ZPD: The Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development helps us understand not only why we differentiate, but how to differentiate. The basis of this theory is that instruction should be designed to reach a developmental level just above the student’s current developmental level because that is where learning takes place (Vygotsky, 1978). Using a hurdles metaphor, it would be like adjusting the height of each student’s hurdle so that all students had to “stretch” the same amount.

In simpler terms, it means that DI teachers need to think of what they can do to provide an appropriate degree of challenge for their students. If the challenge is either too great or too small, students will not learn as much or as well. Since students’ developmental levels (readiness) change constantly, often in spurts, and since a developmental level of readiness in one subject area is likely to be different than in others, DI teachers depend on knowing a great deal about their students.

The assessment strategies suggested in Workshop Two contribute to this knowledge. The more you know about your students’ emerging readiness to learn, the better you can modify what you teach. Can you meet every single student’s ZPD in every lesson? No, of course not. But you will move toward this goal as you learn and use more DI strategies.