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Scaffolding is a term well known in the education community. My understanding of the term is that it is used to refer to anything given to students as a tool in accessing the content of a lesson. For example, in my classroom, we provide scaffolding for students in our classroom discussions. We provide sentence stems for students to use when responding to a question or the response of another student. We call this procedure Habits of Discussion. Our students use hand signals to show how they would like to respond as well. I see this as a scaffold for students as they are learning how to have discussions with other people in life.

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Scaffolding is the temporary metal framework that often surrounds a building being built, cleaned, updated, or maintained. Since the workers cannot reach above the first few feet to work, it is necessary to boost them up to where they need to do this job. It is temporary, and will be taken down when the job is done. Like this support structure, teachers can provide support to a student to help them reach a little bit higher and higher each time, with the teacher providing direct input, hints, practice opportunities, modeling, corrective feedback, or confirmation that a student has done something right. As a student gets better and better, the teacher can remove the portion of the scaffolding they don't need anymore, and the student will be able to do it on their own. (MBD)

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I see scaffolding as keeping high expectations but breaking it down or providing assistance so that students have the skills to reach those high expectations. I don't think scaffolding is changing assignments. I think a common scaffold can be building background knowledge before completing an activity. Making sure that students can start at similar levels rather than assuming they all start at the same.

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The image that comes to mind when talking about scaffolding for students is an actual, physical scaffold that construction workers use to help them when building something. So when I think of scaffolding for students, I often think of it as providing more explicit instruction than was provided for the class as a whole. It is meant to provide students with the same opportunity to learn, just with a few more "steps" or in a different way. This can include using something such as a thinking map that can help guide students through something like writing an informational piece. Give them probing questions that can help them find or come up with answers that they can write down in a map. This map will help them collect their ideas and information, which they can use later on to write their informational piece.

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This image reminds me of the scaffolding I do most often in my classrooms. Since I am not responsible for grammar teaching, or new content in general, the most of the time I need to scaffold is when I am showing students how to play or do an activity I bring to class. I always, always model the activity with the teacher, then usually walk the students through the materials they need, after that we do a practice round involving the students working out kinks and confusions they may have and finally they are able to do what I have originally modeled by themselves. It is a model the students are used to and seem to trust and it helps empower them to try whatever the activity I bring is. Keep in mind, I am working with Japanese middle schoolers, so my experience may be quite different from yours, but this is what I have noticed about scaffolding in my classes! (MRL)

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Scaffolding is a series of supports often by the teacher to aid the student in the learning process and meet their individual needs.  The supports offer by the teacher progressively diminish as the student becomes more and more independent with the skill.  I often refer to the scaffolding process with my students as “I do, We do, You do”.

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Just as Rome was not built in a day, your students are not going to learn concepts in one day as well. In depth learning and application takes time for students. At some point in a student's educational career they are going to need more support for a topic than other students, it's natural. It is up to the teacher to scaffold instruction for those students. Scaffolding is the process in which the teacher uses a variety of instructional methods to move students towards deeper understanding and independence. Scaffolding is especially important our CLD students. When using scaffolding approaches for CLD students it is important to think about providing context of the learning for the students, such as visuals, using technology, hands on activities, etc. "Scaffolding includes whatever it takes to make the instruction meaningful for the student in order to provide a successful learning experience (Robertson, Ford)."

" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).
Lev Vygotsky introduced the idea of Zone of Proximal Development, which basically states what the difference between what a learn can do with or without help. ZPD is more specifically defined as " the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers
ZBD has become known as a scaffolding approach that is used in education.

ZBD is basically defined when teachers use cooperative learning environments for students who need extra support. They get the extra support from their peers in these cooperative learning groups. The educators' role is to mediate the student's learning through social/group learning. In the book, Using the 'Zone' Help Reach Every Learner, they talk about some approaches that they can use to scaffold using ZBD in present day
1. Assess the learner's current knowledge and experience for the academic content.
2. Relate content to what students already understand or can do.
3. Break a task into small, more manageable tasks with opportunities for intermittent feedback.
4. Use verbal cues and prompts to assist students.
(Silver, 2011)

​Below is a great video explaining ZBD:

ZBD is an excellent way to use scaffolding and allow authentic interactions with students and their peers but that is not enough for ESL students. Visual aid is also essential for students when using a scaffolding approach. "ESL students greatly benefit from the type of scaffolding that makes extensive use of visual aids hence the term . When students can see an image of what the teacher is describing or see the key words that the teacher is explaining, this not only serves to make the input considerably more comprehensible, but serves to remove the affective filter which results from the fear or boredom that comes of understanding very little in class (n.d.)" When students can visualize what they are learning it helps cement the learning process and gives a visual perspective for students aiding their ability to ultimately do the task individually. visual scaffolding

Below is an image of 8 strategies for scaffolding found on Ms. Houser's Inspiring and Encouraging website:

1. Visuals and Realia:
Bring in things that actually relate to the lesson, when you can bring something that is tangible it helps make the lesson more authentic. For example in mathematics if you are teaching about surface area and volume what better way to have students bring in or yourself bring objects from around the house and use to find the surface area and volume. A fish tank could be a great piece of realia to use to find the volume of water it can hold.

2.Use of First Language:
Incorporate the students' first language as often as you can without forcing it. Find connections between the their language and the content language. For example if you are asking students to infer what may happen in the text, inferir is the same word in Spanish. Have them make the connections between those words and their similarities.

3. Read Aloud:
Have other student read aloud as a model for your students, or yourself to model what the language should sound like. This creates a less intimidating culture for you students with relatively low anxiety. It allows them to hear the words as they should be pronounced without the anxiety of making a mistake. As you read aloud when it comes to a difficult word you can break it down as a class and repeat the pronunciation with the students as a class.

4. Modeling/Gestures:
Model what the process is for students or create some sort of physical gestures for students and you to use as a class. For example in math when teaching slope intercept form (y=mx +b) I use YMCA as a base for a dance to YMXB for my students. we stand up and sing to Y M X B as a class to help solidly and memorize slope intercept form. It's a great way to get students moving and having some fun!

5. Small Group/Partner Work:
Be specific at times with who you pair/group students. There are many theories on what type of grouping is best, but this is a great way to socially get students to learn from their peers (This is also a great way to use ZBD). This can be a quick think-pair-share question that that is low anxiety for students to talk and think about to specific grouping based on ability to help students push each others thinking.

6. Sentence Starters:
This is an excellent way for ELL students (really all) to use in class to help develop thoughts. I use these in my class for discussions. I have them posted and the students have their own laminated hand-outs to use for when we are having mathematical discussions. It has truly help further our classroom discussions as a whole.

7. Connect to Background Knowledge:
This is a great way to make connections to what students already know and build their confidence to what they are about to learn. It also helps them make an overall bigger picture connection to where the lesson is heading. For example, when students are finding the surface area of a sphere, cone, and cylinder, I often have them connect what they already know about a sphere, cone, and cylinder. What are the shapes when they are nets, what do they all have in common? What do we already know about surface area? How can we use only area to find the surface area of those shapes. They can begin to make the connections that they are all circular and they already know how to find the area of the nets of those shapes. This is an excellent way to help them build confidence with what they are about to learn making it a bit less intimidating for them.

8. Graphic Organizers:
Graphic Organizer are great visuals to use for students, especially ELL students. They are great ways for students to organize their thinking visually. Just remember that they should be simple and easy to comprehend for your students.

References: Robertson, K., & Ford, K. (n.d.). Language Acquisition: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-acquisition-overview Silver, D. (2011). Using the 'Zone'Help Reach Every Learner. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47. ESL workshop: Scaffolding theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/fis/scaffold/page1.htm
​

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Rodriguez, M. (2014, March 4). Zone of Proximal Development. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du6vqSOj7UU ​

Ms. Houser. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2016, from http://www.mshouser.com/teaching-tips/8-strategies-for-scaffolding-instruction

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Just as Rome was not built in a day, your students are not going to learn concepts in one day as well. In depth learning and application takes time for students. At some point in a student's educational career they are going to need more support for a topic than other students, it's natural.

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1. 'I do' - an expert or a more experienced peer by their own exapmle demonstrates how something is done.
2. 'We do' - novice or a less experienced peer tries a skill under a guidance and some control of an expert or a more experienced peer. At this stage expert`s inclusion into a novice 'practice' is high in order to let the novice 'sense' a skill in a right way. This stage is very important because a novice can also guide their expert in the ways how an expert can help a novice to acquire a skill taking into account personal characteristics of a novice.
3. 'You do' - novice or a less experienced peer switches to skill performance on their own with a minumal inclusion of an expert. At this stage a novice may even surpass their guide (expert).

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I posted another video, but I think this explains it better! Scaffolding is when one more knowledgeable (in any area, not only language) supports or "scaffolds" information that helps the learner move from where they are to new new learning within their Zone of Proximal Development. If the more knowledgeable person gives assistance using information that is outside of the ZPD, the learner will not be able to process it or benefit from the scaffolding. The video shows different ways to scaffold. The "expert" can be another peer or anyone who knows the piece of info the other learner doesn't.

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Scaffolding is a way to support children's learning of language. It helps a child move from simple language to more complicated language. Scaffolding language means helping a child learn a new skill by building on skills that they already have.  The WL program at my school starts from kindergarten through 5th grade.  Therefore, the curriculum of the program is a progressive program in which students will learn new skills and language based on what they have already known in the past years.  However, each year, there are new students who have no experience in the target language at all.  I have posted visual images and flashcards to help those students and provide support so that they can catch up and achieve the same goals as the other classmates.  There are many ways of scaffolding.  Peer coaching is a way I have applied in my classroom to let students with higher proficiency to assist students with lower proficiency.  The pair work with students at different proficiency allows students to negotiate for meaning in a more positive and friendly atmosphere and clarify for misunderstanding.  Besides, in my classroom, I use storytelling and TPR (total physical response) to establish the meaning of vocabulary, and students develop fluency through different physical activities.  All vocabulary are paired with an action.  The action acts as a scaffolding help students memorize and recall the meaning of the vocabulary.   

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Scaffolding is a way to support children's learning of language. It helps a child move from simple language to more complicated language. Scaffolding language means helping a child learn a new skill by building on skills that they already have.  The WL program at my school starts from kindergarten through 5th grade.  Therefore, the curriculum of the program is a progressive program in which students will learn new skills and language based on what they have already known in the past years.  However, each year, there are new students who have no experience in the target language at all.  I have posted visual images and flashcards to help those students and provide support so that they can catch up and achieve the same goals as the other classmates.  There are many ways of scaffolding.  Peer coaching is a way I have applied in my classroom to let students with higher proficiency to assist students with lower proficiency.  The pair work with students at different proficiency allows students to negotiate for meaning in a more positive and friendly atmosphere and clarify for misunderstanding.  Besides, in my classroom, I use storytelling and TPR (total physical response) to establish the meaning of vocabulary, and students develop fluency through different physical activities.  All vocabulary are paired with an action.  The action acts as a scaffolding help students memorize and recall the meaning of the vocabulary.   

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To my understanding scaffolding is the process by which you as the teacher provide students with the necessary building blocks/aids to help them on their learning journey. Often times it seems like this is very helpful when you have a strict guideline for the content that must be taught. At times the content may seem beyond the learners level of comprehension, but with proper scaffolding learners should be able to grasp the concepts regardless of their level. The danger/pitfall of scaffolding however, is . to over scaffold/over support learners, ideally scaffolding should be a process in which the teacher slowly removes different layers/levels of support so that the students are able to complete certain tasks or activities independently. Here is a little infographic of some different ways scaffolding can happen in an ESL classroom.

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I think scaffolding is something that I struggle with in my own practice, still. I am often working with teachers, and I can see how their material is available for extra scaffolds, but sometimes I miss the mark within my own materials. I see scaffolding as being useful and necessary for all subjects for students are not quite there yet. Our school uses a platform called Summit, and it has not been created for ESL students- especially those at the lower levels. So, our teachers have to do a lot of work to scaffold the materials that exist- this doesn't always happen. Lately, I have found myself really encouraging the use of sentence frames and sentence starters, and for them to be the same across the board. This has allowed teachers to focus their goals a bit to help ELL students do what they want them to do- it takes the burden of extra language off the students' shoulders, so to speak. Then, as they build confidence through the project, the scaffolds become less as they move through the different "checkpoints" (Summit language). I encourage scaffolded note-taking devices and building background knowledge as Michelle pointed out. Scaffolding for me enables ELL students to feel confident in having conversations with teachers and responding in discussions. I'm an expert at doing it, and I'm always looking for ways to help students move up the ladder, if you will...kind of like the picture.

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Scaffolding comes in many forms whether vocabulary, a science procedure, solving a math problem, building on a historical skill or a specific comprehension skill. The key to scaffolding is finding of what students already know (background knowledge) and their previous experience (prior knowledge) and building on that to the new information. This process includes explicit instruction through modeling. Over time, the teacher slowly removes the extra supports until the student has achieved mastery on their own. This relates to Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development.

For example, if I want students to use hypothesize, a tier 2 vocabulary term, and they currently know the word guess, then I'd need to scaffold the vocabulary like my example below. This could be done over a week to build student's confidence and I would recommend utilizing pictures, sentence starters, modeling how to use the language and giving students opportunities to practice the language through student-centered activities that allow for substantive conversations. This is something I did in our 10th grade Biology course to assist students in building their  comprehension and confidence with the terms when we were conducting water lab experiments.

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Scaffolding comes in many forms whether vocabulary, a science procedure, solving a math problem, building on a historical skill or a specific comprehension skill. The key to scaffolding is finding of what students already (prior knowledge) know and then building to the new information. This process includes explicit instruction through modeling. For example, if I want students to use the tier 2 language hypothesized

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Scaffolding meets the student at the level they are currently at, and gives them incremental assistance, through introducing the new content, modeling how it is used, and prompting them to apply the new content, in order to bring them to the next level. This video gives an explanation and example.

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Effective Teaching ESL Strategy - Scaffolding

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Scaffolding is offering a learner the right amount of assistance so they can complete the task at hand. Through the feedback/teaching you give them at the beginning they should eventually be able to complete the task on their own. I would use scaffolding in my language arts classroom when we practiced analyzing and using our reading strategies with a text. The students would meet with me in a small group and I'd ask them questions based on the reading strategy we were using that day. If students were having trouble I'd ask them another question to try and lead them in the correct direction. Through my guidance/asking questions I hoped they would come to the answer themselves and then be able to complete the process independently in the future. Scaffolding is not a one time thing. It usually takes many opportunities to give guidance, pulling back a little each time and then eventually the learner can do it on their own. Some skills will take more scaffolding and be a longer learning process than others. Also all students are different- one student may quickly understand a task with minimal scaffolding and another might need extra support.