Entry Two: Trends in Teaching Writing: Scaffolding in Writing

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Writing is a crucial talent that affects all aspects of our life, from personal expression to academic and professional efforts. Over time, the method of teaching writing has changed greatly as educators continue to experiment with new approaches. The use of scaffolding, a supportive framework that enables students to build their writing skills gradually, is a well-known trend in writing instruction. I will examine the idea of writing scaffolding, how it affects student learning, and pertinent data to back up these tendencies in this blog.

 

Scaffolding is a teaching technique that offers learners momentary assistance while they strive to master a task. Jerome Bruner (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976) first proposed the idea of scaffolding as a way to support students in mastering tasks through gradual instruction. This idea highlights the significance of giving students the tools and feedback they need to gradually improve their writing abilities. Additionally, a study by Vygotsky (1978) that showed the usefulness of scaffolding in the zone of proximal development, where students work just beyond their existing abilities with support, further highlighted the relevance of providing learners who are just beyond their current capacities with adequate support.

 

Scaffolding Techniques

  • ·        Prompted Writing Exercises: Instructors might provide students directions and prompts to help them organize their work. These questions may be accompanied by keywords, leading questions, or specific themes.
  • ·        Peer Review and Feedback: A useful scaffolding strategy is to encourage students to assess each other's work and offer helpful criticism. It aids in their writing improvement and the development of critical thinking abilities.
  • ·        Modeling: By offering sample writing, detailing its structure, and explaining the thought process behind it, teachers can serve as role models for students..
  • ·        Graphic Organizers: Students can benefit from using visual tools like mind maps, outlines, and concept maps to help them organize their ideas and structure their writing.

The Impact of Scaffolding on Writing Skills

  • ·        Increased Confidence: Giving students encouragement and direction in the early phases of writing can increase their confidence and encourage them to take risks and try new things with their writing.
  • ·        Improved Writing Quality: With the aid of scaffolding, students can concentrate on particular areas of their writing, which improves the work's organization, clarity, and general quality.
  • ·        Development of Critical Thinking Skills: Scaffolding fosters analytical abilities by encouraging students to reflect critically on their own writing and the writing of their classmates.
  • ·        Enhanced Problem-Solving Abilities: As they get encouragement and criticism, students build problem-solving abilities that they may use in a variety of writing contexts.     


Figure 1: 8 Strategies for Scaffolding Instruction (Houser, 2020)

 

Writing scaffolding is a significant educational trend that has the ability to improve students' writing talents, boost their self-esteem, and cultivate crucial critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Teachers can enhance students' growth in writing while also cultivating a deeper grasp of the writing process by offering varying levels of scaffolding approaches. These developments in writing instruction highlight the need of assisting students in developing their writing skills and self-assurance.

 

Reference:

Houser, K. (2020, January 11). 8 strategies for scaffolding instruction. Ms. Houser. https://www.mshouser.com/teaching-tips/8-strategies-for-scaffolding-instruction

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.

 Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(2), 89-100.

 

Comments

  1. Christa18 November 2023 at 08:48

    I have finally accepted that it was I who made teaching writing a frustrating and overwhelming experience for myself and in extension, my students. Learning of the importance of scaffolding writing instruction whilst incorporating other strategies such as the 6 + 1 traits has been significantly beneficial in my classroom.

    Scaffolding in writing is crucial in the elementary classroom for many reasons. It aids in developmental readiness, building confidence and vocabulary development. It also provides room for differentiated learning and the gradual release of responsibility.

    Incorporating scaffolding strategies in teaching helps connect new writing tasks to students' prior knowledge by building on what students already know. Moreso, it promotes a positive and inclusive learning environment that fosters a love for writing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Naomi Elcock19 November 2023 at 12:10

    The scaffolding techniques you narrowed down is like prompt exercises, peer review, modeling, and graphic organizers effectively illustrates how educators can support students' writing development. Outlining the impact on confidence, writing quality, critical thinking and problem-solving skills make a compelling case for the effectiveness of scaffolding.

    It's impressive how you've connected educational theories y Burner and Vygotsky to demonstrate the pedagogical foundation of this method.

    Your piece convincingly advocates for scaffolding as a means to enhance writing skills and foster confidence in students.

    ReplyDelete

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