13 Y – Z
z-score
A type of standard score with a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one.
Zoloft® (see anti-depressant medications)
Zone of proximal development
This concerns an important concept developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky that concerns the role of educators in offering supports for students during the process of skill acquisition. The idea is that there is a zone between students’ manifest skill level when they work independently and their manifest skill level when supported by teachers. Optimized instruction occurs within this zone. Scaffolding (see separate entry) is often suggested as a teaching strategy to be used within this same zone.
