Scaffolding Practices in the Zone of Proximal Development: Evidence from Sulaymaniyah Private Schools, Subject of English
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21271/zjhs.29.SpC.44Keywords:
Scaffolding, Sociocultural Theory, Zone of Proximal Development, Teacher–Student Interaction, Private SchoolsAbstract
This study investigates the scaffolding practices employed by English teachers in private schools in Sulaymaniyah within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). While scaffolding has been widely recognized as a key pedagogical strategy to bridge learners’ current abilities and potential development, limited research has examined its implementation in the private sector in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Adopting a mixed methods research (MMR) design, the study combines quantitative and qualitative data collected through teacher questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. The participants included 35 English teachers and 105 Grade 6 students from 28 private schools, with six teachers selected for piloting from two schools. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS to generate descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns. The results showed a high frequency of scaffolding strategies, such as such as breaking complex tasks into simpler subtasks, while individualized scaffolding based on each learner’s needs was infrequent. The study concludes with a number of recommendations and suggestions for further studies.
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