The Zone of Proximal Development is when a teacher or instructor sets a task just beyond the reach of the students capabilities to complete on their own. This creates an environment where a student needs the assistance of an instructor to achieve the task that has been set. The way scaffolding works into this idea is that it turns a one time event (Zone of Proximal Development) into a continual process. It means there is a continual setting of tasks beyond a students capabilities, and therefore a continual need of a teachers assistance.
I believe this method of teaching has so many practical uses. Many people critique Scaffolding and wonder why an instructor would constantly make a student feel incapable of completing something on their own. I can't argue that in a way they are right. It wouldn't be good to use scaffolding all the time. It is however, a very useful tool to get students to interact with their teachers, and to create a meaningful connection with their instructors. Scaffolding is used with the purpose of teaching students to communicate and to receive instruction and to be able to actively listen, which is a very important skill to posses.
Scaffolding can be translated into all areas of life and not only in the classroom. It would be an excellent way to create communication between employee and employer or even between co-workers. This idea is used more often than even realized by those who are already using it. I think we need to be aware of the potential benefits of using scaffolding and begin to implement it as often as possible.
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