Hello Amina,
Thank you for your review of my work on Assignment 1.3. I’m happy to hear you were able to learn something from my work. I have attached a revised definition of “scaffolding” below:
Warm regards,
Evan Ruiz
Assignment 1.3 – Writing Three Definitions
Introduction:
It is important to communicate meaning across a large audience. Thus, for this assignment, students will provide ‘nontechnical’ definitions to the audience. Students will choose a complex word and apply three types of definitions to it; a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition.Students should recognize and appreciate the role of definitions within technical writing.
Term:
Scaffolding
Situation:
An elementary school teacher referencing a Psychologist during her presentation to a school board on alternative teaching styles and techniques
Parenthetical Definition:
The teachers were able to help their students effectively through the technique of scaffolding (adjusted support).
Sentence Definition:
Scaffolding is a socio-cultural technique used as a reference for “teachers” to help “learners”, by adjusting the level of support that they provide.
Expanded Definition:
Unlike Piaget, who believed that children develop through self discovery, Vygotsky believed that children develop through social collaboration. More specifically, Vygotsky theorized that children, as social learners, learn from members of their community who are capable of teaching. Scaffolding is the social-cultural (combining social and cultural factors) technique of providing assistance; but not more than what is needed.
History:
Lev Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist and social constructivist who developed the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD); tasks a child can complete with assistance, but not by themselves. To assist an individual to move through the ZPD, Vygotsky coined the term “scaffolding”, in reference to an adjusted level of support provided by the teacher to and for the learner (Mcleod, 2019).
Negation:
Scaffolding does not provide educators with clear guidelines on how it should be used for a successful lesson. In reality, scaffolding is an umbrella term that refers to varying levels and methods of providing assistance based upon the support needed to achieve a task. (Verenikina, 2008).
Examples:
When construction workers build a tall building, they use scaffolds (metal frames) that allow them to work above ground level. In this regard, the scaffolds allow the construction worker to do a job that she is, able to complete with this assistance, but not without. In this regard, the scaffolding provided by the teacher is used to help the learner achieve a goal they would not otherwise be able to complete. The “scaffold” is removed after the child no longer needs it to complete the task (Siegler et al., 2000).
Visual:
Below, you can see ways that scaffolding strategies can be implemented/ used. Please note that these are simple suggestions, and do not encompass the entirety of scaffolding strategies.
(Houser)
References
Houser, Kristin. “8 Strategies For Scaffolding Instruction | Ms. Houser”. Mshouser.Com, 2020, https://www.mshouser.com/teaching-tips/8-strategies-for-scaffolding-instruction. Accessed 29 Sept 2020.
Mcleod, Saul. “Zone Of Proximal Development And Scaffolding | Simply Psychology”. Simplypsychology.Org, 2020, https://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html. Accessed 30 Sept 2020.
Siegler, Robert S et al. How Children Develop. 5th ed.
Verenikina, I.: Scaffolding and learning: its role in nurturing new learners 2008. https://ro.uow.edu.au/edupapers/43
Assignment 1.3 – Writing Three Definitions
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