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A set of training wheels on a bicycle is a classic example of scaffolding. It is adjustable and temporary, providing the young rider with the support he or she needs while learning to ride a two-wheeler. Without an aid of this sort, the complex task of learning to pedal, balance, and steer all at one time would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many youngsters. This scaffold--training wheels--allows the learner to accomplish a goal, riding a bicycle successfully, and then to happily pedal his or her way into a wider world.
Scaffolding--providing support to help learners bridge the gap between what they know and can do and the intended goal--is frequently singled out as one of the most effective instructional techniques available (Cazden 1992, Rosenshine and Meister 1992, Sweet 1993). As David Pearson (1996) points out, "Scaffolding allows us, as teachers, to intervene in an environment and provide the cueing, questioning, coaching, corroboration, and plain old information needed to allow students to complete a task before they are able to complete it independently."
Donald Wood and his colleagues (1976), who were the first to use the term in its educational sense, define scaffolding as "a process that enables a child or novice to solve a problem, carry out a task, or achieve a goal which would be beyond his
or her
unassisted efforts (p. 90)."
Quite obviously, whether or not they use the term, teachers frequently use scaffolding in their classrooms. We believe that scaffolding can be used profitably even more frequently and more deliberately, particularly with classes that embrace students with a broad range of backgrounds and abilities.
In particular, we recommend the Scaffolded Reading Experience (Graves and Graves 1994), a flexible framework designed to help students get the most out of each and every literacy experience. It is our attempt to create an experience that will lead all children to success, whether they are struggling readers, average readers, or above-average readers. We find the approach particularly appropriate for inclusive classrooms. It can reverse the cycle of failure and frustration that so many students--with and without disabilities--experience when reading.
Activities for Three Phases
How does this approach work? The teacher begins by considering three interrelated factors--the students, their purposes for reading, and...