“Next-levelling” involves advancing—pushing forward, upward, outward, or onward. It requires effort, and initiative. It’s important at the outset of a new academic year or school term, but it’s equally important as a school year ramps up and gets into full swing. Whether kids’ pursuits have to do with creative endeavors, educational programs, interests (such as sports, art, music, technology, trucks), or something else altogether—there’s always room for growth. That is, to be able to reach or step further by acknowledging and extending experiences and learning opportunities that occur within their ZPD.
What Is the ZPD?
The letters ZPD stand for the words zone of proximal development.
What is that?
“The ZPD is that learning space where an individual’ learning experience is both challenging enough to be interesting and familiar enough to be mastered with some help.”
~ Being Smart about Gifted Learning, 3rd Edition, p. 112.
The term ZPD is attributed to psychologist and Researcher L. S. Vygotsky. (Mind in Society [1978] Harvard University Press, originally published in 1930.) ZPD is the zone or gap that lies between actual and potential learning. It refers to the difference between what someone can accomplish on their own, and what they can accomplish with assistance in the form of guidance and encouragement from knowledgeable others.
The term ZPD has stood the test of time, and it remains a topic of instruction and avid discussion in educational psychology courses and university teacher training institutions. Educators the world over agree that appropriately challenging tasks and activities can motivate students and stimulate their cognitive and creative growth.
Practically speaking, it’s important for parents as well as teachers to know that focusing on a child’s ZPD involves paying close attention to their day-to-day learning experiences to ensure there is educational value. That means providing tasks that are not too difficult nor too easy, but that are comfortable, motivating, and understood, and ready to extend with some effort and help. In other words, ripe for next-levelling. For example, let’s say a child has created a drawing of a planet. Their efforts can be reinforced in various ways, including by commending their use of color, line, and details; or the nature of the background they drew or the textures they chose; and by chatting about how such aspects might be incorporated into another picture—perhaps of a different planet, or several. Moreover, what might be learned about planets (or constellations, the moon, or comets) so as to make their artwork more true-to-life? What pictures, songs, poems, or stories (in various genres) could promote understandings about celestial bodies, and inspire further creative expression?
Determining a child’s ZPD should be an ongoing process, within each subject area or domain. The best assessment processes occur in ways that are sensitive to individual differences, interests, needs, learning preferences, and developmental levels. Such approaches are always evolving so as to facilitate “proximal” or next-level development. The ZPD is an exciting and anticipatory zone because it stimulates learning! Indeed, the idea of what might lie past the “edge”—that is, what might be possible beyond the cusp or the here-and-now—has intrigued and motivated creators and thinkers over centuries, and around the globe, and it has propelled countless aspects of human progress!
Where and How?
The concept of ZPD can be applied to children’s learning and optimal development outside of classroom situations, for example, at home, during extracurricular activities, in the neighborhood, at camp, in art studios, on theatre stages, in a swimming pool, on a skating rink, or wherever kids happen to be.
The ZPD is applicable to writing (words), dance (physical movements), musical composition (notes), or other forms of creative expression. Next-levelling can fuel someone building a structure, or doing a science experiment, or learning a second language, or designing a doll house. It can be applied to play activities, relationship building, exercising—in short, there are possibilities and ZDPs everywhere! Whenever kids think creatively or critically, or when they’re being flexible, or just quietly pensive, they may discover adjacent opportunities for development. This can occur any time.
Last Words
Parents and family members, like teachers, are well-positioned to help children seize possibilities for next-levelling. Optimal moments or intervals can transpire during interactions such as reading together, playing games, talking about what’s being studied at school, enjoying artistic or recreational activities, going for walks, or connecting over meals.
Zones of proximal development lead to advancement—and to new discoveries, creative initiatives, meaningful learning experiences, progress, and fulfilment!
