Week 9

For this Discussion, you will examine the zone of proximal development (ZPD), scaffolding in learning situations, and the internalization of social speech.

To prepare

• Review Chapter 9 of the Newman and Newman course text and consider the zone of proximal development (ZPD) in relation to teaching a new skill.
• Select an individual you would like to teach a new technology and consider the age of the individual so it matches a particular developmental period: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or late adulthood.

By Day 4

Identify the age of the individual you are helping and explain the preliminary steps you would use to help the individual get started with the new skill. Include how you would identify the zone of proximal development for the individual and how you would use scaffolding to provide developmentally appropriate support for the individual’s learning. Indicate whether internalization of social speech is likely to occur and why.