Zone Of Proximal Development

The researcher that I believe will have the most impact on the way I teach as well in the way I parent would be Lev Vygotsky’s theory of the “Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD). Vygotsky’s ZPD involves two essential concepts as a basis for cognitive development in children. These two concepts address a child’s potential development, as well as the influence collaboration has in their development (Woolfolk & Perry, 2015). The ZPD is evident and can be implemented at any developmental stage. Identifying a child’s potential plays a key role in their development. As my future includes teaching Special Education and my son in a Special Education setting as well, it is essential to determine current skill levels by objectively measuring
them. Using the objective data, I can then create IEP goals that are attainable and relevant to their individual needs. Building upon their current knowledge is imperative to reaching their next level of development (Woolfolk & Perry, 2015). As educators, we use scaffolding to supply our students with the tools necessary to learn new information. Scaffolding provides crucial support to students in order to establish a better understanding of the information. A scaffolding technique that can easily be utilized over and abundant of topics is to assess their prior knowledge. I like to actively involve students with a conversation (prior to starting a new task), and ask them relatable and personal questions to get an understanding of where exactly I should start (Woolfolk & Perry, 2015).