Scaffolding in Education
May 31, 2022
9 minutes read
Scaffolding in the education system has become a key concept over the years. The approach helps teachers develop ways to help students solve their classwork problems with ease and become independent in handling issues both in school and life. A teacher can implement different techniques until their students become independent to solve class problems on their own. This article is a guide on the importance of scaffolding in learning both to teachers and their students.
What Is Scaffolding in Education?
Teachers have come up with scaffolding in education techniques to manage their students better and help them understand concepts that are presented in class. Therefore, one can define scaffolding in education as a concept where a teacher has a direct relationship with their student to help them break large tasks into smaller and more manageable ones.
Teachers use various tools and frameworks in scaffolding in early childhood education to help kids learn to solve problems. Thus, students will be prepared to handle more complex tasks in the next levels of education.
Long-term assignment handling can be challenging, especially for students who have difficulties that require close supervision. The use of scaffolding assignment tools allows teachers to single out students who require more immediate interventions and develop a structured method to help such kids perform well in class.
A teacher will break specific tasks while implementing scaffolding depending on the makeup of the class, the outcome they want to achieve with their students, and the teacher’s goals. The objectives will depend on the curriculum frameworks, and the teacher’s department or school sets guidelines on student learning programs.
The goal of each assignment given to students may vary. Therefore, a teacher can use tools or frameworks such as grading rubric, graphic organizer, self-editing checklist, and outline of each task assigned to students. These approaches may help kids have a smooth transition to solving challenging tasks while increasing student’s independence in handling them.
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Benefits of Scaffolding in Education
Every child has their own pace and way of learning. Therefore, you cannot ignore the importance of scaffolding in education as it helps teachers come up with better teaching methods to help each kid perform better. Having proper guidelines, a teacher can help the entire class develop critical thinking skills and promote their independence using scaffolding tools. Here are some of the benefits of scaffolding:
1. Clear Direction
A teacher can use scaffolding theories to divide a complex or significant problem students face into smaller chunks that are easy to understand quickly and retain. The theories also help students take necessary steps using new techniques and eliminate difficulties, confusion, and anxiety they usually face.
The scaffolding methods identified and implemented by teachers in their classroom are crucial in helping students perform better.
2. Clear Expectations
Teachers can use scaffolding methods that allow students to clearly understand the material presented in class and their teachers’ expectations from the beginning of the lesson. Thus, kids get ready to focus on their studies and improve on their performances. A teacher and their students will have a supportive classroom environment where no one gives each other reasons for stress.
Students will also benefit from scaffolding by removing all negative perspectives they may have towards certain subjects or topics that could have caused them to feel unmotivated and not attend specific lessons.
3. Promotion of Engagement
In a school environment, effective student-to-teacher engagement is a concern for any management. Teachers are required to find means and ways to engage with their students, grab their attention, and make kids concentrate and perform better. You can start a podcast for the children and you can hire Attrock that is expert in the podcast launching. They can help you design a funy and interactive podcast theme for your children.
With scaffolding methods, teachers can engage with their students more effectively. These methods help tutors develop ways to connect with their students, which is important for effective classwork. Students will also benefit from scaffolding techniques that teachers apply as they give them more confidence and eliminate discouragement and negative thoughts they may have felt toward certain subjects and topics.
5 Examples of Scaffolding in Education
The idea of scaffolding in education is to help teachers create challenging lessons but with goals that can be achievable by their students. The role of a teacher is to give necessary support or scaffolding until kids are sure they can now complete tasks without any help. Here are some examples of types of scaffolding in education to use in the classroom:
1. Visual Aids
The use of visual aids as a scaffolding strategy can inform objects found around the classroom to help students have deep thoughts about a subject and keep them on track.
Examples of scaffolding in early childhood education, in particular visual aids in the classroom, include:
- Posters on the walls
- Charts and graphic organizers
- Flashcards students may have on their desks
- Checklist to ensure students have completed their given tasks
Any visual aids you use should only guide students on performing their tasks and not give them direct answers. For example, a student can use a table to input math figures. This approach will help them see figures on paper, and not just perform calculations in their heads.
2. Breaking up Topics into Chunks
When you notice a lesson is somehow intimidating your students, the best way to handle the issue is to give kids smaller tasks step by step until they grasp the entire problem.
The examples in this category include:
- Creating a road map that helps in the outline of a problem step by step until students complete a problem
- Covering up some part of a task that you don’t need to focus on yet
- Learning stations to help students solve minor parts of the bigger problem
3. Modeling
A modeling method helps teachers to demonstrate to students how they will handle specific problems as well as observe and learn how a given task is performed. This method can create passive learners; thus, you need to keep them engaged by asking questions and allowing them to ask about unfamiliar areas to keep such students active.
You can use videos or fishbowl activities where students can form a circle or stand watching and listening to their fellows.
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4. Thinking Aloud
When you let your students think aloud, you help them to process whatever is in their minds and brainstorm innovative ideas.
This method helps students develop speech skills as they perform their tasks. In class, you can request kids to explain whatever they are doing at various stages of their assignment.
The examples of types of scaffolding in education under this method include:
- Encouraging students to speak while performing an activity
- Questioning your students to explain what they are doing at each step
- Encouraging students to ask questions they might have to deepen their thoughts
- Encouraging students to record themselves as they present their thoughts on various topics
These methods can help students create responses with complete sentences and comments and gain confidence in every process they perform in the class.
5. Using Prior Knowledge
When scaffolding during a lesson, you can ask students to reflect on their previous classes and use the techniques they learned to solve the current problem.
Embracing prior knowledge in class may include:
- Using a well-known strategy by your students and encourage them to apply it to their new assignment
- Using an analogy that makes sense to make the new task relevant to your students’ life
- Relating an idea to an area that interests your students, such as literature, sports, or gaming.
These strategies will ensure that students develop a “light bulb moment.” Students will move through complicated problems to see them in a new light and solve them with ease.
Conclusion
With the implementation of scaffolding in education, teachers can use specific scaffolding techniques at various learning stages to demonstrate the knowledge of particular theories, help students apply them in their academic practice, and solve problems with confidence independently. The techniques used are powerful ways to solve complex problems and help students retain new concepts and contents with ease.
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