Scaffolding in the Creative Arts Classroom

Posted by Jo Murphy Mar 14, 2009

What is Scaffolding?

The term ‘scaffolding’ comes from the works of Wood, Bruner and Ross (1976). Imagine ‘scaffolding’ to be like the structured supports mural artists used as they work on their murals. This structured support acts like and lookes a bridge. This is a metaphor to describe the type of assistance offered by a teacher or peer to support learning.

In this supportive process the teacher or peer tutor:

• helps the student master a task or concept that the student is initially unable to grasp independently
• offers assistance with skills that are beyond the student’s capability
• allows the student to complete as much of the task as possible, unassisted
• attempts to find a way to be helpful with tasks that are just beyond the student's current capability
• works with the student so that he or she understands that errors are expected, and therefore that, feedback and prompting is a great way for her to work out how to achieve the current task or goal
• is present and attenttaive so that when the student takes responsibility for or masters the task, tutors begin the process of “fading”, or the gradual removal of the scaffolding
• encourages and/or allows the student to work independently as soon as is comoftably possible

“Scaffolding is actually a bridge used to build upon what students already know to arrive at something they do not know. If scaffolding is properly administered, it will act as an enabler, not as a disabler” [Benson, 1997]

How Is Scaffolding Done?

Although facilitators have their own styles of working, common characteristics of the bridge building process are:

• breaking the task into smaller more, manageable parts
• using ‘think alouds’
• verbalizing thinking processes when completing a task
• cooperative learning strategies
• facilitating teamwork and dialogue among peers
• creative use of concrete prompts,
• creative questioning
• coaching
• cue cards
• and modeling
• activation of background knowledge,
• creating a source bank of tips, strategies, cues and procedures

Facilitators aim to:

• keep the learner on task while minimizing the learner’s stress level
• keep skills and tasks within reach
• employ creative methods to facilitate in ways of learning suitable for the learner
• plan with the student through a process of open dialogue
• during this dialogue tutors ascertain the level of and areas of prior learning
• ascertain what students already know so as to create hooks to connect prior knowledge to the new knowledge and make relevant to the learner’s life, thus increasing the motivation to learn

Example :

How To Draw Animals by Susie Hodge ............. 10 progressive drawing exercises designed to build the confidence of aspiring artists. more...

Resources:

Benson, B.[1997]. Scaffolding (Coming to Terms). English Journal, 86(7), 126-127.

Shuster.C, Emotions Count: Scaffolding Children's Representations of Themselves and Their Feelings to Develop Emotional Intelligence(2), 89-100.

Wood, D. J., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17