AN INTERVENTION SPECIALIST’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT A dissertation submitted to the Kent State University College of Education, Health, and Human Services in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Carol A. Carrig May, 2016 © Copyright, 2016 by Carol A. Carrig All Rights Reserved ii A dissertation written by Carol A. Carrig B.S., Kent State University, 1978 M.Ed., Cleveland State University, 2004 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2016 Approved by _________________________, Co-director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Alicia R. Crowe _________________________, Co-director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Jennifer L. Walton-Fisette _________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Melody Tankersley Accepted by _________________________, Director, School of Teaching, Learning and Alexa L. Sandmann Curriculum Studies _________________________, Interim Dean, College of Education, Health Mark A. Kretovics and Human Services iii CARRIG, CAROL A., Ph.D., May 2016 Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies AN INTERVENTION SPECIALIST’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT (269 pp.) Co-Directors of Dissertation: Alicia R. Crowe, Ph.D. Jennifer L. Walton-Fisette, Ph.D. This self-study focused of an intervention specialist’s decision-making process in designing instruction for students with special needs and those at risk in learning. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) provided the lens through which this research was conceptualized and viewed. The purpose of this research study was to utilize a reflective thinking practice in examining my part of the teaching/learning cycle discerning what information lead to decisions in creating scaffolds for students’ zone of proximal development. The findings included: (a) the practitioner ignited an invitation to learn and be motivated, designed scaffolds, and created environments to encourage student empowerment; (b) personal attention was directed to those tensions that required change by igniting a problem solving sequence that offered possible strategies and solutions; and (c) outside factors including institutional influences, limitations, and interruptions distracted the practitioner from the primary purpose of teaching. The findings of this study offered the following implications for intervention specialists. First, a reflective thinking practice enables an intervention specialist to discern thoughts that transpire from school/societal deliberations and those that result from his/her own viewpoint. In grappling with the contradictory messages of these two forces a practitioner develops his/her voice and the self-knowledge needed to define his/her position within a given tension. Second, incorporating the element of play into daily lessons encourages children to acquire greater attention to task, thus, increasing cognitive development. Third, the development of individualized scaffolds employs a deconstructive / reconstructive nature to achieve independence in skill execution. v DEDICATION To my parents, Rosemary and Robert Krivos, for teaching me lifelong values that enabled me to endure and achieve throughout this doctoral studies journey. Mom, thank you for modeling and thus, instilling in me the following qualities: (a) work ethic, (b) a desire to be involved in life, and (c) a yearning to pursue my dreams. Of course, when you were alive I objected to these lessons. Once you passed I came to understand your teachings. Dad, thank you for constantly exhibiting three ideals – patience, kindness and acceptance. Even in your last months on earth you never forgot to acknowledge your appreciation of my visit. Sunday evenings were particularly special when we played music together. I think we both needed the other playing by our side to show off our talents. I was amazed that you could play the piano, accordion, or Melodica, without music and harmonize to the melody in the moment. You knew so many tunes from your past, even when you didn’t know names of the residents you had lived with for nine years. You always teased me for needing music to play the piano. I wonder if we both came to a different understanding of the term “musician” during those performances together. Thank you for the great joy you brought to everyone in attendance, especially me. On those evenings you created the outside circle of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development that permitted me to let go of the anxiety of having to perform perfectly. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to many for their support as I traveled this journey of doctoral studies. First I wish to thank the co-directors of my committee, Dr. Alicia R. Crowe and Dr. Jennifer L. Walton-Fisette, for supporting my growth as a researcher and empowering me to complete this study. After each of our meetings I felt a renewed strength to continue my work. Your directives, numerous valuable comments, and productive criticisms have strengthened this final product. I am also thankful for my co-workers, Mary Stewart, Debbie Drennan, and Jeannette Reiman. Your support throughout this process by listening and working together as a team was invaluable. Finally, I am grateful for my family’s support and their belief that I could achieve. My grandson Michael always asked, “So how’s the paper going grandma?” and then listened to my latest adventures in writing. My grandson Sam at the age of two pronounced that he would call me “Work Grandma.” I amazed that such innocence can “see” truths that are often obscured in our adult lives. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..............................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................................x PROLOGUE .....................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................9 Personal Appraisal ....................................................................................................10 Unmasking Personal Conflicts ...............................................................................10 Growing Awareness ...............................................................................................12 Problem Statement ....................................................................................................14 Professional Significance of Study ...........................................................................17 Purpose ......................................................................................................................19 Research Questions ...................................................................................................20 Definitions.................................................................................................................21 Summary ...................................................................................................................23 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .........................................................................24 Theoretical Framework: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory .....................................25 Children with Special Education Needs ................................................................28 Zone of Proximal Development .............................................................................29 Scaffolding .............................................................................................................33 Reflective Thought....................................................................................................36 The Temperament of Thought / Reflective Thought .............................................37 Five Phases of Reflective Thought ........................................................................40 Attitudes and Curiosity ..........................................................................................41 Habits .....................................................................................................................43 Mindset ..................................................................................................................44 Construction of Knowledge ...................................................................................45 Thinking as an Art .................................................................................................47 The Role of Reflection on Practice ........................................................................49 Developing a Voice ................................................................................................52 Reflective Practice in Teaching ................................................................................55 Reflective Thinking Process ..................................................................................58 Purpose of Reflective Thinking .............................................................................61 Utilizing Reflective Thinking to Promote Change ................................................62 Reading as a Problem-Solving Task .........................................................................64 vi Professional Wisdom