Providing Instructional Supports: Facilitating Mastery of New Skills
Wrap Up
In this module, you learned about several different approaches to instructional scaffolding and how to use them. Specifically, you learned about:
- Content scaffolding
- Task scaffolding
- Material scaffolding
Robert Reid, who developed the content in this module, has written extensively about scaffolding and strategies instruction. Click to hear him summarize the instructional scaffolding process. As Dr. Reid discussed, instructional scaffolding is a way to achieve instructional goals. Furthermore, teachers can use it across grade levels and in combination with any academic task. Naturally, the type of scaffolding will vary depending on the needs of the student (time: 0:59).
Transcript: Robert Reid, PhD
The instructional scaffolding process is a process in which the teacher creates supports for a student to enhance their learning and mastery of skills. Providing support or scaffolding is a critical component to their learning new tasks with multiple steps. How the teacher chooses to scaffold will depend on the task or strategy and the students. Here, the teacher should use common sense and their teaching experience to assess what types of scaffolding or supports the students will require. There’s a gradual transfer of ownership of the strategy or skill from the teacher to the student. Initially the teacher takes much more responsibility because the student isn’t ready. However, over time, the students are able to take more responsibility. Remember, though, students are given only as much support as they need and perform independently only when they are ready.
Revisiting Initial Thoughts
Think back to your responses to the Initial Thoughts questions at the beginning of this module. After working through the Perspectives & Resources, do you still agree with those responses? If not, what aspects about them would you change?
If you were Ms. Price, what could you do to help your students when they struggle with a task?
How might Ms. Price provide help to meet the individual needs of all her students, including those with disabilities?
When you are ready, proceed to the Assessment section.
