7 replies to this topic

[Wolfie]

Just recently, I've been coming across this term on a regular basis; it's not a term that was used much when I was doing my initial training many years ago and although I've got a fair idea of the principles involved, has anyone out there got a link to an article, website, theorist, etc. where I could read about it properly?! :)

[Clare]

Hi Wolfie.

The theorists behind the Scaffolding theory are Lev Vygotsky and Jerome Bruner. It basically means that the adult observes the children, recognises the stage of learning they are at and then provide support to help them to reach the next stage. The support is what is called 'scaffolding'. There are loads of sites on the net which will talk about scaffolding.

Hope this helps :)

[Marion]

http://www.aare.edu....ap/ver03682.pdf

http://www.bgcenter.com/Scaffold.htm

[Running Bunny]

I've attached a diagram that is in the NDNAs Quality Counts pack...

Basically, the bottom line is where children are now...

* the building blocks represent what the children can do and what are in their current level of understanding and start to take the child out of their 'comfort' zone the higher they get ...

* the top bit is where the child can master the task...

* and then they can move on to work at it independently...

* the whole process then starts again with staff supporting the children with things that they can understand but not quite do...

Hope that helps!
(It helps if I attach it....  scaffolding.doc   19.5K   313 downloads)

Edited by Running Bunny, 29 March 2007 - 05:43 PM.

[JacquieL]

I believe it was Jerome Bruner who first coined the phrase 'scaffolding children's learning' and his views are a development onwards of those of Vygotsky. Then lots of others have developed and interpreted their theories. Tina Bruce has written quite a lot about 'scaffolding' and how it helps us organise how we teach, providing meaningful contexts linked in with the child's stage of development, and the need for the adult or some other (Vygotsky calls that person the 'knowing other') to interact with the child. This person can also be the enabler who, in a classroom, is the person who plans the scaffolding. I think that is it in a nutshell.

[Wolfie]

Ooooo, you lovely lot - many thanks!

That's tonight's bedtime reading sorted then..................... :)

[Deb]

Very informative thanks, particularly Marion's first link. Understood quite a lot of it, inbetween the big words. Am looking forward to reading more about the different theorists whilst completing the Foundation Degree.

[jodes2310]

Hi. I know you posted this ages ago but wanted to nthank you all as I'm currently doing my GTP and found the links really usefull. Thanks so much.
And scaffolding children's learning is a phrase my head lives by!! At least I understand it more now.

Jodes.