Zone Of Actual Development Research Articles

Teacher and Emergent Bilingual Student Read-Aloud Mediations

We explored (a) emergent bilingual students’ talk-turns during read-alouds, (b) how earlier talk-turns were related to later talk-turns, and (c) how talk-turns varied across more versus less culturally relevant books. One teacher and her four students’ read-alouds across two sessions each were video-recorded and transcribed. Emergent coding was used to identify talk-turn codes. Codes were categorized using Zone Theory constructs (Zone of Free Movement, Zone of Promoted Action, Zone of Proximal Development, Zone of Actual Development). Statistical discourse analysis showed that several Zone of Free Movement mediations (book/lesson/off-task) predicted comprehension talk-turns (developed connections/comparisons/contrasts). Zone of Promoted Action mediations predicted subsequent talk-turns: (a) reiteration/modeling were related to children expressing developed factual knowledge, (b) clarification/extension were related to children expressing developed opinions, (c) clarification/agreement were related to children expressing developed inferences, and (d) 11 talk-turns supported children expressing vocabulary knowledge.

Vygotsky’s Zone Of Proximal Development and The Students’ Progress in Learning (A Heutagogcal Bibliographical Review)

Inspired by the belief that Man’s power to change himself, that is, to learn, is perhaps the most impressive thing about him, the present study employs a library research with annotated bibliography to highlight the heutatgogical philosophy behind Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development. It is argued that the students’ learning progress results from the students’ personal experience, in which the students learn actively, establishing the students as the agents of learning. With this concept, it is believed that the students’ independent learning process can deliver them to the next level of their respective zone of potential development, from which process the zone of potential development will become the students’ zone of actual development, through which the students will enter their next zone of potential development, and so forth. This Heutatogical thinking is founded on the basic premise that (1) learning is centered and determined by the students, (2) the students’ capability in applying relevant skills in familiar and unfamiliar conditions, (3) the students’ reflective and metacognitive process, (4) multiple repetitions, and (5) non-linear learning. Learning process in Vygotsky’s concept Zone of Proximal Development can be applied in Heutatogical thinking through (1) the settlement of learning contract, (2) improving the learning activities, and (3) learning assessment with heutatogical deisgns, namely exploration, creation, collaboration, connection, sharing, and reflection. However, it is important to highlight in the implementation of this Vygotskian Heutogogical learning is that the students’ backgrounds and characteristics should be closely observed, with a close monitoring of the possible conflicts occurring during the learning process as they develop their sense of responsibility as they conduct their independent learning collaboratively, which might be novel for students accustomed with conventional learning.

Культурно-исторический подход к проектированию и оценке результатов игрового обучения химии дошкольников

This study has been performed in Sweden, where the preschool curriculum states that children’s understanding of simple chemical processes is a goal to strive towards [13]. However, uncertainty within the current preschool practice exists and has been described by B. Sundberg et al. [20]. Motivated by the lack of scientific literature on what chemistry content is suitable for preschool children and how to introduce it, this study aims to tackle how abstract concepts like “atoms” and “molecules” can be introduced to preschool children. With this purpose, a play-based learning intervention was designed, following the cultural-historical model for preschool science education proposed by M. Fleer [7], and implemented in two Swedish preschools, dividing a total of 20 three-years-old children into four groups of five children each. Data were collected in the form of video-recordings of the sessions and analysed following the principles from the experimental-genetic method summarized by N. Veresov [23]. Results are presented in the form of vignettes that illustrate significant moments from the intervention, together with discussion of how the social situation of development, the zone of actual development and the mediating tools facilitate the children in starting to talk about atoms.

Mediational strategies in a dynamic assessment approach to L2 listening comprehension: Different ability levels in focus

The present study is an attempt to shed light on the mediator-learner’s interaction in the development of listening comprehension skill and compare this interaction between high and low proficient L2 learners of English. 30 L2 learners participated in Oxford’s Quick Placemat Test and the Interactions/Mosaic Listening Placement Test to select those whose proficiency levels and listening skills were based on the placement guide of the tests, at upper-intermediate and advanced levels. Out of 30 students, 12 learners (advanced level=6, upper-intermediate=6) volunteered to participate in individualized tutoring sessions. Learners listened to the listening items and answered the item(s) individually. Upon the learner’s failure to answer the item, the mediator intervened and provided mediation. Mediation was provided using the interactionist approach. The qualitative data were then coded in terms of task completion along with errors and struggles to indicate the quantity and quality of mediation happened throughout the Dynamic Assessment (DA) intervention. Qualitative comparisons were made between the two ability levels on the type of mediation required at these two ability levels. Quantitative comparisons were made to find out learners’ Zone of Actual Development (ZAD), Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), Gain Score (GS), and Learning Potential Score (LPS). Findings of the study revealed that DA mediation resulted in the development of the listening comprehension ability of advanced and upper-intermediate learners. The ability level of the learners was not, however, a determining factor in enhancing the development of the listening comprehension ability of learners at two ability levels. A close qualitative analysis of all the mediated interactions revealed that twenty-five mediational strategies were identified that promoted the development of listening abilities of advanced and upper-intermediate level learners. It is also revealed that the upper-intermediate learners required more mediational support as compared to the advanced learners.

Diagnosing L2 Receptive Vocabulary Development Using Dynamic Assessment: A Microgenetic Study

The present study is an attempt to shed light on the effect of Dynamic Assessment (DA) on diagnosing and developing the receptive vocabulary abilities of upper-intermediate learners learning English as a foreign language. Fifty L2 leaners participated in the First Certificate in English test and completed Vocabulary Knowledge Scale. Out of 50 students, ten learners who were identified as being homogenous and were not familiar with the new vocabularies volunteered to participate in individualized tutoring sessions. Reading texts were used to make learners familiar with the target words and cloze passages were administered to assess learners’ receptive vocabulary. Mediation was provided using the interactionist approach to DA and learners’ responsiveness to mediation were studied in a microgenetic approach. The qualitative data were then coded in terms of task completion along with errors and struggles and transformed into quantitative data for analysis. The actual, mediated and transfer scores were reported to analyze learners’ Zone of Actual Development (ZAD), and the degree of the internalization of mediation. Findings of the study revealed that to have a complete picture of learners’ abilities, actual scores are not self-sufficient. Mediated scores are vital to diagnose learners’ areas of difficulties and to promote learners’ receptive vocabulary knowledge. The information from transfer scores also uncovers evidence of learning and data from Learning Potential Score (LPS) predict how learners probably respond to future instruction. Findings of the study indicate that DA is promising in presenting a fine-grained diagnosis of learners’ receptive vocabulary development while also suggesting information related to future teaching and learning.

Dynamic Assessment for Better Placement: Implications of Vygotsky’s ZAD and ZPD

As argued by Poehner (2008), Dynamic Assessment (DA) can substantially improve our understanding of students’ abilities and promote their development at the same time by providing information on both the individuals’ Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) and their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and this way helps us avoid overestimates and underestimates of these individuals’ abilities. The present study, as a result, was an attempt to investigate the role DA can play in students’ placement into appropriate levels and courses of education. For this end, the researchers observed and recorded the placement interviews of four placement teachers in the Iran Language Institute (ILI) and Nashr-e-Zaban. The researchers analyzed the gathered data and found out that the placement teachers dealt more with the students’ ZAD than their ZPD. Adopting the Interactionist Model of DA, and believing that “understanding individuals’ abilities necessitates intervention” (Poehner, 2008, p. 113), the researchers discussed DA and its key concepts including ZPD, mediation, scaffolding, intervention, the assessment-instruction integration and the role these could play in a better prediction of the students’ future performance and emergent abilities. Having discussed DA and its key concepts using some examples from previous placement interviews in a six-hour course, the researchers observed and recorded the placement interviews of the four teachers in the following term. The gathered data were transcribed and interpreted to see if the intervention had an effect on placement teachers’ performance of placement interviews. The results showed that placement teachers then relied more on DA and its key concepts as better indicators of students’ future performance. The implications are for those teachers who hold placement interviews to adopt a more development-oriented approach and assess the students’ both ZAD and ZPD so that they can avoid misplacements into inappropriate levels and courses.

Rapprochement between Piagetian and Vygotskian Theories: Application to Instruction

This concept paper was intended to establish rapprochement between Piaget and Vygotsky by comparing their developmental theories and also examining how their educational extensions can be applied in promoting students’ learning in Basic Education Programme in Ghana. Piaget’s proposition that cognitive development from infant to young adult occurs in four universal and consecutive stages are presented. Aspects of Piaget’s theory emphasized by educators are also presented and educational practices inspired by this theory are outlined. Vygotsky’s belief that socio – cultural environment is critical for cognitive development is presented, and his two concepts of cognitive learning zones - The Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) are also noted. Finally, the two theories are compared and their applications in education delivery are examined. Even though Piaget and Vygotsky hold different views concerning developmental psychology, it is recommended that the use of both theories in classrooms is beneficial. Teachers should have a solid understanding of Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories, and students should be provided with more opportunities to play and learn with peers. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n1p167

Profiling second language sociolinguistic development through dynamically administered strategic interaction scenarios

Grounded in Vygotskian sociocultural theory, this article explores an approach to qualitatively profiling second language sociolinguistic development through dynamically administered strategic interaction scenarios. The approach integrates dynamic assessment principles in order to arrive at a dual evaluation of a learner’s capacities: first, the zone of actual development, as evidenced by independent performance, and second, the zone of proximal development, as evidenced by what a learner is able to achieve with support. A single case analysis of one L2 French learner, Laurie, and her developing control over the variable use of the proclitic negative particle ne in verbal negation (i.e., presence vs. absence of ne) over a six-week period illustrates the approach to profiling L2 sociolinguistic development.

Construction and co-construction in the zone of proximal development: Could both Piaget and Vygotsky be right?

The main goal of the research is to get evidence to address the following issues: (1) What is the relationship between the Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?, (2) Is the effect of the tasks joint solving relatively durable?, (3) Does the ZPD have predictive values for the future achievement over and above of ZAD?, and (4) What is more important for the prediction of future achievements - affective-motivational or cognitive help in joint solving? The experiment with parallel groups with 126 subjects is realised. Experimental treatment is consisted of solving of Raven matrices items with a gradual help given by experimenter according to previously defined plan. The results suggest: (1) there is positive and low correlation between ZAD and ZPD, (2) the effect of joint solving is relatively durable, (3) ZPD is significant predictor of future achievements over and above of ZAD, and (4) affective-motivational aspect of joint activity has stronger influence on future achievements than cognitive one.