Child-Adult Interaction That Creates a Zone of Proximal Development

Abstract

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) of a child is not a naturally existing phenomenon that arises by itself every time an adult helps a child achieve greater independence. It is a special form of interaction in which the action of the adult is aimed at generating and supporting the child's initiative. The relationship between a capable and an incapable individual or between a knowledgeable and an ignorant individual is a reduced form of the joint action that has the potential to create a ZPD. The developed form of such interaction is the collaboration of those who are equal but different that is represented in the "adult-group of children" relationship. A ZPD is described not in the language of the content of tasks but in the language of the kinds of help that to a greater or lesser degree aid the child in solving a task. The description of different teaching systems in the language of kinds of help shows that teaching unavoidably introduces an asymmetry into a child's development, supporting some kinds of initiative and constraining others. The choice of a teaching system is the choice of a direction for the development of a child (generation of children).

The challenges and possibilities of a narrative learning approach in the Finnish early childhood education system

“…Integration of adult guidance with children's peer group activities creates an ideal foundation for the development of reflection. This approach is consistent with Zuckerman's (2007) concept of the zone of proximal development, wherein the most important role of the more knowledgeable partner is to promote shared reflection.…”

“…Elementary-grade children typically view adults as authorities and are often afraid to tell them their ideas or opinions (Zuckerman, 2007). Many teachers believe their main responsibility is to control children's learning activities; but, in exercising this responsibility, they may also eliminate children's initiatives.…”

Facilitating transformative learning: supporting students experiencing unique challenges

“…Adapting the representation by Zuckerman (, p. 57), I have added a third component, namely a zone of transcendence. Having a zone of actual development (which a teacher will never exactly know before learning is initiated) and also a zone of proximal development (the intended outcome of the lesson) now brings to the fore the importance of the social environment (facilitated by a facilitator of learning) that will spark transcendence of challenges posed by the facilitator and lead to a student moving or developing from the zone of the actual to the zone of the proximal.…”

Editors' Introduction

“…The pedagogical tools of adult-child cooperation in the ZPD proposed by Vygotsky are critically evaluated. Zuckerman (2007) analyzes the same problem in a different context.…”