Scaffolding teaching is a common instructional strategy wherein teachers provide various kinds of support for students as they learn and then begin to withdraw that support as students' skills improve. The scaffolding process is akin to learning to ride a bicycle. Children might start by learning to ride a tricycle, move on to a bicycle with training wheels, then ride independently once they are ready.
Scaffolded education is considered an active learning strategy because it pushes students to improve their skills and gain independence in their learning. Essentially, each student participates in the learning process. This is in contrast to passive learning; for example, a traditional classroom where the teacher delivers a lecture to largely silent students. Today, passive learning is usually considered less effective than active learning, which is why it's important for teachers to experiment with teaching methods like scaffolding that encourage active learning.
The Theory of Scaffolding in Education
The concept of instructional scaffolding in education dates back to the 1960s. The term was coined by psychologist and pedagogical theorist Jerome Bruner (1915-2016) who used the term to compare his educational theory to the use of construction scaffolding that is put up to enable builders to work on buildings. Scaffolding is adjustable and temporary, eventually removed to reveal the completed work. In the same way, teachers put up metaphorical scaffolding to support their students' educational growth, gradually stepping back once students are confident in their abilities.
Today, scaffolding is in widespread use in many educational environments. Even teachers who have not deliberately decided to integrate scaffolding into their teaching strategies may use some elements of the theory, particularly when teaching students more difficult concepts. However, it is a good idea for teachers to be aware of the impacts of this theory and utilize it deliberately so that it is more effectively able to meet their particular class's needs.
When used well, scaffolding is an important part of creating an effective classroom environment. Dr. Doran Gresham from George Washington University notes how important it is for teachers to analyze their teaching methods: ''Is the work accessible and differentiated for the scholars to prevent frustration? Does [the teacher] have strong relationships with her kids? Will the classroom get out of their seats to collaborate, and do children get a chance to genuinely show their thinking during class time?'' Scaffolded instruction can help make the answer to all of these questions a resounding ''yes.''
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What is Scaffolding in Education: Top Scaffolding Strategies
Scaffolding strategies can be highly variable, not always following the same pattern, and these methods will also look different for younger and older students and for different subjects. All of the strategies listed in the below subsections are adaptable, so teachers can change them around to suit their curriculum and their students' level of learning.
One of the potential challenges of scaffolding in education is the danger of over-explaining things. Scaffolding provides students with a kind of safety net so they do not have to figure everything out immediately. That can be extremely valuable, but it is better for students who might find the new material somewhat challenging or who learn in different ways. Students who understand an activity right away might find the scaffolding process boring or needlessly slow. Getting the right scaffolding balance is generally a matter of practice and getting to know a group of students well.
Teachers might find it useful to make certain scaffolding elements optional. For instance, students who do not yet understand an activity can continue along the scaffolded educational path, while those who do understand can get started independently or in a group.
1. Repetition and Demonstration
Explaining a new activity to students can sometimes be frustrating, especially if not enough scaffolding is involved. Many teachers may be familiar with the following experience: They design an activity for students, explain it clearly and in detail, allow students to get started…and receive only confused looks in return. The problem here is not necessarily with the activity or even the explanation but rather with the scaffolding process. Students might not fully understand what to do based solely on verbal directions.
Instead of falling into this trap, teachers can smooth the process by scaffolding or repeating it to demonstrate it more fully to students. To do this, teachers can:
Provide the same explanation of an activity
Demonstrate the activity themselves for students to see
Prompt the whole class to do the activity together or ask a small group of students to demonstrate it for the class
Ask students to complete the activity as it was intended, either alone or in groups
With this repetition and demonstration, students are less likely to be confused about what is expected of them and will feel more comfortable trying the activity for themselves.
Repetition Example
Repetition and demonstration are particularly good ways for teachers to introduce a new educational game to students. For example, a teacher wanting to reinforce vocabulary can use a bingo game where each square of the bingo is a vocabulary word. The teacher defines a word, and students have to work out which word the definition refers to before finding it on their bingo card.
To explain this game, a teacher can show students a sample bingo card, demonstrate the process of working out a definition, and call a student to the front to play for a minute or two to demonstrate to everyone how the game works. Then, once the other students understand, the teacher can open the game up to the whole class with minimal potential for confusion.
2. Engage Students' Prior Knowledge
Another way teachers can scaffold student learning is by connecting new lessons to things that students have learned in the past. These connections provide a sense of familiarity and help students feel more confident about their ability to absorb new information, especially for students who find learning something entirely new daunting. Accessing prior knowledge can also provide students with a crucial context for what they are learning and help them understand why a new lesson is relevant to them, all of which helps students feel less lost and confused.
A big part of learning is making connections, so teachers should strive to guide students toward these connections whenever possible. That way, a lesson becomes an opportunity to expand on knowledge and gain a broader picture of the world rather than being an obscure or uncomfortable challenge.
Prior Knowledge Example
Because math is cumulative, gradually building on what students have previously mastered, scaffolding can be used to help engage prior knowledge. When teaching students multiplication, a teacher might note that multiplication is only a different form of addition.
Students already know how to add 2 + 2 + 2 to get 6. When they see 2 x 3, they do not need to feel intimidated; they are just looking at addition in a new way. Connecting to students' prior knowledge of addition can help them feel more confident in their ability to multiply. This is a very simple example, but the same concept can apply at any level of mathematics instruction.
3. Develop Collaborative Conversations
Prompting students to have collaborative conversations is a method of scaffolding that provides students context and allows them to ask questions and orient themselves in their learning within a safe environment. Such discussions work to gradually build a student's understanding of the material. These conversations can happen before, during, and after a lesson so that teachers can check in with students about what they are learning and guide them in the right direction.
Conversation Example
History and social studies lessons are excellent opportunities for these kinds of discussions. Before introducing a new lesson, teachers might use a collaborative conversation to see what students already know about the topic and how they feel about it.
For instance, during a lesson on Chinese New Year, teachers might ask students what they already know about the holiday, how (and when) they and their families celebrate the new year, and what they think they might learn during this lesson. This conversation functions as scaffolding for the lesson, priming students to get as much as possible out of the lesson.
The teacher can then return to this discussion after the lesson to see what students learned. Was anything surprising? Did they have any preconceptions or ideas about Chinese New Year that turned out to be false? What aspect of the lesson interested them the most? Is there anything they would like to explore further or anything that confused them? Teachers can guide the discussion using these and other questions, ultimately helping students think more deeply about their learning and internalize the lesson.
4. Use Varied Teaching Lenses
What scaffolding can do for teachers is help them provide learning opportunities for all types of students, such as those who learn best with a visual aid, those who learn by reading, and those who learn by doing. However, while, learning styles have an impact on how students absorb information, most students will benefit from approaching lessons and assignments through a variety of lenses. And this is where scaffolding learning comes in: Teachers can scaffold student learning by providing the same materials in different ways. A teacher can give a lesson by speaking to a class and then can scaffold student learning through images, diagrams, or hands-on activities to reinforce their learning.
Teaching Lens Example
Science teachers can use the teaching lens strategy to make new concepts clear to students. When discussing evolution, teachers might talk students through the evolutionary tree and the animals that make up major families. To supplement this lecture, they might use a diagram of the evolutionary tree, images of various animals, or even documentary footage exploring the mechanism of evolution by natural selection.
After this, students might break into groups and take turns explaining aspects of the lesson to each other. They might also complete a project where they do a deeper dive into one of the animal families they learned about in class. By using multiple teaching styles, teachers can scaffold their students' learning, allowing them several different entry points into the same subject matter.
5. Provide Time for Review
Learning is not an instantaneous or one-time process. Students, especially younger ones, are learning a great deal about the world around them all the time. Concepts and ideas might not stick after just one lesson, even for students who understood the material perfectly at the time. When possible, teachers should build in time to review concepts as part of the learning process. These review opportunities can take many forms, including discussions, review questions, homework assignments, pop quizzes, and more.
Again, this strategy takes practice and skill to implement well, as certain students will need more review than others. One option teachers can use is to split students into groups for their review sessions with the option to move on to new material once the group has completed their review. This may encourage students who are ahead of the game to help their peers, allowing everyone to benefit and go over the material together.
Review Example
Review is important in all subjects, but it may be particularly relevant for students learning a second language. Students in a French class who have just learned to conjugate verbs in the passé composé might need to complete a review sheet where they fill in the blanks in a paragraph to review their learning before moving on to a new lesson.
Alternatively, students who need to review their French speaking skills might have a brief French conversation with a partner to prime their brains for language learning. It is a good idea for teachers to connect with students to find out what kinds of reviews they feel they need. Students are often very good authorities on their learning, so they will likely be able to provide teachers with insight into where they feel they are struggling.
6. Encourage Independence
Although scaffolding is all about supporting students, its ultimate goal is student independence. Teachers provide support for their students while they still need it, but they also need to know when to gently withdraw that support and let students take charge of their learning. Starting relatively early in the process, teachers should encourage students to become more independent in their learning, even if that means moving ahead of the rest of the class.
Being independent might also mean recognizing when one needs extra support; that self-knowledge should be celebrated in students who demonstrate it. Of course, teachers can always revisit scaffolded learning options if students find they are still having difficulties.
Independence Example
English classes provide excellent opportunities for students to showcase their independence. When asking students to write a book report, teachers do not have to assign all students the same novel. Instead, they can provide a selection of books at varying reading levels and allow students to choose the text they feel most comfortable with and interested in. This strategy is a little closer to differentiated instruction, but the two teaching methods do overlap.
In this particular example, texts do not have to be at vastly different levels. They might instead focus on different genres or subject matters, or they might vary in length but not in the difficulty of the text. When students have spent time benefitting from scaffolded learning, they might feel more comfortable taking control of their learning because they trust that their teachers will support them as needed.
Benefits of Scaffolded Instruction
Scaffolded instruction has the potential to provide many benefits to both students and teachers. Exactly how these benefits manifest will depend on many factors, including the particular makeup of a classroom, students' ages and interests, the subjects in question, and the teacher's knowledge of how to incorporate scaffolding as a strategy. Potential benefits for students and teachers can include:
Student Benefits
Teacher Benefits
A Safe Space to Learn: Students know that they can ask questions if needed, and they know that materials will be presented in a way that makes sense to them.
Increased Student Engagement: Many teachers find it frustrating when students are unwilling to participate, but active learning strategies like scaffolding can help draw students out of their shells.
Richer Learning Experience: The opportunity to connect to prior learning and to learn in many ways can help students gain a deeper, more thorough understanding of new materials.
Better Class Environment: Students who are engaged with their learning may be less likely to act out in class, leading to a more positive class environment and a better relationship between teachers and their students.
Collaborative Opportunities: When students work together to advance their learning, they are better at forming meaningful social connections and understanding each other's perspectives.
Smoother Lessons: When scaffolding is used well, it can minimize the odds of students getting stuck or confused. Of course, it is a good thing for students to ask questions; unnecessary roadblocks can slow down the delivery of a lesson.
Increased Confidence: As a child might feel more confident about riding a bike if they have practiced with training wheels first, students who receive a scaffolded education may have greater faith in their abilities.
Opportunities for Growth: Like all teaching strategies, scaffolded instruction takes practice. Teachers can improve their strategies over time as they get a better sense of what works best for their students.
Scaffolding is an essential tool in many classrooms, helping teachers and students work their way through potentially challenging learning opportunities in a way that leads to deeper, more complete learning outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is scaffolding instruction in teaching?
Scaffolded instruction is a teaching strategy where teachers provide students with a lot of support and then gradually withdraw that support over time. It is a great way for students to build up their confidence and learn without getting confused.
What is an example of instructional scaffolding?
A teacher who shows students how to play a new game could start by explaining the game in detail. Next, they could have a few students demonstrate the game before finally opening it up to the whole class.