Zone of Proximal Development

Sarah is learning to play the guitar with a teacher. She has nearly mastered all of the basic chords but one, F, is eluding her. Her teacher demonstrates the chord, before helping Sarah to adjust her wrist and fingers into the correct position. Before long, she is able to play the chord as well as any other.

We have all experienced it: being close to completing a task or assignment, but only making a breakthrough with the assistance or guidance of someone else. In these cases, we are in our Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)¹. The concept was developed by Lev Vygotsky to describe the space between what we can do without assistance, and what we cannot do even with assistance. In the example above, playing the F chord is a task which falls within Sarah’s Zone of Proximal Development, whilst playing a single string (possible without assistance) or playing a complex jazz solo (impossible even with assistance) both fall outside of it. The word “proximal” refers to the fact that we are close to mastering the skill, but need a helping hand.¹

Learning in the ZPD occurs under the guidance of skilled instructors, teachers or more knowledgeable peers. These interactions allow learners to acquire skills which they are then able to complete independently. As learners develop new skills and knowledge, the tasks that fall within their ZPD will change. By keeping learners within their ZPD, Vygotsky argued, we can promote the best possible educational outcomes.