Scaffolding is a teaching method that involves providing support to students as they learn new concepts. In writing instruction, it helps students develop their skills incrementally, allowing them to build confidence and independence in their writing. Here are three diverse, practical examples of scaffolding techniques that can be used in writing instruction.
Graphic organizers serve as visual aids to help students organize their thoughts and ideas before writing. This technique is particularly effective for students who may struggle with structuring their writing.
Begin by introducing a simple graphic organizer, such as a mind map, to your students. For a lesson on writing persuasive essays, provide them with a template that includes sections for the main argument, supporting details, counterarguments, and conclusion. Guide your students through filling it out step-by-step, starting with brainstorming their main argument. Once they have completed their graphic organizers, have them use these to draft their essays, ensuring they have a clear structure to follow.
Encourage students to add images or symbols to their graphic organizers to make the process more engaging. You can also provide different types of organizers for varied writing tasks, such as Venn diagrams for compare and contrast essays.
Sentence starters and frames can be beneficial for students who find it challenging to begin writing or who need help with sentence structure. This technique can be particularly helpful in diverse classrooms where students are at different writing levels.
Create a list of sentence starters that align with the writing objective. For instance, if students are writing descriptive paragraphs, provide starters like “The most striking feature of…” or “I could hear…”. Distribute these sentence starters to your students and have them choose a few to help them begin their paragraphs. As they write, encourage them to refer back to the list to vary their sentence structures and enhance their writing.
You can adjust the complexity of the sentence starters based on your students’ skill levels. For advanced students, offer more complex frames that encourage deeper thinking and elaboration.
Peer review sessions allow students to give and receive feedback on their writing. This collaborative approach scaffolds the writing process by encouraging students to think critically about their own work and that of their peers.
Organize a peer review session where students exchange their drafts with a partner. Provide a checklist that includes specific aspects to focus on, such as clarity of ideas, use of vocabulary, and overall organization. Before the session, model how to give constructive feedback by analyzing a sample paragraph together as a class. After the peer review, have students revise their drafts based on the feedback they received, allowing them to apply what they learned.
Consider varying the peer review format by pairing students with different skill levels or using small groups for a more collaborative experience. This can foster a supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their work.