Zone of Proximal Development

The main idea put forward in this article is that any function within the zone of proximal development matures within a particular internal context that includes not only the function's actual level but also how susceptible the child is to types of help, the sequence in which these types of help are offered, the flexibility or rigidity of previously formed stereotypes, how willing the child is to collaborate, and other factors. This context can impact the diagnosis of a function's potential level of development. The first part of the article analyzes definitions of the concept "zone of proximal development" and descriptions of this phenomenon in works by L. S. Vygotsky. The second part briefly describes empirical studies that aim to provide a differentiated assessment of the diagnostic capabilities and educational effects of means of children's indirect collaboration with adults.