Scaffolding: Building Better Understanding

In the construction world a scaffold is a temporary structure used to support a work crew. In education, the use of scaffolding is not that different. Instructional scaffolding gives support to the student as they’re learning new skills and concepts. According to The Glossary of Education Reform, “scaffolding refers to a variety of instructional techniques used to move students progressively toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process.” While scaffolding is similar to differentiation, when teachers scaffold instruction, they generally take the concept they are trying to teach and break it down into smaller parts. This makes it easier for a student to fully understand each piece before moving on - kind of like eating an elephant one bite at a time. When differentiating instruction, a teacher may give students entirely different reading assignments on the same topic that will match their reading level, or give a choice of assignments that they may choose from to complete.

Scaffolding instruction can allow for greater quality of instruction, but may take more initial planning. According to Rebecca Alber, “scaffolding is what you do first with kids, then for those students who are still struggling, you may need to differentiate by modifying an assignment and/or making accommodations for a student.”

On Edutopia, Alber gives Six Scaffolding Strategies to Use with Your Students:

1. Show and Tell - Many students learn best when they can see and hear about something. Modeling a concept allows a student to visualize and build understanding.
2. Tap into Prior Knowledge - Build on skills and ideas that the student already knows.
3. Give Time to Talk - Allow students the opportunity to talk with other students about new ideas.
4. Pre-Teach Vocabulary - Familiarize students with new vocabulary related to the new concept before tackling the more in depth ideas.
5. Use Visual Aids - The use of graphic organizers, pictures, and charts help guide students' thought processes and, ultimately, their understanding.
6. Pause, Ask Questions, Pause, Review - Question and discuss. Give students time to think. Repeat. This is a great way to check for comprehension and help them remember important information.

Abler’s best advice overall in this article is that sometimes “you have slow down in order to go quickly. Scaffolding a lesson may, in fact, take longer to teach, but the end product is of far greater quality and the experience much more rewarding for all involved.”

Our wide variety of Pepper course offerings give plenty of opportunities for teachers to use scaffolding strategies in their classrooms. Be sure to check out all of our Pepper Courses - we’re always adding new content!

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