Entry 6: Supporting Young Writers- Effective Scaffolding Strategies for Teaching Writing in Elementary Classroom by: Christa Christopher

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 It can be difficult to teach writing to young students however, we as educators can offer the assistance to students who need to improve their writing skills using the right scaffolding tactics. This article will discuss useful scaffolding techniques that can be used to help young writers develop and to make the writing process easier.

 Wood, Bruner, and Ross defined 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 unassisted efforts” (Sidky, 2019, p. 967).  One is aware that a scaffold gives support to a building under construction until it is strong enough to stand on its own. Giving a student scaffolding techniques until they are able to meet an academic objective is a similar situation- only when necessary and until the child grasps the concept is the support given.


Model Writing

One effective scaffolding technique that helps students see and comprehend what is expected of them in their writing is modeling. Start by using think-aloud exercises to illustrate the writing process. In these exercises, you should express your ideas and choices. Demonstrate different processes, like concept generation, idea organization, and revision. This gives students a blueprint for their own writing and aids in their comprehension of the writing process.

 

Graphic Organizers

Before writing, students can better arrange their thoughts and ideas by using graphic organizers, which are visual aids. Depending on the type of writing assignment, these tools can be story maps, Venn diagrams, or thought maps. With the use of graphic organizers, young students may more easily recognize key concepts, order events chronologically, and organize their ideas logically. This allows students to think about what they will be writing which reduces the frustration experienced by students and in extension, the teacher. This strategy is a staple in my classroom as it gets students thinking and talking.

 

Sentence Starters and Frames

Sentence starters and frames can be quite helpful for students who are having trouble getting started on their writing. By offering a range of sentence starters associated with the writing assignment, teachers can provide a basis on which students can construct. These writing prompts assist young writers to develop their thoughts and convey them clearly by acting as a guide.

 

Peer Collaboration

For younger students, peer collaboration during the writing process can be quite helpful. Students can participate in peer editing, revision, and feedback-giving exercises in pairs or groups. Students who work together not only become exposed to a variety of viewpoints but also improve their writing abilities by exchanging ideas and learning from one another. This exercise can also assist in building students’ critical thinking skills.

 

 Individual Conferences

By holding one-on-one conferences, teachers are able to give each student individualized criticism and encouragement. Working along with students, teachers can create goals, discuss strengths and areas for growth, and offer advice based on individual needs during these conferences. Students can ask questions, get clarification, and receive focused help to improve their writing abilities in a secure and supportive environment during such conferences.

 

Gradual Release of Responsibility

The model of gradual surrender of responsibility is a well-established scaffolding technique that we as teachers can incorporate within the classroom. By giving clear guidance and assistance at first, then progressively giving more responsibilities to the students. This can begin with group writing and work their way up to solo composition. With the help of this method, young students can improve their writing abilities while feeling secure and supported.

 

In primary school, using scaffolding tactics is essential to assisting young students in developing their writing skills. Teachers can assist their students in becoming proficient writers by putting these methods into practice. Whether it is through individual conferences, peer collaboration, graphic organizers, modeling, or the gradual transfer of responsibility, scaffolding gives young writers the help they need to successfully traverse the writing process. 


 

References

Sidky, G. (2019). Developing students’ writing through scaffolding techniques in a workshop forum. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 10(5), 963. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1005.07



Read the full article here Developing Students’ Writing through Scaffolding Techniques in a Workshop Forum


Want to learn more about scaffolding techniques? 

6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students


   




I've been a teacher for the past ten years. I wanted to share with you my incredible journey as an educator. When I first started, I knew I wanted to make a difference. I stepped into the classroom with a mission to create a positive and nurturing environment for my students. It's been an amazing journey! Seeing their progress and witnessing their accomplishments is incredibly rewarding. I'm always looking for ways to make learning engaging and exciting for my students. That's why I started my journey to become equipped with the necessary tools to meet my learners where they are.

Comments

  1. Zena Joseph4 November 2023 at 05:27

    I agree entirely with the blog's emphasis on scaffolding as a crucial tactic for instructing young kids in excellent writing. According to Wood, Bruner, and Ross, scaffolding is similar to supporting a building as it is being built until it is stable enough to stand alone. This method recognizes that before students can successfully take on writing assignments on their own, they frequently need directed guidance.

    I also value the useful strategies offered, like role-playing, the application of visual organizers, the use of sentence openers and frames, peer cooperation, one-on-one meetings, and the progressive delegation of authority. These methods support the progressive development of young learners' writing skills while attending to their unique requirements. For example, peer collaboration develops critical thinking and communication skills, two vital life skills, in addition to improving writing abilities.

    Adding some tales or real-world examples of how these scaffolding strategies have been effectively used in classrooms would be one way to improve the blog even more. Convincing and relatable content can be enhanced by giving specific examples of how these approaches have benefited pupils. Teachers wishing to use scaffolding into their lesson plans would find these examples to be helpful in providing practical insights.

    The blog offers helpful teaching strategies for teachers and persuasively emphasizes the need of scaffolding in the instruction of young writers. Incorporating authentic instances of these tactics into the text would enhance its educational value and captivating quality.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Naomi Elcock19 November 2023 at 11:04

    According to what you are saying here, I understand that the scaffolding techniques supports a child in achieving a goal independently. the use of modeling and graphic organizer helps students visualize and organize their thoughts, while sentence starters guide them in constructing their ideas.

    peer collaboration and individual conferences fosters a supportive environment for growth. The gradual release of responsibility methos nicely emphasize the progression towards independent writing.

    Lastly, a weel articulated guide to empowering young writers. Check out my blog also, I think I may be able to add to what you already know, https://promotingwritinginprimarygrades.blogspot.com/2023/10/trends-in-teaching-writing-scafolding.html

    ReplyDelete

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