Final answer:
Vygotsky's ZPD concept involves an individual progressing from needing assistance with a task, to scaffolding and fading guidance, and finally to independent practice, although he did not formalize these into stages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) doesn't strictly define four stages. However, Vygotsky's ZPD can be analyzed within the context of four distinct phases related to the guided learning process. These four stages can be conceptualized as:
Assistance phase where a more knowledgeable other provides support,
Scaffolding phase where the learner is given enough guidance to achieve the task,
Fading phase where the learner's capabilities increase and less guidance is provided,
Independent practice where the learner can perform the task without help.
These phases correspond to how an individual progresses from requiring assistance in learning new skills to becoming autonomous in their abilities. However, it is important to note that Vygotsky himself did not categorize these into formal stages within his theory of the ZPD.