The Benefits of Scaffolding

The Benefits of Scaffolding

There are two types of scaffolding: instructional and behavioral. In the former, teachers guide students toward mastery by dividing instruction into smaller, digestible chunks. In the latter, they support students in achieving their learning outcomes by providing explanations of complex processes and prompting them to reflect on their own thought processes. Regardless of which kind of scaffolding is chosen, teachers must keep in mind that scaffolding should not detract from the alignment of Common Core ELA shifts.

The first type of scaffolding is teacher-led, where a teacher demonstrates a new task or concept. The teacher uses scaffolding to show students how to perform a task while making connections between previously learned material and the material to be introduced. At the same time, it helps students observe how to complete an unfamiliar task by allowing them to observe the teacher in action. This method is very effective, but it's important to consider student learning styles when planning for scaffolding.

In a scaffolding lesson, learning is broken into smaller pieces and then provided with structure with each chunk. For example, during a reading lesson, a scaffolding approach would include previewing text, chunking it, and discussing it as you go. In contrast, differentiation involves giving different text, shortening or altering it, or assigning a writing assignment. The latter approach is not recommended because it increases the likelihood of failure. But it's a great way to differentiate learning for all students.

In addition to lesson plans, teachers can incorporate scaffolding into review activities to remind students of existing supports and help them evaluate what else they need to learn. This is most effective when multiple lessons are planned at the same time. A lesson plan with a gradual increase in difficulty will help facilitate this. While scaffolding is most commonly used in new tasks involving multiple steps, the concept can be applied to any academic task. And it's not just the teaching of math that benefits from scaffolding.

Another benefit of scaffolding is that it improves student engagement. It helps students become more engaged in the classroom activities by providing close support. This prevents them from becoming discouraged when they don't understand a concept. Furthermore, students are more motivated to learn when they are actively engaged in the lessons. And, if the learning process is structured in stages, scaffolding makes it easier for students to understand and master new ideas. If implemented properly, scaffolding can help students achieve better learning outcomes in a shorter period of time.

While scaffolding requires good foundations, some of the most common types are supported and suspended. In supported scaffolds, the work platform hangs from the roof using struts, a rigid base plate, and cables. The working platform can then be moved up and down the building sides using pulleys, levers, and switches. In the latter case, the scaffolding is supported by several platforms. There are different kinds of scaffolds, but these two are the most common.

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