Picture your child building a tower out of blocks, carefully stacking them on top of one another. The process is a perfect metaphor for a teaching method called scaffolding. In the same way that blocks are laid, scaffolding in education helps young learners grasp new concepts through structured and supportive steps.
The essence of scaffolding is to learn in stages. It involves breaking down information into bite-sized pieces and using past experiences to help children relate to new material. Teachers and educators use simple strategies like pre-teaching vocabulary and using visual aids to create a nurturing environment where children can discuss, explore, and ask questions. In this way kids learn new things and concepts.
In our article we will talk about the core principles of scaffolding in education relevant to kindergarteners and early elementary students. We will also explain how our new infinibook, a dynamic digital reader, helps promote scaffolded learning in children in this age group. Let's dive into how this innovative teaching method can enhance your child’s learning experience.
What is Scaffolding in Education?
Scaffolding is used by builders to guide and support the construction of a building. In the same way, teachers use scaffolding techniques to assist children in understanding new ideas and concepts. For 5- to 8-year-olds, this means offering just the right amount of support so that they can tackle new tasks with confidence over time. As they improve and demonstrate their grasp of the new matter, this support is gradually removed, allowing for more independent learning. The idea behind this teaching strategy is that children learn better when they receive support instead of being left to figure things out on their own.
The scaffolding method includes several straightforward steps, which range from more involvement to virtually no involvement on the educator’s part.
Showing and explaining
Teaching young kids often starts with showing them how something is done and explaining it along the way. For instance, if you're helping a 6-year-old learn to tie their shoes, you show right-hand movements while describing each step out loud. Showing and explaining helps children understand what to do and why it's done that way, thus enabling them to connect actions to words.
Using past experiences and knowledge
Kids often understand new concepts by relating them to things they already know. For example, a 7-year-old learning about the water cycle can relate their memories of seeing rain clouds and playing in puddles. Children connect past knowledge to new information by using such familiar experiences, which makes it more understandable and accessible for them.
Time to talk
Having kids talk about what they learn encourages them to process and improve their understanding. If a child has read a story, ask them to retell it in their own words or share their thoughts about it. Talking things out is key because it enables kids to clarify and reinforce what they've learned.
By using our infinibook you can support this by inviting children to discuss a part of what they've read and listened to. This encourages dialogue and deeper thinking, vital parts of the learning process.
Pre-teach vocabulary
Before diving into a book or new lesson, introducing new vocabulary can be very helpful. For example, if a 5-year-old is learning about plants, it’s useful to explain words like "stem," "root," and "growth" before starting the lesson. This makes it easier for them to follow along and grasp new concepts.
Use visual aids
Visual aids such as pictures can greatly enhance a child's understanding of the material. Imagine teaching an 8-year-old about fractions using a simple pie chart or pieces of an actual pie. These visuals help clarify abstract ideas by making them tangible and easy to interact with.
When you use the infinibook, this part of learning is naturally embedded in the experience as all stories include engaging and memorable visuals, which makes reading fun and easier to comprehend (which is part of our scaffolding approach).
Pause then ask questions. Pause then review.
Giving children time to think after teaching them something new is critical. When learning about animals, you might stop and ask, "What do you think the lion does when it's hungry?" After pausing for their response, review the key points together.
Let’s look at the experience that infinibook offers at this stage of the learning process. This questioning approach can include moments where the story pauses in its narration, which is the time for the kid to reflect or predict what might happen next before continuing. This interactive pause helps encourage critical thinking.
Benefits of Scaffolding in Education
Scaffolding in education transforms the way children, particularly 5-8 year olds, learn. It's like constructing a building: temporary supports help young minds reach new learning heights.
Research highlights scaffolding's potency in expanding a child's zone of proximal development. This zone identifies tasks a child can achieve with guidance but not independently yet. Effective scaffolding accelerates skills as children engage in complex tasks previously out of reach.
Here are several benefits of scaffolding:
- Better understanding: this method simplifies complex concepts by breaking them into manageable parts.
- Critical thinking: by using this approach you encourage your child to seek solutions and analyze more.
- Confidence boost: by shifting the learning responsibility to them, you are fostering independent learning.
Studies illustrate an increase in vocabulary and problem-solving skills among learners where scaffolded learning techniques were used actively. The consistent interaction supports better retention and understanding.
What does instructional scaffolding look like in the classroom?
Let's see how teachers use the scaffold method in the classroom. They put together temporary support structures that are customized to a child's current abilities that help lead the student to knowledge and skills that are just a bit beyond their immediate grasp. Here's an example of how it pans out in practice:
New information is presented in chunks
In teaching, breaking down information into smaller, digestible parts is super important. Take learning the alphabet song - instead of teaching all 26 letters at once, teachers might start with just the first five letters, making it feel like a fun little tune. They might focus on these letters for several days, singing them daily during circle time, spotting them in favorite storybooks, and even making letter shapes with playdough. Once these become familiar friends, they'll gradually add more letters to the song.
New information is linked to previous knowledge
Next, teachers provide the necessary information that acts as the foundation. For instance, when teaching colors, teachers might begin by introducing just two primary colors through engaging storytelling. They might share "Little Blue and Little Yellow" by Leo Lionni, where two dots of color become friends. The story naturally introduces color mixing, which delights little ones while also laying the foundation for understanding how colors work together.
Demonstration
Modeling or demonstrating is when teachers show exactly how something is done, like solving a problem or pronouncing a new word. During a counting activity, a teacher might use colorful bears to demonstrate one-to-one correspondence. They'll touch each bear slowly while counting aloud: "One bear is sleeping, two bears are jumping, three bears are dancing..." This visual and auditory demonstration helps children understand that each number corresponds to one object.
Guided practice
At this stage children try their hands at the new task with the teacher's support. Using our counting example, children might count their own set of bears while the teacher points along with them, gently correcting if they skip a number or count too quickly. For writing practice, teachers might use handwriting sheets where children trace dotted letters, offering gentle hand-over-hand guidance when needed.
Supported practice and correction
Finally, supported practice allows for trial and error under supervision. Take a classroom cooking activity where children are learning measurement concepts. They might scoop and pour ingredients while making playdough, with the teacher nearby to catch spills and guide proper measuring technique. When a child uses too much water, the teacher turns it into a learning moment: "Oh look, our dough is too sticky! What should we add to fix it?" This hands-on experience helps children understand measurement while feeling safe to make mistakes.
As you can see, through each step, teachers create a warm and encouraging environment where mistakes are viewed as stepping stones towards learning. Teachers gradually decrease their support as children gain confidence and competence in new skills, just as parents gradually remove training wheels from a bicycle.
Tips for parents
This learning approach is fantastic for 5-8 year olds. As a parent you can use a number of techniques from the scaffolded teaching method.
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Building new vocabulary through stories
While reading a book, pause to explain and discuss new words. This encourages vocabulary building and comprehension. -
Using visuals and mind maps
You can draw mind maps to simplify complex ideas, linking new concepts with ones your child already knows. -
Ask guiding questions
Encourage critical thinking by asking questions that can prompt your child to think deeper and find solutions themselves. -
Create interactive activities
Use everyday activities, like cooking, to teach mathematical concepts such as measurement and sequencing. -
Integrate technology
Infinibook, for example, integrates the tactile feel of a book with digital versatility. Insert booklets and encourage your child to interact with content and games.
By trying these strategies, you will empower your child to become an enthusiastic, independent learner in a short period of time.
Introducing infinibook by Calisbooks
Infinibook, designed for young learners aged 5-8, is not only a reading device, but also a perfect tool for practicing the scaffolded teaching approach. Every booklet is filled with hands-on activities that encourage critical thinking and independent learning. Your child will be so absorbed in the fun, they won't even realize they're building essential skills, like independent reading, along the way!
Summary
Scaffolding in education is a teaching approach that supports young learners in grasping complex concepts gradually. Parents can easily try and customize scaffolding techniques at home.
As you begin this scaffolding learning journey, keep in mind that every child learns at a different pace. What works beautifully for one may not work well for another, and that's okay! The benefit of scaffolding learning at home is that you have the ability to tailor activities to your child's specific interests and needs. With a little experimentation and a lot of loving encouragement, you'll find the perfect rhythm for your family.