Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development
Kai Xin Chen
He hail from Russia!
ZPD
The zone of proximal development is one of Vygotsky's theories about how everyone learns. It is the concept that “learning should be matched in some manner with the child’s level of development” (Scott, 2013).
Here is a handy little graphic designed by our very own Karen Guzman:
Here is a handy little graphic designed by our very own Karen Guzman:
The visual shows that instruction can fall within one of the areas of learning: actual level of development; potential level of development; presently unattainable level of development (Scott, 2013). In the classroom, instruction that takes place within the zone of proximal development (ZPD) will aid in cognitive development. The first level will be what students can achieve independently. The second is what students can accomplish with guidance from an instruction or through collaboration with a peer (Scott, 2013). Outside of those two zones, students may have trouble grasping what is expected of them. These zones are not stagnant and will shift as students develop new skills and learn more concepts. The idea is that students can be pushed to further their current achievement and ZPD. Scott (2013) writes that "development occurs as children learn general concepts and principles that can be applied to new tasks and problems." Designing a mathematics curriculum while keeping ZPD in mind will ensure that students are consistently being challenged as we give them more building blocks. For example, guided participation and inquiry style mathematics is influenced by and builds upon ZPD. Merrilyn Goos (2004) study on inquiry mathematics is just one of many that shows how classroom instruction can be scaffolded using ZPD.
References
Free World Maps. Retrieved from http://www.freeworldmaps.net/russia/russia-blank-map-big.gif
Goos, Merrilyn. Learning Mathematics in a classroom community of inquiry. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 258 - 291
Marxists. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/images/portrait.jpg
Scott, S., and Palincsar, A. (2013). Sociocultural theory. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/sociocultural-theory/
Goos, Merrilyn. Learning Mathematics in a classroom community of inquiry. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 258 - 291
Marxists. Retrieved from http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/images/portrait.jpg
Scott, S., and Palincsar, A. (2013). Sociocultural theory. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/sociocultural-theory/