Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a process in which support is provided to an individual so that he or she can complete a task that could not be completed independently. The support gradually is removed when the individual begins to demonstrate understanding of the task. The concept of scaffolding stems from the work of American psychologist Jerome Bruner and colleagues based on Lev Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. Vygotsky described the zone of proximal development as the distance between the actual developmental level where independent problem solving occurs and the potential developmental level where problem solving can occur with the guidance of an adult or more knowledgeable peer. Key to the zone of proximal development is social interaction and collaborative problem solving. Thus, the zone of proximal development bridges the gap between what an individual can learn and do independently and what he or she can learn and do with support. The scaffolding process in education bears similarities with the traditional definition of scaffolding, which is a temporary framework that supports workers and materials until a building is constructed or repaired to stand on its own. When scaffolding is used in instruction, learners receive support as needed and then the support gradually is removed as they achieve independence in task mastery.

Scaffolding instruction includes several essential elements that do not necessarily need to be followed in order. First, the teacher considers curriculum goals and standards along with student needs to select appropriate tasks. Second, the teacher works with students to establish a shared goal. This involvement may result in students who are motivated and invested in learning. Third, the teacher actively diagnoses student needs and understandings to ensure that students are making progress. Fourth, the teacher provides tailored assistance as needed through prompting, questioning, modeling, telling, or discussing. Fifth, the teacher helps students to remain focused on the intended goal by asking questions and providing clarification as well as offering praise and encouragement. Sixth, the teacher provides feedback in the form of a current progress summary and mention of specific behaviors that contributed to student success. Seventh, the teacher controls frustration and risk by creating an environment in which students feel comfortable taking risks with their learning without fear of penalty. Finally, the teacher gives students opportunities to practice the task in a variety of contexts and helps them to be less dependent on the teacher in order for them to internalize the task and eventually be able to perform it independently.

The following guidelines can help make the scaffolding process effective. The teacher can plan instruction by having students begin with tasks that they can perform successfully with little or no assistance in order for them to be aware of their strengths and feel [Page 864]good about their abilities. Helping students to achieve success quickly may alleviate frustration. Then, more challenging tasks can be attempted with assistance. Peer acceptance is important to students, so it is important for the teacher to help students to appear like their peers when possible. Although practicing new and previously learned skills is essential, the teacher should recognize when too much practice may be contributing more to student frustration than to learning. The teacher should help the student with his or her current difficulties, redirecting the student's intentions only if he or she is not using an effective strategy for task completion. The teacher should watch for student clues as to when and how much assistance is needed. The assistance should be provided immediately to help the student perform the task, but also should be removed gradually as the student demonstrates task mastery.

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