A Reconceptualization of Current Teaching Practices Using Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development as a Lens
CFA MU 778 Module 4 Paper (Option 2)
A Reconceptualization of Current Teaching Practices Using Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development as a Lens
Jeffrey J. Benson
Boston University
Introduction In the early twentieth century, Lev Vygotsky outlined his sociocultural approach to developmental psychology, including his concept of the “zone of proximal development”(Miller, 2011). Vygotsky’s approach was contextualist in nature and involved looking at the child as the unit of study within the context of a specific activity and culture, and building on prior knowledge (de Vries, 2005). In this evaluation, I will explore Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and relevant research that shows various applications of Vygotsky’s theory in education. I will also analyze and reflect my current teaching context, while using Vygotsky as a lens to synthesize a reconceptualization of my teaching practice with the zone of proximal development representing the core of a new philosophical and pedagogical approach.
Vygotsky and the “zone of proximal development” In the early twentieth century, Lev Vygotsky outlined his theories of developmental psychology, which took a sociocultural view of the child in the context of their culture, moving through the “zone of proximal development” (Miller, 2011). The zone of proximal development describes a theoretical construct that between tasks a child is able to achieve independently, and a more advanced task that they are able to achieve with meaningful guidance and interaction with a teacher (or any instructional figure) (pp. 174-175). He further outlined the social context of this theory by saying that “The path from object to child and from child to object passes through another person” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 30 as quoted in Miller, 2011, pp. 170-171). What this statement implies is that children do not learn in a vacuum as it were, there must be some kind of social interaction in the context of
A Reconceptualization of Current Teaching Practices Using Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development as a Lens
Jeffrey J. Benson
Boston University
Introduction In the early twentieth century, Lev Vygotsky outlined his sociocultural approach to developmental psychology, including his concept of the “zone of proximal development”(Miller, 2011). Vygotsky’s approach was contextualist in nature and involved looking at the child as the unit of study within the context of a specific activity and culture, and building on prior knowledge (de Vries, 2005). In this evaluation, I will explore Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and relevant research that shows various applications of Vygotsky’s theory in education. I will also analyze and reflect my current teaching context, while using Vygotsky as a lens to synthesize a reconceptualization of my teaching practice with the zone of proximal development representing the core of a new philosophical and pedagogical approach.
Vygotsky and the “zone of proximal development” In the early twentieth century, Lev Vygotsky outlined his theories of developmental psychology, which took a sociocultural view of the child in the context of their culture, moving through the “zone of proximal development” (Miller, 2011). The zone of proximal development describes a theoretical construct that between tasks a child is able to achieve independently, and a more advanced task that they are able to achieve with meaningful guidance and interaction with a teacher (or any instructional figure) (pp. 174-175). He further outlined the social context of this theory by saying that “The path from object to child and from child to object passes through another person” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 30 as quoted in Miller, 2011, pp. 170-171). What this statement implies is that children do not learn in a vacuum as it were, there must be some kind of social interaction in the context of
References: Adachi, M. (1994). The Role of the Adult in the Child’s Early Musical Socialization: A Vygotskian Perspective De Vries, P. (2005). Lessons from Home: Scaffolding Vocal Improvisation and Song Acquisition with a 2-year old Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Froehlich, H. C. (2006). Sociology for music teachers: Perspectives for practice. Lourenco, O. (2012). Piaget and Vygotsky: Many Resemblences, and a Crucial Difference. Miller, P.H. (2011). Theories of Developmental Psychology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Warford, M.K. (2011). The Zone of Proximal Teacher Development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(2).