Scaffolding

Definition : "The teacher extends children's literacy learning through modelling, modifying, correcting."

In terms of literacy teaching, 'scaffolding' includes the ways in which teachers assist their students to reach their potential level of development. It involves demonstrations and modelling, such as when teachers say aloud what they are thinking while they are reading and writing in order to make clear the 'cognitive processes used by skilled readers and writers'. Scaffolding also involves the gradual removal of support as children master the skill or concept being taught.

In the study, there was a clear division between the more effective and effective teachers and the less effective teachers. All but one of the effective and more effective teachers displayed scaffolding in all episodes. On the other hand, no less effective teacher demonstrated scaffolding in more than 50% of episodes.

As an example, it was a regular routine for the more effective and effective teachers to prepare the children for successful reading of a shared book by predicting or pointing out features such as the storyline, pictures, vocabulary and word decoding strategies to be used.