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Resources for English Language Learners and Teachers | Pearson English

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It's the start of a new school year, and lots of teachers take this opportunity to reassess their classroom space and think about the way they can design it so that it is stimulating and welcoming, without distracting students from learning.

Clever classroom design can make a difference to your students' energy levels, interactions, mood and concentration. So, let's break it down and look at the five important factors to consider when you're setting up your classroom for the coming academic year.

1. Flexibility

Over the last couple of decades, educators have been moving away from a teacher-centric approach, and that is reflected in classroom layout. Rows of desks all facing towards the teacher now feel a bit old-fashioned, and lots of teachers are opting for a flexible classroom layout that gives students a variety of options when it comes to their seating choices.

It's a good idea to take into consideration the way that your students will be working. For example, if you want your students to spend lots of time working collaboratively, then grouping them around tables is a good way of promoting collaboration and communication. Research shows that movement improves learning, so you could arrange the furniture in a way that leaves space for students to get up, stretch, and move around every so often.

A popular approach is having different zones or areas in your classroom. For example, you could create a reading corner with a sofa and armchair. A few beanbags are another good option for a breakout zone for student discussion. Then, you could have an area with more traditional desks and chairs, which can be arranged into big tables for group work, or a U-shape for presentations and talks. Some teachers have even used standing desks in their classrooms.

2. Lighting

Lighting can make an enormous difference to the way that students work in your classroom. Natural lighting is the best thing for helping students to concentrate. Amazingly, one study found that students with the most daylight in their classrooms progressed 20% faster in maths and 23% faster in literacy in one year than students with the least amount of daylight.

So, it's worth maximising the amount of natural light that your students are exposed to, for example by having their seating as close to the windows as possible, and using the darker side of the room for storage. Hanging a mirror opposite your classroom windows can create a second window effect, whereas putting a mirror adjacent to your windows will bounce more natural light into the classroom.

Another thing to consider is the kind of lighting that you're using. Researchers in South Korea found that students performed better in tests where the room was lit with a cool, blueish-white light, whereas warm lighting provided a more relaxing ambience for breaktime activities.

3. Colour

Studies have shown that colour can have a big effect on the way that learners behave and respond in different rooms. So it's worth doing a bit of research to discover how different shades affect people's moods and behaviours in different ways. For example, green helps people to focus and concentrate. Blue is a calming colour which enhances creativity. So, if you're going to have a class of boisterous seven year olds, these colours could have a beneficial effect, helping them to relax and focus on their work.

Other colours, like red and orange, make people feel more energised and alert. So, if you teach sleepy teenagers, using this colour in your classroom could encourage them to sit up and pay attention! Or, simply choose your favourite colour. After all, you'll be spending a lot of time in your classroom for the next ten months,

Even if you're not planning on painting your entire classroom, there are still subtle ways to inject a bit of colour into your room. For example, if you'd like to use a green theme in your classroom this year, you could use green paper to back your classroom displays. You could buy or thrift a green rug for the floor, and source a green throw to go over a sofa or armchair. You could even paint an accent wall, depending on how good you are at DIY!

4. Wall displays

Research shows that a lack of wall displays is under-stimulating - but covering your walls can be distracting to pupils. Professor Peter Barrett, who is an expert in the relationship between student performance and classroom design, recommends covering up to 80% of your walls in calm displays, or up to 50% of the walls in busy displays.

But what should you actually put on the walls? Well, as tempting as it can be to have your classroom all set up and Pinterest-perfect on the first day of school, you could be missing an opportunity. Involving your students in deciding what to put on the walls will help them to feel a sense of ownership of their learning space, which in turn cultivates feelings of responsibility. What's more, when students see their work displayed in their classroom, they participate more and get more involved in the learning process.

With that in mind, don't worry about having your wall displays all done for the start of the school year. Leave yourself plenty of room to create displays of your students' work. Even secondary-aged students get a big kick out of seeing their work displayed on the walls throughout the school year.

5. Nature

Nature in the classroom can bring lots of benefits to students of all ages. And even if you're teaching in an urban environment, there are lots of benefits to bringing nature into your classroom. For example, one study found that being exposed to plants made people more helpful, empathetic and generous - which sound like the perfect ingredients for a positive classroom atmosphere!

For students, watering and caring for plants can be a meaningful classroom job. Watching the way that plants develop, growing new leaves, for example, or growing towards light, can make botany lessons come alive for older students.

Natural elements such as wooden furniture or shelves, and loose parts like pine cones, pebbles, sticks etc are other ways of bringing nature into your classroom.

Learn more

For more ideas when it comes to designing your classroom, read more about how to bring nature into your classroom, and the importance of creating a reading corner and reading nooks in your school to foster a love of reading in your students.

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Five ways to create a stimulating classroom environment

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Find out how to create the perfect classroom learning environment for your students this year.

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Strategies for Maintaining Student Engagement

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Strategies for Maintaining Student Engagement

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These strategies go along with having a stimulating environment to excite students and keep them involved with class activities.

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When student engagement is going downhill, we often find ourselves reaching for the prop box.

We pull out random videos, time-sucking resources, overly complex activities... anything to get and keep attention. But even these can't compete with our students' pen tricks, doodling, and discussions of what happened at recess. And there's a simple reason why:

Our students aren't engaged by things. They're engaged by us. That's why the best (and easiest) ways to increase student engagement come from you.

We compiled 20 essential strategies that generate lasting engagement, without the flashy props and hours of post-school prep.

Let the countdown begin!

20. Connect learning to the real world

We've all heard it before: "When am I ever going to use this?" Answer this question and you'll engage students with content that they know is relevant to life beyond school. Use anecdotes, case studies, and real-life examples from outside the classroom to root your teaching in "the real world".

19. Engage with your students' interests

Find out what already engages your students and build it into the learning process.

Using mathematics as an example, you could have students chart their performance in a video game over the week. You might even get your budding social media influencers to calculate a projected number of Instagram followers.

Learning what excites your students does more than just engage them. You'll build strong relationships and rapport, too.

18. Fill "dead time"

"Dead time" is any point in a lesson where students are left without something to do. You might be handing out a worksheet, getting a presentation set up, or waiting interminably for a YouTube video to load. These are brief windows that leave just enough time for students to tune out, after which time it can be very difficult to get them back.

Fill these blank spaces with low-order activities to hold students' attention. These should be quick, easy, and require minimal follow-up. For example:

Think Pair Share: students reflect on something, discuss with a partner, and then share with the rest of the class once everyone is ready

Quickwrite: write down three questions or points that have been raised by the lesson so far

What I know already: if you're just about to dive into new content, ask students to identify three things they already know about the subject and jot them down as bullet points.

17. Use group work and collaboration

Collaborating with small groups gives students a welcome break from solo bookwork. They'll benefit from each other's perspectives and the ability to express their ideas.

Use your judgment and knowledge of who works well together when organizing group work. Engineering the groups might avoid troublesome partnerships, while allowing students to work with friends might generate the buzz you need for more productive activity.

16. Encourage students to present and share work regularly

Giving students a regular opportunity to share their thoughts and demonstrate learning in front of their peers drives engagement in two ways:

it makes students accountable

it lets them hear from someone other than their teacher.

If your students quiver in fear at the thought of speaking in front of the class, combine presentations with group work. A few ideas:

Have students present in groups after a group task.

Let students share each other's work within smaller groups before asking them to choose one piece to share with the rest of the class.

Let students read or present their work while sitting down. It avoids the pressure of having to "stand and deliver".

Ask for one contribution from each group after discussion, with each group nominating a "spokesperson".

Above all else, make presenting and sharing a regular part of class activity. Your class will become an equitable and engaging space that echoes with the voice of every student, not just your own!

15. Give your students a say

If you don't know how to engage your students, let them tell you! Give your students a say in classroom activity by:

providing a choice of different activities (e.g. group work or solo)

seeking student input for assessment design (e.g. students can choose a final product, provided it meets the criteria)

periodic check-ins to monitor the pace of delivery (e.g. "do we need to go over this a bit more slowly or are we feeling pretty confident?").

Giving students a choice also fosters their sense of ownership over their learning. They'll move from passive consumers to active learners with a stake in classroom activity.

14. Use mixed media

Present learning content in a variety of mediums, including video, audio, and digital resources. Using such tech-rich resources is engaging for two reasons. It's a welcome change from the stacks of paper our students are usually saddled with, and it establishes a direct and relevant connection with the digital world they inhabit.

13. Get your students moving

If your students struggle to sit still for an entire lesson, get them moving. All that pent-up energy can be channelled into a learning activity that puts them on their feet. Try the following.

Have students come to the front and brainstorm together on the whiteboard.

Have students rotate through different stations around the room over the course of an activity.

Have students split into groups or arrange themselves in different areas of the room.

Take a stand: have students move to a particular area of the room to indicate their thoughts on an issue (e.g. "everyone who thinks x, move to the right side of the room; if you think y, stand on the left").

Movement works equally well to engage sluggish or weary students. A quick bit of physical activity will leave them more alert for the next phase of learning.

12. Read the room

If you're steadily losing students to doodling, off-topic chatter, and the pervasive "need to tear and ball up little pieces of paper", it's time to shake things up.

Cut the activity short if it's dragging, clarify instructions if there's confusion, or switch to a more student-centered activity for greater engagement.

Remember: it's impossible to have every student engaged 100% of the time. The next best thing we can do is to notice disengagement and respond to it quickly.

11. Scaffold tasks with checkpoints

If you dump all your instructions on students at the start of a lesson before turning them loose with an activity, confusion and disengagement will likely follow.

That's why it's important to scaffold larger tasks by breaking them into achievable steps. Each of these can be separated by brief "checkpoints" of instruction reorienting students and reminding them of what needs to be done next. They also serve as a periodic call to attention when students are liable to go off track.

10. Focus on discovery and inquiry

Sometimes the best thing you can do for engagement is to get out of your students' way.

Let them discover learning for themselves without being spoon-fed. They'll exercise critical and creative thinking, and pursue the lines of inquiry that interest them.

This doesn't mean you should retreat behind the teacher's desk. Observe your students, listen to them, and talk to them about what they're thinking. Be their guide as opposed to their instructor.

9. Ask good questions

Ask good questions of your students and you'll drive rich, engaging discussions that are open to everyone.

Good questions should be:

open-ended: to avoid "yes/no" answers

equitable: open to answers of varying depth and complexity

legitimate: asked because you want to hear students' thoughts and opinions, not because you're fishing for a correct answer.

When students answer a question, engage with their response. Even if it's incorrect or misinformed, recognize their effort and use it to refine the question further (e.g. "you're on the right track, but could we also think about...").

8. Allow for think time

It's gratifying to see hands shoot up as soon as you ask a question, but letting your students think it over has two benefits. It leads to more considered responses that drive engaging discussions, and it also makes the conversation accessible to those who don't have an instant answer.

After you ask a question, insist on a twenty-second pause and give students an opportunity to extend their standard responses further. For example, you might ask "See if you can explain how you came to your answer, too". You'll receive better answers and start to notice some new hands going up.

7. Shake things up

Predictability is safe, but it can get boring. Mix up your staple teaching strategies with new and novel activities from time to time. Talk to other teachers for ideas. In addition to engagement, you'll also be giving your students an example of what it means to take a risk and try something new.

Experimenting with some new parts of the teacher toolkit also makes it easier to differentiate your instruction. A new activity or delivery method might be the trick to engaging that student who has been a tough nut to crack all year.

6. Give brain breaks

Periodically give students a breather with brain breaks. These are short activities that allow students to stretch their legs before returning to work feeling focused. You can find a list of 20 brain breaks at Mind Bloom.

Meritopia in Mathletics is gamified learning at its best and keeps students engaged! When students earn enough points in Mathletics, they get the perfect brain break in Meritopia by discovering new lands and unlocking characters.

5. Be personable

Relationships and rapport are pillars of lasting engagement, and you can't have either without being personable. This means getting to know your students and letting them get to know you.

While enthusiasm for the learning content might ebb and flow, your smile, laughter, and conversation will engage students every time they walk through your classroom door.

4. Encourage friendly competition

Use in-class games, quizzes, or gamified learning programs to engage students with friendly competition. For example, Live Mathletics (a feature in Mathletics) allows students to test their mathematical skills by competing in 60-second quizzes against peers in their class or around the globe in real time.

"Friendly" is the keyword here. Make sure competitive activities are low stakes and put the emphasis on learning instead of winning.

3. Start lessons with introductory hooks

Engage students from the outset of your lesson with an introductory hook. This could be anything that piques interest, establishes relevance, or inspires curiosity in the subject of the lesson, for example:

a personal anecdote connected to the subject

a brain teaser or challenge question

a historical example

a multimedia source.

Keep your hooks short and segue them directly into an overview of the learning goal. It's an effective opening that engages while setting students up for the main instructional component.

2. Laugh together

Weaving humour throughout your lesson lightens the mood and makes for a more fun experience. Laugh with your students, and don't be afraid to let them laugh at you from time to time!

1. Gamify learning

Games are the most powerful source of engagement for students outside of class, and they're equally effective at driving engagement in learning. Transform activities into games by including levels of difficulty, rewards, and competitive elements. You can read more about gamifying learning here.

You don't have to invest hours in creating rules and drawing up game boards, either. Gamified learning programs can do the work for you. The learning programs in the 3P suite, for example, provide a host of student-friendly games for mathematics, literacy, and science. All you have to do is select the appropriate curriculum and grant your students access.

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20 Student Engagement Strategies for a Captivating Classroom

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Here's our list of the best student engagement strategies to help you create an engaging classroom and better connect with students.

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Creating learning communities within the classroom facilitates group collaboration and students learning from each other!

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The right community can be a source of support, connection and motivation - and a learning community is no different.

If you want to give your students the chance to take their learning experience to the next level, while helping to grow your business and boost your brand reach, it's time to start building a learning community.

Find out what is a learning community and the essential elements of an online community.

➡️ Build explosive growth & revenue with community + 3 bonus cheat sheets

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What is a learning community?

A learning community is a group of students with shared learning goals who collaborate and connect with one another. In a community of learners, interactions are both practical and emotional. Learners share knowledge and resources, as well as support, with emphasis on open, cohesive communication.

Here are some ideas to help you understand what is a learning community - and what it isn't!
A learning community is or can be...

A group with shared goals, motivations and values

A place to share ideas, problems and questions

A space for discussion

A collaborative environment

A source of inspiration

A network of fellow students and experts

A learning community isn't...

A school or professional committee

Just a social group

A jobs board or marketing platform

A substitute for formal teaching

If you're still figuring out what is a learning community, these are some things to help you better understand what it is and what it isn't. Use this as your guidelines to help you understand what to promote and what to avoid when building a learning community!

Read more: How To Create A Cohort Based Course That Students Love

What is a learning community: 4 examples

Within the definition of a learning community, there are also different categories of learning communities. These categories are based on the commonalities between learners and they usually depend on the environment where the learning community is formed.

Here are 4 learning community examples:

Interest-based learning community: Often communities of learners come together around their shared interests or passions. An interest-based learning community might be based on sourdough bread or sports cars or anything else! Whatever your interests, you can find or create a learning community around it.

Action-based learning community: People who believe in a common cause might form an action-based learning community centered on activities that help to promote or further their cause. Social activism groups that run lectures, create educational resources and organize fundraising events are one example of an action-based learning community.

Location-based learning community: For some groups, the common thread in their learning community is location. Geographical learning communities might be centered on learning more about local flora and fauna or the history of the local area, for instance.

Profession-based learning community: A common type of learning community is professional development communities aimed at bringing people of a particular professional together. Members might share advice, opinions or just support one another. An example of a professional learning community is jazz musicians who get together to share their work, provide critique and feedback and network with other musicians.

Read more: How to Build a Community of Practice (with Examples)

In the past, students would join online courses for the content and stay for the community. However, the trend in 2023 is shifting towards students coming for the community and then paying for the content. Building a strong community fosters more engaged followers and drives retention by providing members with the support they need to tackle the highs and lows of learning from both the instructor and their peers.

Key goals of a learning community

Every learning community will have their own shared goals built around their specific learning journey. At the same time, there are key elements of learning communities that help to make them an enjoyable and rewarding environment for students.

Here are some key goals of a learning community:

Shared learning

At the heart of any learning community is the aim to create an effective learning space that helps learners achieve their goals. In a learning community, students have the opportunity to share the learning process with their peers.

Communities share the learning process, this can include:

These are all activities that happen within a learning community, helping members to learn together and get to grips with the learning material.

Connectedness

As well as learning together, a learning community is also about developing connections between members. The best learning community environments are collaborative, with open communication that's aimed at promoting better learning.

Learners can share ideas, get emotional support and have fun together. It's not just an academic space, it's also a sympathetic social space.

Related: It's Time to Tap Into Togetherness with Communities

Support

In any learning process, there will be ups and downs. An effective learning community also provides support for its members. This can be both academic and emotional support. Members are able to assist one another and share their problems.

As well as the support of other students, learning communities also provide a space for experts to offer their support too. This might be in the form of mentors, coaches or course leaders who act as moderators in the community.

The support that learning communities can offer students not only helps to promote more thorough and in-depth learning, but it makes the learning process easier too.

Read more: How to Build an Online Community

The Online Learning Community model

Online learning requires a slightly different learning community model to in-person or blended learning, thanks to being fully remote.

Social presence

When you join a new group, it's nice to be able to show your full personality to the group members to allow you to build a closer, more meaningful connection. Your Social presence is defined as your ability to project yourself socially and emotionally - to be seen as a 'real person'.

Social presence includes:

In an online learning community, it can be harder to show your full personality when you're stuck behind a screen. Digital technology is the primary tool for all social activities so it has to be used well. The online learning community model considers how to improve interactions between group members online, helping learners to feel more connected with one another.

Cognitive Presence

The second element to the online learning community model is Cognitive Presence. This is the learning portion of a learning community - Cognitive presence looks at the ability for learners to understand material and confirm what they've learnt.

Cognitive presence includes:

Cognitive presence combined with Social presence are the two essential elements needed for an online learning community to be effective.

Tools for a fully online learning community

To build an online learning community that is genuinely useful for learners, it's important to have some tools at the ready. The right tools can aid communication and make it easier to build a sense of connectedness between community members.

Helpful tools include:

Video conferencing software eg. Zoom

Social media groups eg. Facebook

Chatting tools eg. WhatsApp or Slack

Online Community Platforms eg. Thinkific

These tools allow students to collaborate easily - including asking questions, sharing problems and day-to-day socializing and chatting.

Why create a learning community for your course?

There are many benefits to creating a learning community, especially if you're a course creator. From boosting your brand reputation to encouraging feedback, here are some of the reasons to consider building a learning community around your course.

Grow your network

An online learning community isn't just a way to keep in touch with students and encourage more engagement - it's also a great way to grow your professional network. Encourage members of your learning community to refer their friends to the community or share community posts with their followers.

Boost your brand reputation

A learning community is a great tool to build up your brand reputation. If you have an active group of engaged and enthusiastic learners, you can use this as a selling point for your business. People want to know that other people are already enjoying your course - and your learning community is a really effective way to demonstrate that.

Taking time to build your learning community can allow you to boost your brand reputation and convince other learners to join your tribe. After all, who wouldn't want to be part of a happy, supportive, sociable community right?

Improve customer loyalty

If you can create a close-knit learning community around your course, you can also increase customer loyalty for your brand. Having a learning community as a customer touchpoint is a great way to get repeat sales from customers. Once they are a part of your community, you can continue to sell to students even after they've completed a course.

As well as generating new leads, you can use your learning community to introduce new products to your existing customers. This is especially effective if you have courses that build on previous course content. For instance, encourage graduates of your 'beginners' course to sign up for the 'advanced' course next. This not only adds value to your students - it can boost your revenue too!

Collect feedback from students

The best course creators know that their course content is never perfect - there's always more you can do! One of the major benefits of creating a learning community around your brand is that it's easier to collect and collate customer feedback.

Encourage learners to provide reviews and testimonials for your course, as well as fill out regular feedback forms. You can then use all that data to improve your course content and make the student experience even better. An active community of learners are more likely to provide feedback and they'll really appreciate you listening to their opinions.

3 things to watch out for

Here are the things to watch out for:

Too narrow focus

While it's good to have a clear focus for your learning community, when a learning community fails it's often because the focus is too narrow. When too many limits are placed on the scope of a learning community, it can lack impact. Learners have a diverse range of needs and interests within your central topic - your learning community should be able to embrace that and encourage it.

Not enough support

Any learning community is only as good as the support it provides students. Most learning communities need a strong, supportive network of mentors and other community members to help students progress and achieve their aims. When a learning community lacks this support, it's at risk of failing.

To boost support in your learning community, try appointing dedicated mentors or coaches to help students who are struggling. You could also incentivize activity in the group by rewarding people who answer others' questions.

Limited communication

Closely linked to the support available within a learning community, is the issue of communication. For a learning community to work, there needs to be a culture of collaboration and cooperation in the community. If members don't have enough time, motivation or tools to enable effective collaboration, it can be hard to achieve the original aims of the community.

For many course creators, the early days of a learning community will probably involve more input from you or your team to build up the atmosphere of communication. Try posing questions, running polls and even offering competitions to boost engagement and communication in your group.

Building a strong, supportive learning community takes planning and time. But with the right tools, you can create a space that helps your learners achieve their goals.

Now you know all about learning communities - try making your own!

If you've created an online course or you're in the process right now, don't hesitate to build a learning community for your students. Learning communities are a really effective way to boost engagement in your course and improve the overall learning experience while having some major pluses for your brand too.

Of course, you don't need to stop at just one learning community - you can create as many as you want or need.

Join Thinkific's learning community dedicated to course creators or sign up for our Pro Plan to get started with your own learning community right away!

This blog was published in March 2022 and was updated in March 2023 to be even more useful!"

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Why You Need a Learning Community For Your Course

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If you want to take your students' learning experience to the next level, it's time to start building a learning community.

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Vygotsky's ZPD and Scaffolding Learning Theory

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Vygotsky's ZPD and Scaffolding Learning Theory

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On Vygotsky's Zone Of Proximal Development And Scaffolding

Few Instructional Design theories have been as controversial in their time as psychologist Lev Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) and scaffolding theory, first published in the early 1930s. His work separated him from other contemporary theorists who advocated that there's an ideal age that's best suited to learning. Vygotsky believed that there are ideal stages, not ages, when it comes to learning. Through his meticulous research, he highlighted the significant impact of social interaction in learning environments.

In Vygotsky's theory, learning is a social process that requires interaction with other, more knowledgeable individuals, like teachers, mentors, or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Through regular interaction with these experts, learners can acquire experience, knowledge, and skills that they wouldn't be able to cultivate on their own. Let's take a closer look at these concepts and discuss how they optimize learning outcomes if applied in a real-life context.

Vygotsky's Zone Of Proximal Development

According to Vygotsky, social interaction is the foundation of learning. The zone of proximal development is a developmental and educational psychology concept that refers to a series of tasks a learner can execute through social interaction with more knowledgeable others (MKOs). This theory essentially describes the gap between a learner's capabilities when acting independently and what they can achieve with the help of an MKO. The zone comprises a range of tasks that individual learners can perform through expert guidance. That's why it's not a fixed concept and tends to vary from learner to learner, depending on their current level of development, prior knowledge, and experience, as well as the quality of guidance they receive.

Vygotsky's ZPD assesses an individual's current cognitive development level in comparison to their potential cognitive development level; the space between these levels is the zone of proximal development. Moving from level to level, each student gets closer to their learning goal. However, reaching these goals requires regular interaction and engagement with MKOs. To advance levels in the zone of proximal development, one must solve problems with the help of a more capable instructor. Moreover, the tasks and problems the learner must solve should be tailored to their current level of cognitive development, even if the learners aren't entirely capable of solving them by themselves. To acquire new knowledge and move towards a learning goal, individuals should successfully complete tasks that reflect their progression on their personal cognitive development scale.

Scaffolding Theory

In this context, scaffolding is a learning tool that students use to advance levels in the zone of proximal development. These tasks are completed in small, manageable increments. All the steps that learners take toward their learning goal are executed with the help of their instructor or mentor. Essentially, scaffolding guides students through the zone of proximal development.

The MKOs typically use the scaffolding method by providing focused guidance during the learning process. MKOs identify a student's current level of cognitive development along with their potential level of cognitive development and focus on offering purposeful instruction and tasks tailored to their individual needs. Through social interaction with the learner, MKOs offer scaffolding so that their learners can move toward their learning goal more effectively, gathering new skills and knowledge along the way.

The Value Of These Concepts And The Role Of The MKO

ZPD is an exemplary predecessor to what we now call " personalized learning." By identifying each student's zone of proximal development, instructors can tailor their lessons and courses in a way that serves their learners' needs best. This way, the teacher or mentor becomes a central figure in the zone of proximal development and a major contributor to their students' optimized learning experience. Moreover, using the scaffolding theory can increase student engagement and improve retention. The concept requires that each task is broken down into smaller, manageable steps making learners more confident to take on new challenges, thoroughly understand information, and retain it.

In addition, applying Vygotsky's theory can help MKOs further enhance their students' critical thinking skills by teaching learners a more systematic approach to problem-solving in ways that serve their learning style. Lastly, ZPD is highly suitable for the cultivation of a collaborative learning environment. Through group discussions and projects, students can learn to scaffold each others' learning by sharing knowledge and experience. This can foster an open-dialogue environment where learners feel comfortable asking questions and, ultimately, fill their knowledge gaps more efficiently. Not to mention, collaboration supplements an MKO's work by building on their instruction on a peer-to-peer level, further reinforcing the social aspect of the model.

Steps To Apply The Zone Of Proximal Development And Scaffolding In A Classroom

1. Identify your student's ZPD
Knowing each individual's current level of knowledge and their zone of proximal development, instructors can provide the necessary guidance to reach specific objectives and learning goals.

2. Have regular individual sessions with your students
The point of applying Vygotsky's theory in a classroom is to offer scaffolding for every student so that they can reach their learning goals. In fact, the cornerstone of the ZPD model is how social interaction with more knowledgeable mentors can help students reach their full potential.

3. Encourage peer-to-peer interaction
As previously mentioned, learning is a social process that should be done through collaboration with more capable individuals. Encouraging peer-to-peer discussions and group projects can greatly aid students in taking another step toward their learning goals.

4. Tailor tasks and allocate problems
Intentionally providing tasks and problem-solving activities specifically tailored to individual students' ZPD can further aid in the successful implementation of Vygotsky's theory and bring in optimized learning outcomes. Dedicating an extra amount of time to personalize each student's tasks can go a long way.

Conclusion

The use of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and scaffolding in a learning environment can cultivate a collaborative learning space that utilizes each student's learning preferences and helps them approach tasks in a systematic manner. These concepts highlight the importance of personalized learning and the way social interaction can be of great value during the learning process. Ultimately, ZPD and scaffolding are versatile concepts that can be applied in a variety of contexts and cases. Finally, if you're on the lookout for other interesting theories and concepts, check out our Instructional Design Models And Theories list!

References

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A Guide To Vygotsky's Zone Of Proximal Development And Scaffolding

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To realize the value of social interaction during learning, let's review Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and scaffolding theory.

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This theory outlines a model of work that develops ability in group participants and shared leadership for collaboration.

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What is Collaborative Learning?

After reading this guide, you will better understand collaborative learning.

You will get actionable tips on how to improve and implement collaborative learning within your organisation.

Discover:

The definition of collaborative learning
Collaborative learning is the educational approach of using groups to enhance learning through working together. Groups of two or more learners work together to solve problems, complete tasks, or learn new concepts. This approach actively engages learners to process and synthesize information and concepts, rather than using rote memorization of facts and figures.
Learners work with each other on projects, where they must collaborate as a group to understand the concepts being presented to them.

Through defending their positions, reframing ideas, listening to other viewpoints and articulating their points, learners will gain a more complete understanding as a group than they could as individuals.

Collaborative vs. cooperative learning: What is the difference?

There is some confusion about what the difference is between these two types of learning.

In fact, cooperative learning is a type of collaborative learning, which is why at first glance, the two might seem similar.

The difference between cooperative learning and collaborative learning is that, in cooperative learning, participants are responsible for a specific section of their own learning and success, and also that of the group as a whole.

They must use their knowledge and resources to make sure that all team members understand the concepts that they are learning.

The roles and structure of cooperative learning are predefined, and are often likened to the cast and crew of a theatre production: the success of the show depends on all of the interconnected roles supporting each other, but there is a director overseeing the project closely.

To think about collaborative learning in terms of roles within an organisation, in software development, a group of junior developers has a task to learn a new framework, then develop part of a program while using it. Each developer has their own part of the code to develop, but their work will only be successful if everybody learns and performs their part properly. Even though each person has a separate role in the work, the entire group has a stake in the success of others.

In collaborative learning, individual participants must also take responsibility for their team learning and succeeding, but their roles, resources, and organisation is left up to them. There is no director to administer the rules of engagement, so the group itself must self-direct.

The benefits of collaborative learning

Why use collaborative learning? Because every organisation can benefit from having an energized and informed workforce.

There are many benefits of collaborative learning, both for the organisation as a whole and the learners as individuals.

The organisational benefits of collaborative learning

1. Develops self-management and leadership skills

When individuals are tasked with working together to achieve a common goal, they are being given the opportunity to develop high-level skills.

While having to organize, assign, and teach, they are learning how to manage both themselves and others while leading in a productive fashion.

2. Increases employee skills and knowledge

When employees participate in collaborative learning, they are developing a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Not only will they strengthen their existing skills by having to teach others, they in turn will learn new skills from other employees.

This reduces the need for formal training while encouraging employees to continually upskill in known concepts and engage with new concepts.

3. Improves relationships across teams and departments

When individuals have limited contact across teams, it is difficult to foster connections and teamwork.

Collaborative learning across teams forces individuals to develop new connections and find ways to work together.

This can be especially beneficial for organisations that depend on remote workers, as fostering strong connections among distant workers can be difficult.

4. Improves knowledge acquisition and retention

Studies have shown that utilizing collaborative learning may lead to increased involvement and better retention of knowledge.

The process of collaborative learning allows participants to achieve higher levels of thought and the information is retained much longer than when learned in a non-collaborative setting.

5. Improves employee retention and promotes workplace engagement

Employees that are given the opportunity to learn new skills tend to be more satisfied in their work, and are less likely to seek out other opportunities.

Satisfied employees are more productive and will engage in their work, leading to increased efficiency and output.

The individual benefits of collaborative learning

1. Turns learning into a truly active process

The learner must organize their thoughts, present a cohesive argument to demonstrate their point, defend that point to their peers, and convince others that their argument is correct.

This active engagement means that the individual learns, and retains, more knowledge.

2. Promotes learning from others viewpoints

Learners benefit from hearing diverse viewpoints.

Studies show that when a person is exposed to diverse viewpoints, especially from people with varied backgrounds, they learn more.

3. Teaches how to think critically and quickly

The learner must quickly synthesize responses and, if they find that their argument is lacking, adjust their ideas on the fly.

Individuals learn how to think critically and quickly, while intaking new information and adjusting their own viewpoint as new ideas are introduced.

4. Promotes listening to criticism and advice

The learner will also listen to others talking through their ideas, offering their thoughts for or against their peers' arguments.

This dynamic approach means that learners gain a more full understanding of the topic, as they have to consider it from all angles.

5. Develops public speaking and active listening skills

Individuals learn to speak well in front of an audience of their peers, to listen actively, to challenge ideas and build a framework of ideas in conjunction with others.

This increased social ease will help individuals both socially and at work.

6. Improves cooperation

When given a specific goal, learners are more likely to engage in thoughtful discussion with each other, improving both their understanding of the subject and their esteem for each other.

Examples of collaborative learning activities

There are many ways to foster collaborative learning within an organisation:

1. Evaluating training systems

Within teams or departments, pair newer employees with more senior ones.

Have them work together to evaluate the training systems currently in place, assess flaws in the system, and develop recommendations on how to effectively update the training to better serve the organisation and its employees.

2. Solving problems across teams

Bring together various teams and present them with a problem to solve.

This might be how to develop a new feature for a product, what changes should be actioned on an existing software, or instituting a new training program.

Outline what results you would like to see in broad terms, then let the teams work.

At the end, the teams will present what they have developed, justify their choices, and outline their plans to accomplish the task.

3. Developing new products

When it comes to developing new products, collaborative learning can be a massive asset.

Teams can work together to identify relevant niches, brainstorm solutions, and create product concepts.

After presenting their products, a question and answer session can help develop the idea further, as they defend their ideas, respond to criticism, and sharpen their pitch.

4. Explaining concepts to other departments

Have departmental teams create a presentation that teaches their work to the other departments.

They should present the work that they do, the problems that they solve, and present some ongoing concepts that they are working on.

Other departments will participate in a question and answer session, giving the benefit of their experience to help solve ongoing issues while also learning more about how the organisation works as a whole.

5. Build a collaborative learning community

A collaborative learning community is an environment that fosters working together to solve problems, prioritizes open communication and gives individuals many opportunities to both learn from and teach others.

An organisation that chooses to provide these opportunities on a regular basis will create a collaborative learning community, in which individuals will actively participate in collaborative learning.

Good examples of collaborative learning activities will have clear instructions, a set goal, mid-sized groups of three to five individuals and flexible rules, so that groups can experiment within themselves and work with open communication.

Collaborative learning theories

While there are some differences between collaborative learning theories, as a whole, collaborative learning is underpinned by the concept that learning is a naturally social act, and that learning occurs through talking, attempting to solve problems, and seeking to understand the world.

To begin, we will look at the first theories of collaborative learning, which were concerned with how children learn. Later theories took into account how adults continue to cognitively develop throughout their lives.

Vygotsky's theory of social development

Lev Vygotsky's social learning theory puts an emphasis on the importance of social interaction for the development of learning and cognition.
He believed that community was an important factor in the process of creating meaning and knowledge.
Vygotsky's theory approaches learning from a sociocultural viewpoint, arguing that individual development does not happen without being informed by social and cultural contexts.

He proposed that speech plays a major role in the development of thought, with conversations with more knowledgeable people driving forward understanding and cognition.

An important aspect of Vygotsky's social learning theory is the Zone of Proximal Development.

This is the idea that, if you visualise what a person can and cannot do as zones, between those zones is a third zone, known as the zone of proximal development. This is what a person is able to learn, but needs guidance to be able to do so.

It is in this zone that new skills, in the process of development, are found. When a person has access to other people who will teach them, they will learn the skills found in their zone of proximal development.

Vygotsky also developed the concept of the More Knowledgeable Other ( MKO).

More Knowledgeable Other is a person who already has the knowledge or experience that the learner is seeking. It could be a parent, teacher or older adult, but could just as easily be a peer.

It is through interactions with this person that a learner can see desired behaviours modeled or receive important information.

Vygotsky termed this as collaborative dialogue, as the learner seeks knowledge, internalises the information provided by the More Knowledgeable Other, then uses that information to guide their own actions.

More Knowledgeable Others allow the learner to operate within the Zone of Proximal Development.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development

Jean Piaget set out to understand how infants and children develop their understanding of their world, and how they become able to use reason and thought to develop hypotheses.
His theory states that, as children grow, they construct an understanding of the world around them, experience discrepancies between their understanding and their experiences, then correct those discrepancies through reorganizing their mental processes.
Piaget developed the concept of ' schemas,' which he defined as units of knowledge, the basic building blocks that allow humans to organize knowledge and understand complex concepts.

He defined a schema as "a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly interconnected and governed by a core meaning."

He believed that there are some innate schemas, such as the sucking response of newborn infants, and others that are acquired through experience.

For Piaget, the cognitive development of a person was directly connected to the number and depth of their schemata.

As children develop, they use their schemata to process the world around them using assimilation and accommodation. In assimilation, a child uses an existing schema to handle a new object, situation or interaction. Accommodation is when a child finds that their existing schema does not work for the new object, and so the schema is changed.

Piaget believed that this is driven by a need for equilibrium, which in turn drives development. Equilibrium is the state in which a child's existing schemata can handle most new information in the assimilation process. When that doesn't happen, disequilibrium will commence and the child will be uncomfortable. The child will respond to that by seeking to adjust, through the process of accommodation, and will master new knowledge through that process.

To Piaget, the processes of assimilation and accommodation require an active learner, as the child must seek to discover the problem-solving skills they need. In this process, the child must interact with physical and social environments to learn.

Piaget's four-stage cognitive development process

Piaget also presented a four-stage cognitive development process, which he believed must happen before learning could commence.
1. Sensorimotor
From birth to two years, is the stage where a child learns to form mental representations.

This is when a child will develop object permanence.
2. Preoperational
From two to seven years, is the development of symbolic thinking.
3. The concrete operational stage
From seven to eleven years, is the beginning of using logic to work things out in their head, rather than needing to learn concepts physically.
4. The formal operational stage
It begins at age eleven, it's a stage when full logical cognition is possible, including working out complex hypotheses.

Piaget versus Vygotsky: What is the difference?

While both Piaget and Vygotsky agreed that cognitive development comes in stages and has roots in both nature and nurture, they differed on some key points.

1. Piaget believed that a child drives their own cognitive development, as children have an innate tendency to adapt to new experiences, whereas Vygotsky believed that social interaction is what drives the cognitive development of children.

2. Piaget thought that children learn best when allowed to use self-discovery and active learning, and Vygotsky thought that instruction and guidance were key to a child's learning.

3. Vygotsky also posited that different cultures and periods of time have an impact on cognitive development, while Piaget thought that it was the same universally.

4. Piaget also thought that, while the stages of development are more or less set, children will only proceed to learning when they are ready, and Vygotsky believed that development could be accelerated by using the zone of proximal development and more knowledgeable others.

An essential difference is that Piaget thought that the result of cognitive development was language, Vygotsky thought that language was the key to cognitive development.

There is evidence that a child being exposed to guided learning within Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development shows greater understanding than a child learning alone within Piaget's discovery learning framework, according to a study conducted in 1990 by Freund.

Kegan's Cognitive Developmental Theory

The developmental theories discussed above center around cognitive development in children. It was previously thought that cognitive development ended around 25, but there are some who believe that it is a lifelong process.

Robert Kegan posited that it is possible for people to continually develop the systems they use to create meaning by transforming the way that they interact with the world.

He developed five stages that put an emphasis on transitioning from a subject (I am) to object (I have) framework.

According to Kagan, the subject framework does not allow self-reflection, as it is too closely held for objectivity to happen. It can include beliefs, behaviours and assumptions about the world.

The object framework allows a person to detach from the concept, reflect upon it, and consider it objectively. This exercise of transitioning framework, according to Kegan, drives cognitive development.

Simply put, Kagan theorised that becoming an adult means transitioning to higher stages of development.

This means developing an independent sense of self, and gaining the traits associated with wisdom and social maturity.

An adult with a high stage of development is in control of their behavior, is self-aware, and is able to more effectively manage their relationships and the social factors affecting them.

Kegan's five stages are:
1. Impulsive mind
This stage is early childhood, where impulses drive action.
2. Imperial mind
Subject: Is needs, interests, wants
Object: Has impulses, perceptions

This is the adolescent stage, although some adults remain here.

Relationships are transactional, and self-interest is the driving force behind all behaviour.

Actions are driven by outside consequences, rather than internal belief systems.
3. Socialised mind
Subject: Is mutuality, interpersonal relationships
Object: Has needs, interests, wants

This is the stage where most people are, according to Kegan.

This stage is dominated by external sources, such as other people, groups and the society around us as a whole, and what they think of us.

The culturally prescribed way of living is paramount to a socialised mind, regardless of personal desire.
4. Self-authoring mind
Subject: Is self-definition, personal autonomy
Object: Has mutuality, interpersonal relationships

At this stage, a person is able to self-define.

They are not swayed by the opinions of society, and will decide for themselves who they are, what they stand for, and how they should behave.
5. Self-transforming mind
Subject: Simply is
Object: Has self-definition, personal autonomy

Kegan believes that only 1% of adults reach this stage.

At stage 5, the sense of self is not static, but is instead able to constantly adjust and react as new information, interactions and experiences are processed.

Summary

In an organisation, it is ideal to give your employees the tools to transition to the upper stages.

Fostering growth within an organization has many proven benefits, including increased output, higher employee retention, and better employee satisfaction.

Transitioning to the upper stages involves curiosity, critical thinking and openness to new ideas and concepts, all of which are desirable traits to curate in a workforce.

Collaborative learning research and articles

1. Collaborative learning in the workplace: Practical issues and concerns

2. Collective Learning in the Workplace: Important Knowledge Sharing Behaviours

3. Improving Collaborative Learning and Global Project Management in Small and Medium Enterprise

4. A Change Theory: Key Concepts for Understanding the Work of Robert Kegan

5. Lev Vygotsky

6. Jean Piaget

7. Collaborative learning

8. The benefits of collaborative learning

9. Active and Collaborative Learning

10. Collaborative learning: What is it?

11. Part 1: How To Be An Adult- Kegan's Theory of Adult Development

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What Is Collaborative Learning? Theory, Examples of Activities

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Learn what collaborative learning is and what benefits it brings. Discover examples of collaborative learning activities. Cooperative vs. collaborative learning.

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Using Classroom Jobs to Teach Responsibility

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Using Classroom Jobs to Teach Responsibility

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Learning Responsibility with Classroom Jobs

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Encouraging Students to Lead in the Classroom

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Encouraging Students to Lead in the Classroom

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Students need to lead the classroom, not teachers | Katherine Cadwell | TEDxStowe

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Teaching Children to be Responsible and Take Care of Themselves

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Teaching Children to be Responsible and Take Care of Themselves

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Responsibility For Kids | I Am Responsible For Me | Social and Emotional Learning for Kids (Part 1)

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Measures for Maintaining Accountability in a Group

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Measures for Maintaining Accountability in a Group

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1. Setting Expectations - This is important to clarify to all members of a group what they are responsible for and what behavior and work is expected of them.

2. Allow mistakes - Recognizing that mistakes are part of being human and allowing others to come back from their mistakes is an integral part of being productive and keeping a positive mindset.

3. Consistency - Do what you would expect the other members in your group to do. Be consistent with your word.

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Managing a team is hard. Building a high performance team? That's even harder. But one key skill that high performance teams all have in common is that they hold themselves accountable, both as individuals and as a team.

That's why all great managers should know how to build a culture of accountability in the workplace.

Here are eight team accountability exercises to start right now:

1. Set clear expectations, and document them

The first step in team accountability is making sure your team knows exactly what's expected of them individually and collectively. A great way to do this is to use a RACI matrix for big projects. If anyone were to approach a member of your team outside of the department, they should be able to clearly say:

What their team is trying to achieve (and how this ties to the overall company objectives)

What their responsibilities are in the team

What their individual KPIs are

Who is accountable for what

If your team doesn't know their expectations, be sure to change that. Use team management software to document and manage projects to keep everyone in the loop. You should also use time in your one-on-ones to go over individual and team goals again and again until they become second nature to your employees.

2. Make everyone responsible for team meeting agendas

Nothing is worse than being the only one talking in a meeting that you set up. If that sounds like how your team meetings run, take a step back and give your whole team power to control the agenda. This means sharing it beforehand and making everyone responsible for taking meeting notes. When others contribute to the agenda and are prepared for the meeting, you'll be able to listen and coach more rather than maintaining the conversation.

3. Assign tasks to individuals

It sounds counterintuitive to talk about increasing team accountability, and then encourage assigning tasks to individuals...right? Not really. You might think that assigning action items and tasks to teams will help them work more collaboratively, but the reality is that without a single person assigned to complete a piece of work or next step, it will fall through the cracks. With one person assigned, the rest of the team knows who to hold accountable, which is especially important if your team is highly dependent on each other to complete work before they can start their own.

4. Follow-up

In emails, in meetings, in chats...always, always follow-up. As a manager, aside from setting the expectations for your teams, this is the second most important thing you can do to impact team accountability. Expectations and goals that are set without follow-up or reiteration will fall through.

5. Adopt an "embrace mistakes" mantra

Encourage your team to own their mistakes and failures, learn from them and move on. Eliminate all games, "he said she said" attitudes or shirking responsibilities within the team. If something didn't get done, ask who was responsible (another reason why assigning tasks to individuals is hugely important), why didn't it happen and what can we do differently next time around to make sure it does get done.

6. ...but make sure there are consequences

If something doesn't get done, and nothing happens, was it really ever that important to do in the first place? Establish a team dynamic where everyone is clear on what happens when goals and targets are not meant. It's not a scare tactic, but it should be something the team is aware of. Think of it like this: if someone asks a member of your team "What happens if you don't do X?" then the answer shouldn't be "nothing."

7. Reward wins

Recognition in the workplace is still one of the biggest employee engagement factors. Build team accountability by rewarding and recognizing wins within the team and as a team. Studies consistently show that recognition is key to employee drive, motivation and retention.

8. Practice what you preach

"Lead by example"..."Practice what you preach"...there are a dozen cliché quotes with the same sentiment, but what it boils down to is this: be the model for what you want your teams to do. This means owning up to your own mistakes, taking responsibility for your actions and being clear with your team on your accountabilities.

Creating a culture of accountability takes time and effort, but it's well worth it in the long run. Try implementing these eight team accountability exercises into your day-to-day, and watch performance skyrocket 🚀.

Create a culture of accountability with Hypercontext

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8 ways to improve accountability in your team

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All great managers should know how to build a culture of accountability in the workplace. Here are eight team accountability exercises to start right now.

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Steps for Ensuring Support for all Class Members During Assignments

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Steps for Ensuring Support for all Class Members During Assignments

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1. Know each student and their needs

2. Have a good classroom arrangement

3. Have well planned instruction and frequent informal assessment.