Why Scaffolding is a Complex Process
Understanding Scaffolding as a Complex and Crucial Process for Effective Teaching and Learning: Insights from a Landmark Study
The article “Why Scaffolding is not as Easy as it Looks” describes a study conducted by David Wood, Jerome Bruner, and Gail Ross that examined how children between the ages of three and five respond to an adult teacher providing assistance during a task.
The task involved the children fitting together 21 blocks into a pyramid, and the goal was to help the children figure things out for themselves as much as possible, only intervening when necessary.
The authors coined the term “scaffolding” to describe the process of tutoring where an adult or expert assists someone who is not an adult or an expert.
The authors sought to explore how purposeful and communicative instruction happens between humans, specifically an adult and a group of 3, 4, and 5-year-olds as they try and solve a problem using wooden blocks.
Traditionally, problem-solving or skill acquisition activities were seen as lone activities, and social interaction was usually framed as modeling and imitation.
However, when a tutor or teacher is present, the dynamics are far more complex.
The term given to this process by the authors was “scaffolding”, and it has become one of the most influential and commonly used terms in teacher training today.
The study showed that the teacher responded to three types of behavior from the children.
First, if the child ignored the task and simply played with the blocks, the teacher would present constructed pairs of blocks to get them started.
If the child had begun to construct but had overlooked a feature, the teacher would gently use a verbal cue to get them back on task.
Lastly, if the child began to construct in the way modeled to them, the teacher would allow them to correct any errors that they encountered.
The relative success or failure of the child determined the actions of the teacher.
Interestingly, there was a difference in how effective the help offered was among different age groups.
For example, when teachers attempted to explain the solution to the 3-year-olds, it was only effective one out of every five times; however, this method worked more than 50% of the time with 5-year-olds.
The study showed that scaffolding is a highly complex process requiring great skill and deftness from the teacher and, like the meerkat learning to hunt scorpions, it can very easily go wrong if not done properly.
In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of scaffolding in teaching and learning, and emphasizes the need for teachers to understand the different needs of students of varying ages and abilities.
Scaffolding is not as easy as it looks, but with proper training and understanding, teachers can provide effective assistance to students, allowing them to learn and grow in a supportive environment.
Reference:
Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1976). The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Child Psychiatry, 17, 89–100. Available from https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1976.tb00381.x
