Vygotsky - scaffolding

What is scaffolding?

help that adults provide kids to cross ZPD
kids given clues rather than the solution

What does learning first involve in scaffolding?

shared social activities until person can self scaffold

What are contingent regulations?

more help is offered depending on whether child seems to be struggling

Who identified the 5 scaffolding techniques?

Wood et al (1976)

What are the 5 scaffolding technqiues?

recruitment
reduction of degrees of freedom
direction maintenance
marking critical features
demonstration

What is recruitment?

engaging interest in the task

What is reduction of degrees of freedom?

focusing the child on the task and where to start solving it

What is direction maintenance?

encouraging the child in order to keep them motivated to complete task

What is marking critical features?

highlighting the most important parts of the task

What is demonstration?

showing the child how to do aspects of the task

What evidence is there to support the effectiveness of scaffolding?

Wood and Middleton (1975)

Wood and Middleton (1975)

observed kids working on pyramid task with mums
task was beyond kid’s current abilities

Wood and Middleton (1975) - FINDINGS

found + association between kids ability to later complete task on own and mum using contingent regulations