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UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
EDUC 5420: ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
UNIT 3: Cognition
Instructor: Dr. Ouellette
July 6, 2022
The zone of proximal development (ZPD)
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Introduction
ZPD, or zone of potential development, refers to an individual's range of abilities that he/she
is capable of performing with expert guidance, but not on his/her own. This learning theory
was developed by psychologist Lev Vygotsky and is applicable anywhere where new skills
can be developed. The ZPD is defined by Vygotsky (1978) as the difference between actual
development and potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult
guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers. Zones of proximal development
indicate what a student can achieve with the encouragement and guidance of a skilled partner
versus what he can achieve without such guidance. A student who has "closed" the gap
between acquiring and mastering a skill is said to be "proximal" according to Main (n.d.).
The idea od ZPD in educational setting
The idea of ZPD by Vygotsky (1978) perfectly fits into the educational setting because it
takes into account the development stage of the child and it looks at those functions the
children already possess and those they can perform under adult guidance or in collaboration
with other capable peers. Vygotsky argues that the role of education is to provide those
experiences to children which are in their ZPD, thereby advancing and encouraging their
knowledge. Through social interaction, teachers serve as mediators in the children's learning
process. Teachers must use cooperative learning strategies for children with low abilities, and
they must ask more competent peers in their zone of proximal development for assistance.
The more competent person continuously adjusts his level of assistance according to the
learner's performance level as scaffolding is an essential component of effective teaching.
Providing scaffolds in the classroom can include modeling talents, providing cues and hints,
and providing feedback on adapting activities or material (Main, n.d).
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Employing ZOP in teaching Biology
I will explain the step-by-step process how I can apply the zone of proximal development
when teaching a lesson in biology. The topic I have chosen is Human Digestive System. In
the lesson, students will learn the steps involved in human digestive system. The prior
knowledge of this lesson is the names of all part that make up the human digestive system.
The first step to do is to identify what the students already know. This is very crucial because
by identifying students’ prior knowledge, I can build on those skills that students already
have when introducing new concepts. Next, is the use of instructional scaffolding. According
to Vygotsky (1978) scaffolding is defined as the role of teachers in supporting the students,
developing and providing support structures to get to that next stage or level. In this case,
through scaffolding, I will help students move from the simple concepts they already know
about digestion to what they should know by the end of class as planned in the lesson plan.
For those students who are still not understanding the new concept, I might need to
differentiate the instructions by modifying an assignment or making accommodations like
choosing a more accessible text or use of pictures or videos (Alber, 2011). Again, I will
scaffold the lesson by showing a video of what happens to food once it enters the month.
Most students learn better and faster what the see than when they hear (Alber, 2011)
Modeling for students is a cornerstone of scaffolding
To meet the the needs of those students who are still struggling, I can use mixed abilities
group. This to say, I can put the students in small groups where I will mix the students who
have acquired the intended skills and those they are struggling. I will do this because
according to this oncept of ZPD, students can also learn better with the encouragement and
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guidance of a skilled partner as well as social interactions can allow the students to work on
their skills and abilities (Cherry, 2021).
Last, can conclude the lesson by using the whiteboard to model all the steps that are involved
in the process of food digestion. If I still find that some students are still stuck, can ask them
to come in front with me so that I can have them practice on the whiteboard together with me.
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References
Alber, R. (2011, January 24). 6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students. Edutopia.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber
Cherry, K. (2021, September 11). What Is the Zone of Proximal Development? Very Well
Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-zone-of-proximal-development-2796034#:~:text
=The%20zone%20of%20proximal%20development%20is%20an%20important%20concept
%20in,and%20resources%20available%20to%20students.
Main, P. (n.d.). The Zone Of Proximal Development: A Teacher's Guide. Structural Learning
https://www.structural-learning.com/post/the-zone-of-proximal-development-a-teachers-guid
e
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. In Vygotsky, L, Mind in
Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
https://www.oerafrica.org/sites/default/files/L%20%26%20L%20reader_section%20onereadi
ng_4.pdf
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