

The tutor may model behaviors and/or provide verbal instructions for the child. Many times, a child's peers or an adult's children may be the individuals with more knowledge or experience.Īccording to Vygotsky (1978), much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skillful tutor. The more knowledgeable other (MKO) is somewhat self-explanatory it refers to someone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept.Īlthough the implication is that the MKO is a teacher or an older adult, this is not necessarily the case.

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as:

Soviet psychologist and social constructivist Lev Vygotsky (1896 – 1934). The concept, zone of proximal development was developed by Challenging tasks promote the maximum cognitive growth. To learn we must be presented with tasks that are just out of our ability range. ZPD is the zone where instruction is the most beneficial as it is when the task is just beyond the individual’s capabilities. Thus, the term “proximal” refers to those skills that the learner is “close” to mastering. Learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. The zone of proximal development refers to the difference between what a What Is the Zone of Proximal Development?
