at the congress. He was later invited to become a research fellow at the Institute of Experimental Psychology in Moscow. In 1925, he earned his doctoral degree after completing his thesis titled “The Psychology of Art.” Vygotsky spent ten years conducting research at the Institute.

Cultural-Historical Theory of Development

Vygotsky believed in a dynamic relationship between humans and society. He thought society could impact people, and people could impact society. Vygotsky claimed this interaction allowed children to learn slowly and continuously from more experienced people such as their parents or teachers. However, as different people live in different cultures, he believed the learning process may vary from one culture to another.

According to Vygotsky, babies are born with the basic mental functions they need for intellectual growth. These basic functions include attention, sensation, perception, and memory. He thought of infants as being naturally curious and actively involved in their own learning. He also believed culture and language greatly influence how young children think and what they think about.

Vygotsky and Memory

To better understand how culture may affect a child’s cognitive development, it may help if you consider the concept of human memory. Memory is a basic mental function that a typical infant is born with. At the most basic level, memory is primarily dependent on biological factors such as eating healthy food and having a healthy brain. However, the addition of culture can extend this natural ability.

Throughout human history many children have used memory aids to improve their memory and boost learning. They may carry pebbles, tie knots in a piece of rope, take notes on a piece of paper, repeat facts orally, or use another strategy. Each of these strategies offers cognitive benefits to children. However, the specific memory strategy a child uses is largely determined by the culture in which he or she is raised.

Language Development in Children

Vygotsky also believed children learn language from their social interactions. He viewed language as a vital tool for communicating with the external world. Vygotsky theorized that language plays two important functions in cognitive growth:

• It helps adults to give information to children
• It helps children to develop intellectually
• During his research, Vygotsky identified three different forms of language:
• Social speech - This form of language starts at about age 2 and is used to communicate with other people.
• Private speech - This form of language starts at about age 3 and involves audible speech directed to the self. It is used to improve self-regulation and spark intellectual growth. The child learns to work with himself or herself in the same way he or she would work with an adult tutor.
• Inner speech - This form of language starts at about age 7 and occurs when private speech becomes completely internalized.

According to Vygotsky, language and thinking ability are separate processes when a child is born. He believed these two processes begin to merge when the child is about three years old. He also claimed that the merger of language and thought eventually leads to the development of inner speech. For Vygotsky, this internalization of language is essential for further cognitive development later in life.

Although Vygotsky believed children are curious by nature, he clearly recognized that adults play a crucial role in maximizing learning. Children may imitate the actions of adults around them, receive guidance from parents, or work along with older teachers to improve their performance. Two key principles that underpin Vygotsky’s theories on cognitive growth are the “More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)” and the “Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).” Both principles are explained below.

More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)

Vygotsky asserted that children learn best when they have social interactions with a more knowledgeable other (MKO). He defined the more knowledgeable other as the person who understands a topic or task better than the learner. The MKO may provide demonstrations or verbal instructions for the child to follow. The child then tries to understand the information, process it internally, and use it to guide his or her future performance.

In many cases, the more knowledgeable other is older and more experienced than the learner. However, there are situations where the MKO may be younger than the learner. For example, a teenager may be more knowledgeable than an elderly person at playing a particular video game or operating a new electronic device. The MKO and learner may also be the same age, which usually happens when children learn from their peers.

It is also possible for the more knowledgeable other to not be human. Just think about a book, a computer, or another device that is programmed with more information about a particular subject than the learner currently has. The learner may interact with the device and receive valuable instructions or explanations. As long as the instruction is provided within the zone of proximal development (ZPD), the learner can gain additional knowledge or skills.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Vygotsky states that the zone of proximal development (ZPD) is “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.” To put it simply, the ZPD is the gap between what the learner knows right now, and what he or she could know if helped by a more knowledgeable other (MKO). By working with an MKO, the learner may acquire the skills needed to access knowledge that is currently out of reach.

In Vygotsky’s day, there were three popular views about the relationship between a child’s cognitive development and learning:

• Cognitive Development must happen before a child can learn
• Learning and cognitive development are inseparable and always happen at the same time
• Cognitive development and learning are separate but interactive

Vygotsky disagreed with all three assumptions. In his opinion, learning should always occur before cognitive development. With the help of a skilled tutor, Vygotsky believed a child may learn skills that go far beyond their actual developmental level.

Scaffolding

This concept of using a tutor to improve learning is called scaffolding. Just as a literal scaffolding gives construction workers support and helps them to access new heights, Vygotsky scaffolding helps learners to gradually access new intellectual heights within their ZPD that are hard to get to on their own.

Vygotsky viewed the zone of proximal development as the area where the most crucial guidance should be given to help children develop higher mental functions. If the task is too easy (that is, below the lower boundary of the ZPD) then the child is not being helped to grow intellectually. If the task is too hard (that is, above the upper boundary of the ZPD) it will be impossible for the child to perform the task and he or she may become discouraged. Studies show that children learn best when they are encouraged to solve difficult tasks that are still within their zone of proximal development.

Applications of Vygotsky’s Cultural-Historical Theory

Vygotsky’s theories have brought a number of benefits to the classroom. For example, teachers are encouraged to determine the zone of proximal development for each student so that they can assign tasks that promote mental growth. When a new topic is introduced, some teachers choose to do a short discussion or a short quiz before diving into the material. This strategy helps teachers to find the baseline knowledge of each student so they can tailor the course work for the best results.

The concept of scaffolding can also be used to great effect by teachers. Rather than sitting passively at their desks, teachers can promote intellectual growth by walking around the classroom and provide guidance as their students work. The principle can also be applied when assigning group work. By ensuring each group is composed of students with different levels of intellectual ability, stronger students can help weaker students to reach a higher level within their own ZPD.

Criticisms and Limitations of Vygotsky’s Cultural-Historical Theory

Vygotsky’s early death meant he did not have the opportunity to complete many of his theories. Additionally, he did not provide any specific hypotheses to test. This makes it difficult to refute any of his theories. Also, many of Vygotsky’s writings are only available in Russian so they have not received the same level of academic scrutiny as the work of other prominent psychologists.

The biggest criticism of Vygotsky’s work is possibly his assumption that his theories are applicable to all cultures. Some critics have noted that the concept of scaffolding is very dependent on verbal communication, so it may not be effective for all types of learning in all cultures.

Books, Awards, and Accomplishments

Vygotsky was a very active researcher and writer throughout his professional career. His primary interests included child development, education, language development, and cognition. He wrote many papers and essays and had extensive notes on his research findings. However, he died from tuberculosis before he could publish his first book.

Roughly six months after he died, Vygotsky’s close friends and associates took up the task of compiling, editing, and publishing his notes for him. His first book, “Myshlenie i rech” (translated in English as Thinking and Speech) was published in December 1934. The English translation was released in 1962. The book highlights Vygotsky’s view that oral language, inner speech, and the ability to think are all closely connected.

Since 1934, a number of books have been published that make reference to Vygotsky’s work and credit him posthumously. Some of these books include:

• Psychology of Art (1971)
• Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes (1980)
• Vygotsky Reader (1994)
• The Collected Works of L.S. Vygotsky (2011)
• The Essential Vygotsky (2013)

Vygotsky’s Personal Life

In the early 1920s, Vygotsky informally changed his Jewish-sounding birth name “Lev Símkhovich Výgodskii” to “Lev Semiónovich Vygótskii.” In 1924, he got married to Roza Smekhova and had two daughters (one was born in 1925 and the other in 1930). Vygotsky’s relatives and his daughters kept their original family name “Výgodskii.” In English texts, Lev’s surname is often spelled as “Vygotsky.”

Vygotsky’s professional career lasted only ten years. During this time, he had to fight several bouts of tuberculosis. The first attack occurred in 1920 when he was 23 years old. His family had a history of tuberculosis, so he became very concerned with death. Vygotsky gave his research and literary works to his mentor—Yuly Aykhenvald—in case he died from the disease.

Vygotsky often collaborated with fellow psychologists Alexander Luria and Alexi N. Leont'ev. Over time, they developed an approach to psychology based on Marxism that highlighted just how important social interaction is to human development.

On June 11, 1934, Lev Vygotsky died from tuberculosis. He was 37 years old. During the final days of his life, he was busy dictating the concluding chapter of his book “Thinking and Speech.” The last entry in his private notebook gives the impression that Vygotsky wished he could have contributed more to the field of psychology. He stated, “This is the final thing I have done in psychology – and I will like Moses die at the summit, having glimpsed the promised land but without setting foot on it. Farewell, dear creations. The rest is silence.”

Although Vygotsky lived and worked in the same era as Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, B.F. Skinner, and Ivan Pavlov, he did not receive the same acclaim they did during his lifetime. This is because much of Vygotsky’s work was suppressed while he was still alive. The Communist Party believed Vygotsky’s ideas were a threat to Stalinism. The political opposition he faced as well as his early death both contributed to his lack of recognition in the 1930s.

Although Vygotsky’s work was banned in Russia, his popularity increased soon after his death. Immediately after his passing, he was publicly recognized as one of the prominent psychologists in the country. When Joseph Stalin died in 1953, the ban on Vygotsky’s work was lifted. This allowed Vygotsky’s writings to become more accessible to other Russian psychologists. By the 1970s, Vygotsky’s work was having a major impact on researchers around the world.

Today, Vygotsky is considered to be one of the most respected psychologists to ever live. His writings continue to influence the fields of developmental and educational psychology, despite the fact that some academics believe there have been numerous distortions or mistranslations of his work. Perhaps more benefits can be gained by studying accurate translations of his writings or even his original notes. Vygotsky is sometimes referred to as the “Mozart of psychology” for the many brilliant theories he developed over just a short period of time.

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Lev Vygotsky’s Life and Theories

Vygotsky died young but had an important influence on psychology

• Contributions to Psychology
• Piaget vs. Vygotsky

Frequently Asked Questions

Lev Vygotsky was a seminal Russian psychologist best known for his sociocultural theory . He believed that social interaction plays a critical role in children's learning—a continuous process that is profoundly influenced by culture. Imitation, guided learning, and collaborative learning feature prominently in his theory.

Lev Vygotsky's Early Life

Lev Vygotsky was born November 17, 1896, in Orsha, a city in the western Russian Empire. In 1917, he earned a law degree at Moscow State University, where he studied a range of topics including sociology, linguistics, psychology, and philosophy.

His formal work in psychology began in 1924 at Moscow's Institute of Psychology. He completed a dissertation in 1925 on the psychology of art but was awarded his degree in absentia due to an acute tuberculosis relapse that left him incapacitated for a year.

Following his illness, Vygotsky began researching topics such as language, attention, and memory with the help of his students. Among these were Alexei Leontiev, the developmental psychologist and philosopher who developed activity theory, and neuropsychologist Alexander Luria, the author of "Higher Cortical Functions in Man ."

Lev Vygotsky's Theories

Vygotsky was a prolific writer, publishing six books on psychology in 10 years. His interests were diverse but often centered on child development, education, the psychology of art, and language development. He developed several important theories about the way children learn and grow within culture and society.

The Zone of Proximal Development

One of Vygotsky's well-known concepts was the zone of proximal development. He defined it as "[The] distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers."

In other words, the zone is the gap between what a child knows and what they do not. Acquiring the missing information requires skills that a child does not yet possess or cannot use independently, but can with the help of a "more knowledgeable other."

The More Knowledgeable Other

Vygotsky's "more knowledgeable other" is a person who has greater knowledge and skills than the learner. Often, this is an adult such as a parent or teacher who provides educational opportunities, such as guided instruction, within a child's zone of proximal development.

Vygotsky noticed that children also learn a great deal from peer interactions. In fact, children often pay more attention to what friends and classmates know and are doing than they do to adults. Teachers can leverage this tendency by pairing less skilled children with more knowledgeable classmates to observe and imitate.

No matter who serves as the more knowledgeable other, the key is that they provide the needed social instruction within the zone of proximal development when the learner is sensitive to guidance.

Sociocultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky also suggested that human development results from a dynamic interaction between individuals and society. Through this interaction, children learn gradually and continuously from parents and teachers.

However, this learning varies from one culture to the next. It's important to note that Vygotsky's theory emphasizes the dynamic nature of this interaction. Society does not just impact people; people also affect their society.

If you're interested in reading some of Vygotsky's works, many of his writings are available in full-text format at the Vygotsky Internet Archive .

Lev Vygotsky's Contributions to Psychology

Vygotsky's died of tuberculosis on June 11, 1934, when he was just 37. Still, Vygotsky is considered a formative thinker in psychology, and much of his work is still being discovered and explored today.

Although he was a contemporary of Skinner , Pavlov , Freud , and Piaget , Vygotsky never attained their level of eminence during his lifetime. The Russian Communist Party often criticized Vygotsky's work, making his writings largely inaccessible to the rest of the world. His premature death also contributed to his obscurity.

Despite this, Vygotsky's work has continued to grow in influence since his death— particularly in the fields of developmental and educational psychology .

Lev Vygotsky, "Mind in Society," 1978

Learning is more than the acquisition of the ability to think; it is the acquisition of many specialised abilities for thinking about a variety of things.

It wasn't until the 1970s that Vygotsky's theories became known outside of Russia, as new concepts and ideas emerged in the fields of educational and developmental psychology . Since then, Vygotsky's works have been translated many times over and have gained international recognition, particularly in the area of education.

In a ranking of eminent psychologists, Vygotsky was identified as the 83rd most influential psychologist during the 20th century.

Jean Piaget vs. Lev Vygotsky

Jean Piaget and Vygotsky were contemporaries, yet Vygotsky’s ideas did not become well known until long after his death. Although their theories on child development have some similarities, there are also significant differences.

Says cultural differences have a dramatic effect on development

Emphasizes the importance of more knowledgeable others

Heavily stresses language's role in development

Breaks development into a series of predetermined stages

Suggests development is largely universal

Focuses on peer interaction

Largely ignores the role of language

A Word From Verywell

Although he was not well-known in his lifetime, Lev Vygotsky made significant contributions to psychology. Vygotsky's theories on child development and learning influence how we think about education and development today.

Vygotsky theorized that cognitive development occurs in collaboration with others and could not happen in the absence of language and interaction. Piaget believed that children learn independently and come to their own individual understanding of the world.

Both Piaget and Vygotsky acknowledged the role of peer interaction in children's learning, a gradual process that happens in sequential stages. They felt that nature and nurture both play important roles in this process.

One way is in the application of the zone of proximal development theory. Students best bridge the gap between what they know and what they don't in an ongoing process that involves both group interaction and scaffolded levels of instruction. This allows them to learn new concepts while also developing social skills.

Haggbloom SJ, Warnick JE, Jones VK, et al. The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century . Rev Gen Psychol . 2002;6(2):139–152. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.6.2.139

Vygotsky LS. Thought and Language . Kozulin A, trans. The MIT Press.

Vygotsky LS. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes . Harvard University Press.

Vygotsky LS.  Thinking and Speech . Minick N, trans. Plenum Press.

Woolfolk AE. Educational Psychology (14th ed). Pearson.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Teacher training personal statement example (primary pgce) 5.

I am a hard-working, responsible, friendly girl with a strong passion to pursue a career in primary school teaching. I believe that to become an excellent teacher you must have a desire to assist children in the learning process and this is one quality which I feel I definitely possess.

My initial interest in primary teaching sparked while volunteering in a summer play scheme run by a local charity for children aged 0-8 in the summer holidays of 2009. I found it extremely rewarding to see the look of satisfaction on a child’s face as they completed a piece of artwork, or took part in a group activity knowing that I helped give the children the confidence and ability to do so. Working closely with both the children and the parents greatly improved my confidence, and by the end of the play scheme I found myself singing along to the songs and joining in with the games with as much enthusiasm as the youngsters.

Through my local primary school I have been able to shadow a teacher of a mixed class of year one and year two pupils for two days. I was able to help the children with reading one-on-one, which I really enjoyed. I was patient and understanding while listening to the children read, and helped them with words they found difficult. I also took part in a maths lesson where the children were weighing different classroom objects. I enjoyed having the responsibility of supervising the children while learning, and interacting with different children. I had the responsibility of a group of children at playtime, in which I was required to keep the children entertained and maintain discipline. This experience gave me an insight into the running of a classroom, and reinforced my desire to teach.

In July 2008 I completed a week’s work experience at a pharmacy. I was punctual and professional throughout the week, and was given the responsibility of sorting medications and dispensing prescriptions. I was polite and communicated well while serving customers, and enjoyed working with the other members of staff. At school I participated in many experiences which I felt was beneficial to me in many ways. I was a member of the Anti-Bullying Campaign (ABC), which involved communication and mediation with younger pupils who had been upset by the actions of other students. The ABC required me to be sympathetic, understanding, patient and considerate with the children.

I also took part in Crucial Crew while at school, I worked as part of a team to explain the impacts of cyber bullying to groups of primary children. I also took part in health and safety demonstrations and food safety workshops as part of this experience. During both Crucial Crew and the ABC I confidently made many presentations explaining the projects in a way which primary aged children could understand and were interested in. I created many power-points and posters using a computer, and helped organise short role-plays to demonstrate. I believe that these experiences allowed me to obtain skills which would be helpful to me in a teaching role.

I’ve been a member of many sports teams from a young age both for school teams and outside of the school. I achieved many badges as a swimmer and a gymnast, attended trampolining classes, was a member of Neath Harriers athletic club and I was a member of the school netball team throughout my school life. I am interested in taking part in a coaching course, which would make it possible for me to be able to run a school sports team in the future.

I am a creative person; I enjoy reading books, making jewellery, and baking at home in my spare time. My school art teacher often complimented my artistic talent during my time at secondary school, and I was delighted to achieve an A* at GCSE for my hard work. I am also a computer-literate person. I enjoyed GCSE ICT, achieving an A*and my school’s Award for Outstanding Attainment in ICT. I have carried the subject on to A level, accomplishing an A grade at AS level. I have often helped my two younger cousins who are both primary aged to use the computer, teaching them how to word process documents and how to surf the internet. I love helping them learn new things, and have played a role in their understanding of numbers, letters, colours, reading and writing.

It would give me great pleasure to play a memorable role in the growth of many children. I understand that teaching is a taxing and tiring job, but I am more than willing to do whatever it takes to reach my goal of becoming a head teacher. I would be thrilled if I was ever able to achieve this, as I believe I have the personality, confidence, organisational skills and ability to become a resourceful, dedicated, appreciated head teacher.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by meldavies for application in 2011.

meldavies's Comments

This is only a first draft, I would love some feedback?

Related Personal Statements

Im doing primary teaching too :).

Fri, 08/10/2010 - 20:24

i love chldren - the work experience showed me that, watching a child grow up is just too coool (mayb the wrong lang) i think your second para is long split it up otherwise it was reallly goood - iv wrote similar things gosh wel in terms of my work experiences and interests but how it relates to children .... where are you applying ?

Mon, 02/07/2012 - 02:18

Amazing Very inspiring, Great to have something to veiw as i was stuck with what to right, Im a New Zealand Student Heading into Primary Education Thankyou!

Omg! I am wanting to go into

Tue, 09/07/2013 - 19:37

Omg! I am wanting to go into Primary Teaching & I think this was the best Personal Statement I have read till date. Wonderful

seriously this is the most

Tue, 09/07/2013 - 21:29

seriously this is the most inspiring ps ive read in my life even my mentor cannot get me to do such a good ps cos hes nt dat clever but this is one :D statement! :)

Thanks for sharing :)

Mon, 30/06/2014 - 21:13

Wow this personal statement has really got me thinking, and has put a few new thoughts in my head as I am currently writing a personal statement with an aim of getting into primary education ultimately. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing

Mon, 26/03/2018 - 16:14

Well written!! This is inspiring. I was stuck up, not making any progress with my effort to write my personal statement

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L. S. Vygotsky

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• Simply Psychology - Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Of Cognitive Development
• Academia - Lev Vygotsky
• Verywell Mind - Lev Vygotsky’s Life and Theories
• StateUniversity.com - Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934)
• GoodTherapy - Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
• University of Washington - Why Vygotsky? The Role of Theoretical Psychology in Russian Education Reform

L. S. Vygotsky (born Nov. 5, 1896, Orsha , Russia—died June 11, 1934, Moscow) was a Soviet psychologist. He studied linguistics and philosophy at the University of Moscow before becoming involved in psychological research. While working at Moscow’s Institute of Psychology (1924–34), he became a major figure in post-revolutionary Soviet psychology . He studied the role of social and cultural factors in the making of human consciousness; his theory of signs and their relationship to the development of speech influenced psychologists such as A.R. Luria and Jean Piaget . His best-known work, Thought and Language (1934), was briefly suppressed as a threat to Stalinism.