Pedagogical, psychological and psychotherapeutic help in overcoming learning difficulties to facilitate development

Abstract

The paper discusses theoretical foundations for organising the work and interaction of various specialists who help children with learning difficulties (teachers, counsellors, therapists). The multidimensional model of the zone of proximal development based on cultural-historical psychology and developed in the theoretical framework of the Reflection and Activity Approach is proposed to be such a basic value. We connect different types of help to various developmental dimensions and consider them as technologies to enhancing the client's development. We elaborate on the essence of such concepts as collaboration, zone of proximal development, agency, reflection, and problem's epicentre. We present different ways of operational use of these concepts as applied to helping children with learning difficulties. The concept of double resource that we propose is important for developing new techniques of working within the zone of proximal development; it is this basis that certain technologies of organising the client's reflection are relying on. We provide examples of counselling children using this approach.