In addition, immediate corrective feedback is critical. That is, instruction that includes clear modeling, think-alouds, and multiple examples, which are described in greater detail below. One of the best practices in supporting learners is the use of systematic, explicit instruction. Learn more: Essentials of a Mini-Lesson 2. Teaching a series of mini-lessons provides students with a safety net that moves them progressively toward deeper understanding. Teach mini-lessonsīreak down new concepts into bite-sized pieces that build on one another. Using the much-lauded concept the Zone of Proximal Development, teachers can guide, support, and encourage students as they help them develop problem-solving strategies that can be generalized to other situations. He theorized that children learn best when they interact with other people, particularly more knowledgeable people, who provide guidance and encouragement to master new skills. The strategy is based on the work of Russian psychologist Len Vygotsky, whose theories stress the fundamental role of social interaction in cognitive development. In other words, it’s a way for teachers to provide support while students master new concepts and skills. Scaffolding is a way to provide support for students by breaking down learning into manageable chunks as they progress toward stronger understanding and ultimately greater independence. If you’re an administrator, share these practices with your teachers, and look for them during classroom walk-throughs. If you’re a teacher, integrate these as best practices, and observe their impact. Luckily there are many strategies educators can use to help students, and among the most important is scaffolding.īelow you’ll learn more about scaffolding in education, including 18 effective ways to scaffold learning. Almost all students, particularly those with unique learning needs, have felt exactly this way in the classroom at one time or another. Without being told the purpose of the activity, specific expectations, or background information, it would be overwhelming and discouraging to say the least.

Providing students with better instructional scaffolding is often a schoolwide objective, but how can school leaders and teachers put this big idea into practice? Imagine someone plopping a giant box of odds and ends in front of you and telling you to figure out what to do with them with no further instructions.

Scaffold meaning in psychology