This method allows the teacher to provide targeted help to students as needed. In mathematics, the same math content and procedural skills were tested, but “hints” or models were sometimes provided to help students mentally access organizational or conceptual schemas. Instructional scaffolding is a teaching method that the teacher uses to gradually deliver instruction and help students. For example in reading, the same text passages for grade 5 were still expected to be comprehended using the same test questions, but passages were “chunked” with less complex questions (DOK 1 - who, what where, etc.) coming earlier than questions about main idea (DOK 2) or theme (DOK 3). While the content of test items was not changed, enhancements were added to some test items that might trigger recall leading to deeper thinking. In a large research study I was involved with several years ago in Georgia, we tested out the hypothesis that the lowest performing students would perform better on state assessments if test items were “scaffolded” for greater access (Hess, McDivitt, & Fincher, 2008). Use of scaffolding is generally considered an effective teaching practice for all students, and there is a great deal of research to support the use of scaffolding for learners of all ages and ability levels. So why is it that educators seem to hesitate to provide some form of scaffolding when presenting students with more complex and rigorous tasks? Trust me when I say this, it’s not cheating! It’s just good instruction to scaffold for deeper understanding. As the educator delivers new content to the student, they must be aware of each students location within the ZPD. Howard Gardner make a comment that has stayed with me all these years: “Every complex task in life is a project and we rarely - if ever - do them alone.” I think the point he was making then, and one that has been supported by cognitive research since that time, is that we can tackle much more complex tasks when we work on them with others, than if we work on them alone – especially when we are learning HOW to do those tasks (Hess & Gong, 2014). Instructional scaffolding supports student learning and growth by shifting cognitive engagement from the teacher to the student (Fisher & Frey, 2007). Did you develop and complete it from start to finish all on your own? Or did you, perhaps…talk with colleagues, look at models, seek out related information or examples from experts, and/or develop drafts and get feedback on your work before you felt satisfied that you had fulfilled expectations? Over two decades ago I heard Dr. Think back to the last really rigorous and complex task that you worked on.
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