Using Scaffolding as a Tool in the Educational Process

Using scaffolding as a tool in the educational process refers to various techniques implemented to guide students toward better understanding, and ultimately, more independence in learning a certain objective. More specifically, scaffolding is when a teacher provides step-by-step levels of support that assists students in achieving a high level of comprehension and particular skill set.

Similar to physical scaffolding, the support is slowly removed to the point that it’s no longer needed, because, by then, the learning process has shifted to the student. It’s fairly safe to say that all teachers use some form of scaffolding to one degree or another. According to Edutopia, a division of the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), for those still struggling to learn a particular concept after scaffolding, a teacher might then decide to differentiate, which is different from scaffolding, by streamlining an assignment or making other adjustments.

Kids, in particular, when learning a foreign language, face a myriad of challenges as they navigate the social, linguistic and academic aspects of their schooling. Based on an analysis by The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism on effective ways to teach second language learners, like English Language Learners (ELLs), scaffolding can be narrowed down to six features. They are as follows:

1) Providing continuity, as in repeating tasks while still keeping them connected.
2) Offering contextual assistance.
3) Giving access to the various means and goals and encouraging exploration in a supportive environment.
4) Promoting intersubjectivity, as in establishing rapport and encouraging nonthreatening participation.
5) Adjusting tasks accordingly, also referred to as contingency.
6) Observing a student’s readiness to shift the responsibility over to him or her, also referred to as takeover or handover.

An article in TEAN Journal, an online educational publication, states that although scaffolding often leads towards high achievement, thorough consideration still needs to be given to how and why certain assessment modes were used to determine those accomplishments.

Finding educational programs that support ELL students’ first language, such as The Latino Family Literacy Project, can make an enormous difference on their academic and language acquisition success.