How to Apply the Zone of Proximal Development to Writing and Analysing Learning Observations in Early Childhood Education

As you know, I am a huge fan of Lev Vygotsky and talked about his theories on multiple occasions.

Let’s learn to apply Vygotsky’s theory to your everyday work with children. I believe that the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) is a valuable tool for early childhood educators to use when writing and analysing learning observations.

The ZPD is the gap between what a child can do independently and what they can do with the support of a more knowledgeable other (MKO). This means that the ZPD is a dynamic and ever-changing space, as children are constantly learning and developing new skills.

To apply the ZPD to writing and analysing learning observations, educators can focus on the following:

• Identify the child’s current level of understanding. What does the child already know and understand about the topic at hand? What skills have they already mastered?
• Identify the child’s next steps. What are some things that the child is almost able to do independently, but could still benefit from some support?
• Provide scaffolding. How can you provide the child with the support they need to reach their next steps? This could involve providing explicit instruction, modelling, or breaking down a task into smaller steps.
• Observe the child’s progress. As the child practices new skills, observe their progress and adjust your scaffolding accordingly.

When writing learning observations, you can use the ZPD to frame your teaching reflections. For example, educators could write about:

• What the child already knows and understands about the topic.
• What the child is almost able to do independently, but could still benefit from some support.
• How they provided scaffolding to support the child’s learning.
• The child’s progress in achieving their next steps.

Here is an example of a learning observation that is written using the ZPD framework:

Child: Sarah (4 years old)

Topic: Block building

Observation: Sarah was playing with blocks in the construction area. She was able to build a simple tower by stacking blocks on top of each other. However, when she tried to build a more complex structure, her tower kept falling over.

Scaffolding: I sat down next to Sarah and showed her how to build a more stable tower by using a wider base and interlocking the blocks. I also helped her to troubleshoot some of the problems she was having, such as how to build a bridge between two towers.

Progress: After some support from me, Sarah was able to build a more complex tower that did not fall over. She was also able to build a bridge between two towers.

This learning observation shows that Sarah is in the ZPD for block building. She is able to build simple structures, but she still needs some support from an MKO to build more complex structures. The educator in this example provided scaffolding by modeling how to build a stable tower and helping Sarah to troubleshoot problems. As a result, Sarah was able to achieve her next steps in block building.

The ZPD can be a powerful tool for early childhood educators to use when writing and analyzing learning observations. By focusing on the child’s current level of understanding, next steps, and progress, educators can gain a deeper understanding of the child’s learning and development.