Rediscovering Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development

What is it about?

This article introduces a new translation by Stanley Mitchell (Changing English, 24:4, 359 - 371) of a very well known Vygotksyan text, which is the main point of reference for the concept of the 'zone of proximal development'. It compares Mitchell's translation with the version found in Chapter 6 of Mind in Society (1978) and indicates the main points of difference between the two versions. Chief among these is the importance given to pedagogy, which appears as a major focus for Vygotsky in Mitchell's translation.

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Why is it important?

Mitchell's translation enables English-speaking readers to access one of Vygotsky's key texts in full for the first time. This introduction points out the ways in which the new translation significantly alters our previous ideas about this classic exposition of the ZPD.