What concept introduced by Vygotsky provides temporary assistance to children as they advance in their thinking abilities?

The concept being referred to is scaffolding, which was introduced by Vygotsky and is a critical component of his theories on child development. Scaffolding describes the process by which more knowledgeable individuals, such as teachers or parents, provide temporary support to help learners achieve tasks they cannot complete independently. This support is tailored to the learner's current level of understanding and is gradually removed as the learner becomes more competent.

This method allows children to develop their cognitive abilities within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which is the range of tasks that a child can perform with the help of a more capable peer but not yet independently. While the ZPD is a vital aspect of Vygotsky's work, scaffolding specifically denotes the actual assistance given, making it distinct and more focused on the process of learning rather than the theoretical framework of developmental stages.

Equilibration, on the other hand, is a concept from Piaget's theory of cognitive development that describes how children balance assimilation and accommodation as they integrate new information. Cognitive load relates to the amount of working memory resources used during learning or problem-solving but does not directly refer to assistance or support in advancing thinking abilities.