Enhancing English Proficiency: Integrating the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in Vocational High School
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i2.10292Keywords:
English Proficiency. Vocational High School Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD),Abstract
This study examines the efficacy of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in improving English proficiency in vocational high schools, specifically within the health sciences domain. The study sought to evaluate the effects of ZPD-based scaffolding techniques on student language proficiency, engagement, and academic performance. A quasi-experimental design was utilized, involving 40 students from two vocational schools in Indonesia, with one group receiving instruction based on the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the other adhering to traditional pedagogical methods. Data were gathered via pre- and post-assessments, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The findings indicated that the experimental group exhibited a substantial enhancement in English proficiency, with an average increase of 23.75 points in their post-test scores, in contrast to 6.1 points for the control group. Observations and interviews indicated that ZPD scaffolding via peer collaboration, task-based learning, and teacher modelling markedly improved student engagement and language utilization. The study emphasizes the theoretical and practical advantages of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in vocational education, illustrating its capacity to enhance both language proficiency and students' career readiness. The findings indicate that ZPD-based methodologies ought to be incorporated into vocational English curricula to improve learning outcomes, and additional research is necessary to investigate the long-term effects and quantitative impact of ZPD across various vocational domains.
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