8/4/2019 vygtsky

1/2

Vygotsky views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills andstrategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where lesscompetent children develop with help from more skilful peers - within the zone of proximaldevelopment.

Vygotsky believed that when a student is at the ZPD for a particular task, providing theappropriate assistance (scaffolding) will give the student enough of a "boost" to achievethe task. Once the student, with the benefit of scaffolding, masters the task, the scaffoldingcan then be removed and the student will then be able to complete the task again on hisown.

In this case, Maria was in the Zone of Proximal Development for successfully hitting aforehand shot. She was doing everything else correctly, but just needed a little coaching andscaffolding from a "More Knowledgeable Other" to help her succeed in this task. Whenthat assistance was given, she became able to achieve her goal. Provided with appropriatesupport at the right moments, so too will students in our classrooms be able to achieve tasks

that would otherwise be too difficult for them.

Scaffoldingmay include any of the following: giving students hints, providing information to

guide them, such as prompts written on index cards, demonstrating the task at hand and

exemplifying the type of thinking required for mastery by "talking aloud" during lecture, and

beginning practice with easier material. Once the student has learned the material and skills,

s/he has reached independent mastery, and it is appropriate to move on to higher levels. If

the student is still having difficulties, an error analysis to determine the cause is appropriate.

Scaffolding

The provision for assisted performance is known as scaffolding. Common elements ofscaffolding include

task definition direct or indirect instruction specification and sequencing of activities provision of materials, equipment and facilities other environmental contributions

Scaffolding may include assistance with planning, organising, doing and/or reflecting on thespecific task. Such assistance is best made available in a timely manner matched to thelearning needs and interests of the learner.

The value of scaffolding

Effective scaffolding makes two major contributions

makes it easier for the learner to undertake a task successfully and thuso expands the possible learning activities and experienceso increases the rate at which learning may be achieved

http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.htmlhttp://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.htmlhttp://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.html

8/4/2019 vygtsky

2/2

extends what is possible for a learner to perform and thus expands the ZPD sincethe provision of powerful tools and well formed instructions enable higher orderproblems to be solved more rapidly.

Traditionally the assistance of scaffolding was provided by a teacher directly to a learner inreal time. Scaffolding can also be provided indirectly as in the tutorial materials such asworksheets.