Zone of Proximal Development (ZDP) is one of the theories developed by Lev Vygotsky.

ZDP is the belief that children learn best through problem solving under adult guidance, or in
collaboration with peers. It can be thought of as the difference between what a child can do
independently and what they are capable of doing with directed assistance. This type of directed
assistance is known as scaffolding. Vygotsky developed ZDP to argue against the use of
academic, knowledge-based tests as a means to gauge students intelligence. He found that two
children that perform the same on a test do not necessarily have the same level of development.
Vygotskys research focused on the role of social interaction in child development. He
examined the relationship between language and thought as well as learning and play. Vygotsky
discovered that childrens social interactions with significant individuals in their lives shaped
their interpretations of the world and higher order thought processes.
We all know that differentiating instruction to meet the childs need is important for a
childs success. Understanding the concept of Zone of Proximal Development, its role in a
childs educational experience and how to locate it will help a teacher develop a more targeted
instruction.
Locating the ZDP requires a close analysis of each student as an individual learner. Then
using the ZDP to provide scaffolding that is appropriate for the learner. This can be quite
challenging as a teacher. This scaffolding could include individual, small group and whole group
instruction and it encourages inquiries and discussions.

Questions:
1. How do you/would you use Zone of Proximal Development or scaffolding in your
classroom to differentiate instruction?

Bibliography:
Kostelnik, M., Soderman, A. & Phipps Whiren, A. (2011). Developmentally Appropriate
Curriculum. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Leong, D. J. & Bodrova, E. (2011). Pioneers in Our Field: Lev Vygotsky Playing to Learn.
Early Childhood Today Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/pioneers-ourfield-lev-vygotsky-playing-learn
Lui, A. (2012). White Paper: An introduction to working within the zone of proximal
development (ZDP) to drive effective early childhood instruction. RTeaching in the Zone.
Retrieved from http://www.childrensprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/free-whitepaper-vygotsky-zone-of-proximal-development-zpd-early-childhood.pdf
Zone of proximal development. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved January 27, 2014, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development