Lev Vygotsky’s theory of learning and development talks about this zone as “the space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers”. It’s sometimes hard to figure out whether an activity is too easy or too difficult for our young participants – and there’s a sweet spot where they have just enough challenge not to be bored, but not so much that they quit in frustration. That’s ZPD, in simple terms.
Why does it matter? In Weikart’s SELPQA tool, observers are asked to assess staff on how well they understand the challenge level of the activities they are providing. When you’re an outsider looking in, however, that can be hard to judge – how can I be sure? I focus on the staff practice of monitoring the challenge level. If a child completes the task too quickly, because it’s too easy for them, does the staff member offer the opportunity to move on to something a little more challenging? If a child is frustrated because they can’t accomplish the task at hand, does the staff person offer assistance or give an amended task that is easier and then build up to the more difficult problem? When we follow high-quality instructional practice, we pay attention to children while they are engaged in an activity and are prepared to adjust so each child can be “in the zone” of proximal development!