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Turnkey Gui dance f or Supporting All Students:
Scaffolding Instruction of English Language A rts
and Mathematics
Goal: To support teachers in designing instruction that makes the general education
curriculum more accessible to all students without interfering with the rigor of grade-level
content.
IMPORTANT: Please note that the purpose of this Turnkey Guidance and the
associated PowerPoint presentation is to assist school districts with providing
professional development (PD) sessions on the topic of scaffolding instruction.
This resource is optional and meant to be customized as appropriate to best meet
the skill levels and instructional interests and needs of participants. Length of PD
sessions will vary in accordance with any supplemental activities and information
used by the presenter to “dive deeper” into the topic of scaffolding.
Objectives:
• Increase the field’s awareness of the Supporting All Students Resource Guides.
• Deepen understanding of what scaffolding instruction means and how scaffolds
can be used to support student learning.
• Identify key considerations in effectively planning and delivering scaffolded
instruction.
Materials needed:
Materials can be found on the Supporting All Students Resource Guides webpage.
• Supporting All Students Resource Guides (have at least one hard copy of each
grade-level ELA and math guide in case participants are unable to access digital
copies)
• PowerPoint Presentation: Supporting All Students: Scaffolding Instruction of
English Language Arts and Mathematics
• List of ELA Scaffolds and List of Math Scaffolds
• Scaffold Review Recording Form
Instructions:
• Prior to the presentation, send participants links to the materials. Ask participants
to review and familiarize themselves with the materials before attending the
presentation. Request that participants bring a laptop or tablet to the presentation
as access to the materials on the Supporting All Students webpage will be needed.
• Prior to the presentation, review the PowerPoint and prepare additional or modified
talking points for each slide as appropriate to best meet the needs of and support
the professional development of participants.
• Ask participants to divide themselves into table groups of 4 members. If
presentation is virtual, plan breakout discussion rooms of 4 participants and adjust
time allotted for activities.
• Present the PowerPoint slides. Below are recommended stopping points. Stopping
points include suggested discussion points, guiding questions, and participant
activities. The PowerPoint slides and guidance below are not intended to limit
discussion and instruction. Presenters are encouraged to customize the
presentation materials as appropriate.
STOP 1: Goals and Objectives
Slide 1: Welcome the participants and introduce yourself and the topic.
Slide 2: Activity – Quiet Reflection
Ask participants to imagine they are a group of fourth graders attending the first day of
violin lessons. Take two minutes to think about the effect that an assignment like this
would have on students. What would they think about the teacher? How would they feel
about themselves? What would happen to their motivation level? Explain that this slide
represents an exaggerated example of assigning a task that is beyond students’ abilities
without providing instructional supports – the very opposite of what it means to scaffold
instruction.
Slide 3: Review the goals and objectives of the presentation with participants.
STOP 2: What is Instructional Scaffolding?
Slide 4: Illustrates that scaffolds can be used by all teachers in any classroom setting
and across all content areas.
Explain:
All teachers should be scaffolding instruction as appropriate to meet the needs of
their students. Any student at any grade level, including high school, can benefit
from instructional scaffolding, and scaffolds can be used to support learning during
any academic lesson.
Slide 5: Activity – Table Time
Ask participants to respond to and discuss the questions presented on the slide with the
others at their tables. Ask one person from each table group to share out responses.
Slide 6: Defines the term scaffolding.
Explain:
The practice of scaffolding instruction is influenced by Lev Vygotsky’s (Vygotsky
was a Russian psychologist) theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).
The basic concept of this learning theory is that there are things learners can do
on their own, things they can learn to do with help, and things they cannot do yet.
A learner’s ZPD is the difference between what s/he can do independently and
what s/he can do with help from others. According to Vygotsky’s theory, students
learn best when challenged to learn content just outside of their current knowledge
and skill set; in other words, that “sweet spot” between what they can already do
on their own and what they need help with. Scaffolding instruction provides this
help by giving students just the right tools and supports they need at just the right
time. However, it is important that scaffolds are gradually removed as
students become more independent and assume more responsibility for
their own learning.
Slide 7: Provides a detailed definition of the term scaffold. Review the information on the
slide.
Explain:
It is vital that teachers craft lessons that ensure accessibility to a general
education curriculum designed around rigorous learning standards for all
students, including students who learn differently (e.g., students with
disabilities, English Language Learners (ELLs)/Multilingual Learners (MLs),
and other students who are struggling with the content). This speaks to what
it means to provide equitable educational opportunities.
Slide 8: States that scaffolds are not intended differentiate lessons in such a way that
students work on or with different content.
Explain:
Although scaffolding instruction and differentiating instruction can occur alongside
each other and often become blended, they are two different teaching practices.
Scaffolding adds support to allow students to engage with and learn from
challenging content, tasks, and materials. Differentiation involves changing the
content, process, and/or product. For example, when scaffolding a writing
assignment related to a required book reading, the teacher might provide a graphic
organizer for students who are struggling. However, when differentiating a writing
assignment, the teacher might have the student read and write about a different
book altogether. While both practices are used to meet the needs of students,
scaffolding is where teachers should begin.
Scaffolding can support all students, but it is critical for students who are struggling
to access and learn the same grade-level content as their peers. However,
scaffolds do not change rigor. To support student learning, teachers should
utilize a variety of research-based instructional and learning strategies and
structure a student-centered learning environment that addresses individual
learning styles, interests, and abilities of students.
Slide 9: Lists of possible scaffolds that can be used to support student learning.
Explain:
Be cautious - scaffolds can be used in inappropriate ways. If a student is at a
disadvantage when using a scaffold, then the scaffold is being misused.
STOP 3: The Supporting All Students Resource Guides
Slide 10: Provides a visual of the Supporting All Students webpage.
Explain:
The Supporting All Students Resource Guides use the Grades 3-8 ELA and math
EngageNY module lessons to illustrate what a scaffold might look like in action.
The use of these module lessons as exemplars is not intended to limit the use of
scaffolds in other grade levels or content areas. The scaffolds in the resource
guides are designed to be adapted for use in any curricula and across content
areas. Teachers are encouraged to customize the scaffolds in any lesson they
deem appropriate.
Lessons from the EngageNY modules were used to provide exemplars on how to
apply scaffolding because it is a free, open curriculum resource. In New York State,
curriculum is determined locally and use of the modules is optional.
Slide 11: Provides a visual of the guides’ title pages.
Explain:
The resource guides were developed through a collaborative effort between the
Office of Curriculum and Instruction, the Office of Special Education, and experts
in the field. Materials and information from a consortium of higher education
professionals helped steer development of the guides. The language in the
introduction was later revised to reflect the Next Generation Learning Standards
following approval of the standards by the Board of Regents. The guides were
reviewed by teachers and their feedback and suggestions were incorporated into
the final versions of the resource guides.
The purpose of the guides is to provide teachers with examples of scaffolds and
strategies to supplement their instruction of ELA and mathematics curricula and
can be used to scaffold instruction in other content areas as well.
The scaffolds contained in the guides are grounded in the elements of explicit
instruction. Explicit instruction is a structured, systematic approach to teaching
which guides students through the learning process by including clear statements
regarding the purpose and rationale for learning the new skill/content; explaining
and demonstrating the instructional target; and providing supported practice
opportunities with embedded, specific feedback to achieve independent mastery.
It provides for the gradual release of responsibility for learning by the teacher as
students move toward independence through the “I do; We do; You do” framework.
Slide 12: Review the information regarding the EngageNY curriculum modules and the
Aligning Local Curricula Guides as presented on the slide.
Explain:
Both guides include information on designing instruction that supports all students.
The ELA curricula guide contains an indicator alignment log. This log is a rubric
that teachers can use to assess the quality of their lesson plan. It also provides
space for reflection after the lesson’s implementation. The math curricula guide
provides a hyperlink to the EQuIP Rubric. In addition to helping ensure that the key
features of a high-quality mathematics curriculum are maintained, this rubric
provides criteria to confirm that adaptations are accessible and equitable for all
students.
Slide 13: Lists all the scaffolds included in the Grades 3-8 ELA resource guides.
Explain:
The scaffolds included in the ELA resource guides for grades 3 through 8 are listed
on this slide. The scaffolds are listed according to strand: reading, writing,
speaking, and listening, and language. The four strands define the main
organizational categories for the English Language Arts Learning Standards.
Examples of most of the scaffolds are repeated in multiple guides. For example,
use of a paragraph frame is demonstrated in Grades 3, 4, 5, and 8 and explicit
vocabulary instruction is demonstrated in all the grade-level guides. However, an
example of how to use a visual gist organizer only appears in the Grade 5 guide.
Slide 14: Lists all the scaffolds included in the Grades 3-8 math resource guides.
Explain:
On this slide, the scaffolds included in the math resource guides for grades 3
through 8 are listed. The math scaffolds are listed according to grade levels 3
through 5 or 6 through 8.
As in the ELA guides, most of the scaffolds in the math guides are also
demonstrated in multiple guides. For example, the RDW Template, Worked
Problems, and Frayer Model are demonstrated in all the Grades 3-5 guides. In the
Grades 6-8 guides, all the scaffolds listed, except CRA, are demonstrated in each
grade-level guide. This repetition of scaffolds allows teachers to more deeply
understand how these scaffolds can be used and customized based on both
student needs and the lesson material being presented.
Reminder: The purpose of the Supporting All Students Resource Guides is to provide
teachers with examples of scaffolds and strategies to supplement their instruction. There
is no limit to how instruction can be effectively scaffolded to support student learning.
Slide 15: Activity – Partner Work
Ask participants to follow the directions on the slide.
STOP 4: Lesson Planning: Key Considerations
Slide 16: Provides a visual of seven key considerations for lesson planning.
Explain:
There are seven key considerations listed on this slide that are helpful in designing
or planning lessons that intentionally build in scaffolds to support student learning
and access to the general education curriculum. These considerations are by no
means exhaustive. Teachers need to also weigh such circumstances as
administrative support, time, and additional responsibilities for example.
Slide 17: Lists student characteristics to consider when planning instruction.
Explain:
Good lesson planning begins with knowledge of the student. Students bring a lot
to the table in terms of their backgrounds and experiences, and diversity should
be viewed as strengths. Knowledge of individual students allows teachers to
understand what motivates their students, how to foster connections between new
learning and what their students already know, what works and does not work for
their students, and where their students are in terms of academic skill
development.
Teachers should be familiar with individualized education programs (IEPs) and be
aware of and provide needed accommodations and modifications to students with
disabilities. Use of assistive technology should also be considered. Teachers
should be incorporating the instructional strategies being used with English
language learners and students receiving academic intervention into their own
teaching.
Successful teaching and learning meet each student where they are and then
pushes them just beyond that point. Therefore, the zone of proximal development
for each student, as well as the collective ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development)
for the class, is so important.
Slide 18: Lists three content elements to consider when planning instruction.
Explain:
It is important when planning instruction to understand the purpose of the lesson
and how it will contribute to long-term learning goals. Focus on the objective of the
lesson instead of the process. For example, is the objective of the lesson to write
a three-page paper about a historical figure or demonstrate understanding about
how that figure influenced current thinking? Determine if the timing of the lesson
makes sense. For example, does it build on previous lessons, and is it connected
to more advanced skills? Lesson content should be aligned to the Learning
Standards as these standards represent the expectations of what students should
know and be able to do.
Slide 19: Lists examples of research-based instructional and learning practices.
Explain:
This is a sampling of research-based instructional and learning practices. The final
practice listed is scaffolding. Effective instruction utilizes a variety of strategies and
methodologies, and teachers should periodically reexamine their pedagogy to
determine if adjustments are needed to support student learning. This requires
flexibility.
Slide 20: Provides a visual representation of the Universal Design for Learning
framework.
Explain:
Planning lessons to maximize learning opportunities for all students involves
anticipation and identification of the unintentional barriers that students may have
in accessing content. To reduce these barriers, the principles of the Universal
Design for Learning (UDL) framework should be incorporated into lesson planning.
Designing lessons with UDL’s three principles in mind – multiple means of
representation, multiple means of expression, and multiple means of engagement
– fosters equal learning opportunities for all students. It is a way to plan instruction
that does not just fix barriers but removes them. The provision of scaffolds, which
are gradually removed as students master skills, is a key component of UDL.
Slide 21: Summarizes the what, where, when, why, and how of effective scaffolding.
Explain:
Know what students are struggling and what content, tasks, and/or materials need
to be scaffolded to best meet the needs of these students;
Know where in the lesson students are struggling and where scaffolding is needed
to support students;
Know when to provide scaffolding and when to fade support;
Know why students are struggling with the material and why scaffolding is needed
to effectively teach the content; and finally,
Know how instruction will be scaffolded and how scaffolds will impact student
learning.
Slide 22: Poses the question, “How am I assessing student learning?”
Explain:
Providing supports that are “just right” and “just in time” requires ongoing
assessment and monitoring of student progress. Data should be used to drive
instruction, which should include embedded scaffolds. A variety of assessment
methods, both formative and summative, should be used – such as exit tickets;
quizzes; teacher-developed, as well as formal tests; rubrics – to determine whether
students are making adequate progress and whether the provision of instructional
scaffolds needs to be adjusted. In addition to providing vital information to
teachers, assessments allow teachers to give students specific feedback about
their own performance. While too little support limits student learning, it is equally
important to remember that too much support frequently results in students not
challenging themselves.
Slide 23: Lists examples of possible resources regarding scaffolding instruction and
learning.
Explain:
There is a wealth of information out there about teaching and learning. One of the
most easily accessible and helpful resources are other educators. Collaboration
with others, including special education, related service providers, ENL
teachers, and teaching assistants and teacher aides, is crucial. Build a
repertoire of lessons, strategies, and tools and adjust based off students’ needs.
STOP 5: Wrap-up
Slide 24: Activity – Turn and Talk
Ask participants to follow the directions on the slide and discuss with an elbow partner.
Ask for volunteers to share out before presenting the next slide.
Slide 25: Review the takeaways with participants.
Slide 26: Provide time for questions. Provide contact information for the New York State
Education Department’s Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
