Zone of proximal development in a classroom of mixed-level students

Agenda

• What's ZPD?
• Examples for ZPD
  • Ping Pong
  • G20 case
• "The World is not ideal"
• ZPD in mixed-level classroom

What's ZPD?

• Zone of proximal development
• proposed by Lev Vygotsky
• difficulty/level of studying
  • "I know that already"
  • "How on Earth I can do that?"
• balance between boredom and frustration
• "Why should I care?"

Examples

• Ping pong
• Play Station - soccer
• Case of my group
• Kid doing Karate

The World is not ideal

• Merve Bekiryazici (2014) - Teaching Mixed-Level Classes with a Vygotskian Perspective
• students are not divided based on knowledge levels
• time-constraints

Suggestions

• scaffolding
• working in a group
• MCP - more competent peer
• no "level 100 difficulty work" for more knowledgeable students and easy tasks for others
• no to classification
• use strengths of students
  • grammar + vocabulary
• move gradually to independent tasks