Vygotsky's theory of the zone of proximal development, or ZPD, discusses what a child is able to learn and do with or without help from others. Vygotsky proposed that education should aim to provide experiences that lie in the individual's zone of proximal development, so that they are able to learn to do things on their own. In the zone of proximal development, and individual needs assistance from someone who is more advanced in an area (such as math, for example). But once that person shows them how to perform a skill, they are able to learn to do it on their own.
