5. You have been watching your friend Deb trying to teach her son Sean how to do a puzzle. Sean has done this puzzle many times and he usually just needs help with the pieces that are in a difficult area that is all black. Deb is trying to help Sean but her instructions would be appropriate for a child who has never done the puzzle before. What can you tell Deb about Vygotsky’s theory, in general, and scaffolding, in particular, that might help her teach Sean in more effective ways?

Vygotsky's zone of proximal development

the difference between what a child can achieve alone and what he/she can achieve with assistance.

Children first learn in social setting by having someone more skilled to direct and assist them to complete the tasks.

In this case, having Deb to do the puzzle with Sean. As they become more skilled at the tasks, they gradually become independent and master the task through individual learning. As Sean gradually needs less help with the puzzle as he is more skilled at it. Eventually, he can do the puzzle of by himself.


Scaffolding

a teaching style that provide the assistant and instruction that matches the learner's needs exactly.

This is neither by giving more and less instructions than required. If we give more instructions that needed, children will be depended on the instruction and will not move on to individual learning. If we give less instructions than needed, children will struggle and eventually give up. As children progress with learning the tasks, instructions can be adjusted to provide less and less gradually to promote gradual increase in independent learning.

In this case, as Sean only needs help with difficult pieces. Instead of giving full instruction to Sean, Deb can use scaffolding by only help with the puzzle pieces that Sean is struggling with. Gradually, as Sean becomes better, Deb can should help less and eventually not help at all.