writing scaffolding

Writing Scaffolding

Writing Scaffolding

Prepared by: Ms Fella Boudjema, CELTA holder; KET and PET Speaking Examiner

Outline

“What the child is able to do in collaboration today, he will be able to

do independently tomorrow”. L. S. Vygotsky

What is Scaffolding?

Student-centred writing method Ultimate goal is writing independence and free from L1 influence

Why?

Dependent

Independent

How & When? Baby Stage

Brainstorming and mind mapping

Build sentences with simple structures

Link sentences and make paragraphs

Add flavoured complex structured sentences.

Baby Stage- fully dependent:All the phases are influenced by the teacher’s input.Students need a model

How and When? Childhood Stage

Brainstorming and mind mapping

Build sentences with simple structures

Link sentences and make paragraphs

Add flavoured complex structured sentences.

Childhood Stage- semi-dependent:After drilling for a couple of timesStudents are following the model

“ Write about your family”

Why? Teenage Stage

Brainstorming and mind mapping

Build sentences with simple structures

Link sentences and make paragraphs

Add flavoured complex structured sentences.

Teenage Stage- semi-dependent and rebellious:Students modify the model by trying to be innovative and unique

“ Write about your family”

Why? Adult Stage

Brainstorming and mind mapping

Build sentences with simple structures

Link sentences and make paragraphs

Add flavoured complex structured sentences.

Adult Stage- independent:Students model themselves

• “Write about your family members” • Teachers’ ICQs:

• Does it mean something to the student? NO

• Do I have to model it for the first time? YES

• How? Scaffolding Writing

Scenario1: Baby stage

Teachers model using their own family members,

Not more than parents, a brother and a sister, Mind map, Bullet point your ideas, free of language

correction, eliciting from students Class correction of language (grammar and

vocabulary) Build sentences (signposts) Build paragraphs (ideas flow)

Scenario 1: How?

◦Fish bowl activity (model using the centre of the class)

◦Think aloud (the whole class)◦Teacher’s Model (T-class/ class-T)

Try the same scenario again using this strategy:◦Write about your family

Scaffolding Strategies 1:Demonstrate and Tell

◦Brainstorming (Teacher’s sample, class brainstorming)

◦Class modelling ◦Conferencing

Try the scenario using this strategy:◦Write about your family

Scaffolding Strategies 2:Excavate old Knowledge

◦Intrigue (miming, gestures, pictures, flavours...)

◦Develop (bullet points)◦Conference (building sentences then paragraphs as a class)

Try the same scenario using this strategy:◦Write about your family

Scaffolding Strategies 3:The six senses use

Try the next stages using the three strategies

Ask yourself the following? Are the strategies static? Could I mix and use? How does it work in my classroom? To what extent my students are responsive

to each strategy?

Now tailor it to meet your students’ needs and gear them towards writing

independence

Can you do it now?

Teachers ARE important. Teachers ARE influential.

Teachers ARE able to make a difference!

~Helen Morsink

The 3 AREs