The third component is constantly modeling and explaining tasks, teacher modeling of the ideal form should change to match the current maturation level of students (Vygotsky, 1934/2002). The second component is constantly asking the student to explain the task, these responses help students develop the ability to ask questions and explain concepts. Vygotsky believed that interaction between the student and the teacher must involve a process of removing the scaffolds in order to allow the student to complete the assessed skill using his or her own abilities (as cited in Gredler, 2009). The first component is collaboration between teacher or person of higher cognitive ability and the student to solve an issue or complete a task (Vygotsky, 1935). Vygotsky emphasized several components of scaffolding. The fifth definition of scaffolding is found in Vygotsky’s (1929) cultural-historical theory of psychological development, particularly in relation to cognitive development and the zone of proximal development.
To reach independence or have ownership of a task, Wood and his colleagues believed that students must have some ideas of how to solve the task before they can systematically solve or produce the task themselves. demonstration – modeling task for student to emulate frustration control – providing assistance that creates a learning environment of less stress to the learnerĦ.
marking critical features – noting the relevant components of the task, like a rubric and interpreting discrepancies of correct and incorrect productionĥ. direction of maintenance – motivating student towards the goalĤ. reduction in degrees of freedom – simplifying or narrowing the processģ.
recruitment – creating engagement of the learnerĢ. In the same article Wood, Bruner, and Ross describe the scaffolding process to have six key functions or strategies within the process:ġ. The fourth definition of scaffolding is “a ‘process’ that enables a child or novice to solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal which would be beyond his unassisted efforts” (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976, p. The article also states that scaffolding allows the teacher to “chunk” the assignment into smaller manageable parts while maintaining the integrity of the whole. In the same article Clark and Graves discuss scaffolding as a process of gradual release of responsibility that includes three key components: a) all teacher-modeling and instruction, b) joint responsibility-guided practice, and c) all student-practice and application. 842.” The third definition is “a temporary supportive structure that teachers create to assist a student or a group of students to accomplish a task that they could not complete alone (Graces, Watts, & Graves, 1994, P. The second definition is “what teachers say and do to enable children to complete complex mental tasks they could not complete without assistance (Pearson & Fielding, 1991, p. The second and third definition of scaffolding were found in an article titled, Scaffolding Students’ Comprehension of Text. Transfer of responsibility is the completion of the fading stage, when students can independently process the task” (Ray, 2017, p. Fading is the gradual withdrawal of the scaffolding or contingency support. “Contingency is the tailored, adjusted, and differentiated responses or support that a teacher gives to a student during instruction. In the same article van de Pol, Volman, and Beishuizen describe scaffolding as a process that includes contingency, fading, and transfer of responsibility.
The first definition of scaffolding is “support given by a teacher to a student when performing a task that the student might otherwise not be able to accomplish” (van de Pol, Volman, & Beishuizen, 2010). Each definition reflects Vygotsky’s 1929 cultural-historical theory of psychological development in relation to scaffolding. I have presented six definitions of scaffolding in relation to instruction, the first five definitions assisted in the development of the sixth. Hopefully this post will help you to better understand scaffolding in relation to instruction. Whatever the case, it can become confusing to individuals trying to find a solid definition of a term. This could also be rooted in the need to be heard. This could be rooted in their historical-cultural background. Educators seem to enjoy the tussle of how to define the different elements of instruction.