Vygotsky Note that Zone of Proximal Development (or just "ZPD"even better) has a very high score on the

jargon index!But the most significant bases of a social constructivist theory were laid down by Vygotsky [1896-1934] (1962), in his theory of the "Zone of Proximal Development" (ZPD). "Proximal" simply means "next". He observed that when children were tested on tasks on their own, they rarely did as well as when they were working in collaboration with an adult. It was by no means always the case that the adult was teaching them how to perform the task, but that the process of engagement with the adult enabled them to refine their thinking or their performance to make it more effective. Hence, for him, the development of language and articulation of ideas was central to learning and development. (See Daniels (1996) for an introduction to Vygotsky.) The common-sense idea which fits most closely with this model is that of "stretching" learners. It is common in constructing skills check-lists to have columns for "cannot yet do", "can do with help", and "can do alone". The ZPD is about "can do with help", not as a permanent state but as a stage towards being able to do something on your own. The key to "stretching" the learner is to know what is in that person's ZPDwhat comes next, for them. Summary of Vygotsky: also a site worth bookmarking

If you are of a psychoanalytic turn of mind, you may see clear links between the idea of the ZPD and Winnicott's "potential space" which develops between baby and mother. It is always interesting to find the same observations and ideas cropping up in quite different frameworks. The social dimension of learning is also central to the idea of situated learning and communities of practice, although the interaction is a little more diffuse, and to the social learning theories of Albert Bandura. While constructivism has received more explicit attention in schools than in post-compulsory education, particularly through the influential work of Jerome Bruner (who is credited with introducing Vygotsky to the West), its attention to pre-existing ideas and understanding clearly has a lot to offer in postcompulsory education most dramatically perhaps in the area of resistance to learning. Constructivist assumptions are also implicit in the notion of learning through reflection in professional practice. And Laurillard'sconversational model of teaching in higher education is also based on constructivist thinking.

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Vygotsky (1978) maintained the child follows the adult's example and gradually develops the ability to do certain tasks without help or assistance. He called the difference between what a child can do with help and what he or she can do without guidance the "zone of proximal development" (ZPD). The whole-language approach to teaching reading and writing draws on this notion. As children play and interact with others at home and at school, they develop specific models of communication, expression and explanation. Goodman and Goodman (1990) believe this social use of language forms the basis for literacy. Tharp and Gallimore (1988) use a four-stage model of ZPD to show how children develop speech and language. Various researchers (Newman, Griffin, & Cole, 1989) also suggest that the activities included in the ZPD reflect the cultural background of the learner.