Let me first start with the definition of this term. A famous Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1978) maintained “The zone of proximal development 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”. He went on to explain that “The zone of proximal development embodies a concept of readiness to learn that emphasizes upper levels of competence. These upper boundaries are not immutable, however, but constantly changing with the learner’s increasing independent competence. What a child can perform today with assistance she will be able to perform tomorrow independently, thus preparing her for entry into a new and more demanding collaboration. These functions could be called the “buds,” rather than the fruits of development. The actual developmental level characterizes mental development retrospectively, while the zone of proximal development characterizes mental development prospectively.”
Following is an example that illustrates this concept. Let’s say that you wish to teach your 2 year old child how to solve a jig-saw puzzle. Let’s also say that until that moment, your child has never seen a jig-saw puzzle or done any other activity that resembles a jig-saw. Suppose you place a 20 piece jig-saw puzzle in front of the child and start teaching how to solve the puzzle. You may find that the child reacts with relative disinterest to this activity after a short period of curiosity. Even after repeated attempts you may not be able to get your child to become interested in solving this puzzle. This could be because the activity is not within the ZPD of the child i.e the child is not able to comprehend the complexity of the puzzle.
What would probably easier for the child is to comprehend a 2 or 4 piece jig-saw puzzle. Additionally, if the puzzle has thick large pieces, it would be easier for the child to hold it with his/her delicate hands. With some help from the parents/adults, the 2 year old may be able to solve the puzzle. This means that a 2 to 4 piece puzzle which has thick pieces is within the ZPD of the child because he or she is able to solve the puzzle with assistance from a adult. After a few days of taking assistance, the child may be able to solve the puzzle without any help from the adult. Then, it may be prudent to give the child a 6 to 8 piece puzzle because it now falls within the child’s ZPD. The child may need some assistance again from the adult and may gradually start doing it independently. Gradually, the number of pieces can be increased and the thickness of the pieces can be decreased.
In order to determine the complexity of the activity to present to my daughter, I generally use my instinct. Sometimes I figure it out by trial and error. If my daughter is showing disinterest in the activity even after repeated re-tries or she is not able come close to solving the activity after repeated attempts, I scaffold her learning by presenting easier activities that help her learn the tougher one.
Have you had similar experiences while teaching your child something? What are your experiences related to ZPD?
