What is Scaffolding?
Originally proposed in 1976 by Wood, Bruner, and Ross, scaffolding is the assistance of a teacher to help a student reach maximum learning. Scaffolding is a constructivist theory based on the works of Lev Vygotsky, who believed in two areas of development and learning for students: the zone of actual development and the zone of proxmal development. The actual developmental level of a student is what is concepts that a student can independently master, while the zone of proximal development focuses on the concepts that students may master independently, upon an adult’s or peer’s guidance. Vygotsky believed that the best learning occured in the Zone of Proximal Development. Scaffolding follows this idea by assisting students who may have prior knowledge of the topic, but can not obtain mastery alone. Teachers or peers work with the information known, build upon the idea together, then the teacher uses a type of gradual release, which allows students to work independently on a concept or task. Teachers or peers must be careful when using scaffolding, because scaffolding implemented wrong could disable learning (Lipscomb,2010, pg. 2).
Some examples of using scaffolding in a general classroom that makes teaching using scaffolding more manageable include: breaking tasks into smaller parts, verbalizing the thinking processes during a task, and ‘think alouds’. Remembering, as well, that a common goal must be shared between the teacher and student. Students should be assisted when they are unable to assist themselves, not when the task is within the students’ level of ability (Lipscomb 2010, page 2).
For students considered “Reclassified”, scaffolding can unlock a power to succeed independently. Reclassified students, as defined by Eliane Rubinsein-Avila (2013), are students “who enrolled in a school district as ELL (English Language Learner), and who has since been reclassified to FEP (Fluent English Proficient) (pg, 1). Teachers in Avila’s study took the time to get to know the students that were in the classroom, with each of classes having ¾ reclassified students. They implemented scaffolding strategies such as “wait time” (reflection time for students), graphic organizers, and “think-pair-share” where students think about an answer to a question silently, work then with a small group to build on the answers given, and the shared aloud with the whole class. These strategies helped students get to know the small groups they worked in, helped build self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, originally defined by Albert Bandura (as cited by Lipscomb, 2010, pg 3) personal belief of success in particular instances. This idea is critical to the success of students and the classroom as a whole.
Some examples of using scaffolding in a general classroom that makes teaching using scaffolding more manageable include: breaking tasks into smaller parts, verbalizing the thinking processes during a task, and ‘think alouds’. Remembering, as well, that a common goal must be shared between the teacher and student. Students should be assisted when they are unable to assist themselves, not when the task is within the students’ level of ability (Lipscomb 2010, page 2).
For students considered “Reclassified”, scaffolding can unlock a power to succeed independently. Reclassified students, as defined by Eliane Rubinsein-Avila (2013), are students “who enrolled in a school district as ELL (English Language Learner), and who has since been reclassified to FEP (Fluent English Proficient) (pg, 1). Teachers in Avila’s study took the time to get to know the students that were in the classroom, with each of classes having ¾ reclassified students. They implemented scaffolding strategies such as “wait time” (reflection time for students), graphic organizers, and “think-pair-share” where students think about an answer to a question silently, work then with a small group to build on the answers given, and the shared aloud with the whole class. These strategies helped students get to know the small groups they worked in, helped build self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, originally defined by Albert Bandura (as cited by Lipscomb, 2010, pg 3) personal belief of success in particular instances. This idea is critical to the success of students and the classroom as a whole.