Scaffolding Literacy: A Discursive Essay
Scaffolding Literacy is based on the concept of creating a high support/high challenge curriculum (Axford, Harders, & Wise, 2009; Gibbons & Hammond, 2001). It was developed by Brian Gray and colleagues as a literacy pedagogy that caters to all student levels by providing an appropriate level of difficulty for high achieving students and giving support necessary to others (Gray & Cowey, 2005). As the name suggests, Scaffolding Literacy focuses on facilitating students while they work through a structured framework designed to assist students in their use and understanding of literate texts (Axford et al., 2009). In this essay the sequence of Scaffolding Literacy will be described along with a review of the literature on Scaffolding Literacy. In addition, a description
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The small class consisted of five students from very diverse backgrounds. The students and teacher were working through the Language Orientation stage of the sequence using the book The Tin Forest by Helen Ward. Most of the students were unengaged with the lesson initially but when called to answer a question they would do so. However, as the lesson progressed the students began to engage of their own accord. The lesson consisted of the students participating in a teacher led oral retell of the Language Orientation in order for the teacher to judge their understanding of the previous lesson. While this was not a specific stage in the Scaffolding Literacy sequence it was a modification the teacher made in order to allow her specific group of students engage more effectively. Students were encouraged to use metalanguage in order to describe the sentence they were analysing. Describing the features of the sentence allowed the students to apply their knowledge and give valuable practice for what is deemed a socially necessary area of literacy (Winch & Blaxell,
English Language Learners (ELL) require thoughtful and careful instruction for both reading and writing education. Both of these skills are necessary for a bright future and to be a functioning citizen in Canada. Those that do not possess considerable literacy levels will be effectively 'locked out' from so much knowledge, information and ideas that are part of the culture of society (Christie 1990, 20). Having a low level of literacy usually means acquiring an unskilled job. The relationship between literacy levels and poverty is something that should not be ignored (Gibbons, 2002). Developing literacy skills in ELLs is a daunting task and especially with students that have not developed those skills in their first language originally. Through the Curriculum Cycle and proper scaffolding of writing strategies, this paper will provide a lesson plan that will help develop an ELL's writing skills. It will include many different tools that will help students gain an understanding and confidence of the narrative writing form.
Other People’s Words: The Cycle of Low Literacy by Victoria Purcell-Gates recounts the author’s two-year journey with an illiterate Appalachian family. Purcell-Gates works with Jenny, the mother, and her son, first grader Donny, to analyze the literacy within the household. Throughout the journey, we learn the definition and types of literacy, the influences of society and the environment, and the impacts of literacy on education from the teacher’s perspective. In order to evaluate literacy in the household, one must study multiple types, including functional, informational, and critical literacy. As the name implies, functional literacy incorporates reading and writing as tools for everyday survival. Informational literacy is used through text to communicate information to others. The highest level of literacy, critical literacy, requires critical interpretations and imaginative reflections of text. In her study, Purcell-Gates strives to teach Jenny and Donny functional literacy.
This detailed text provides an understanding of reading and writing through detailed case studies, reflective questioning and further reading; in addition to links with the Early Years Curriculum (EYFS)(DCSF, 2008) provide informative information accessible to both practitioner and parent. As pointed out by the authors, literacy relates to fifty % of the early learning goals, therefore highlights the importance by the practitioner to make the acquisition of literacy exciting and meaningful through a multitude of role play scenarios, stories, rhymes and oral language, thus providing opportunities for the child to put life experiences of literacy into context, while scaffolding existing knowledge.
Knoblauch argues that there are many definitions of literacy that impact people’s lives. Although he argues there are many definitions, he focused on four types of literacy that are most common in society. Knoblauch labels them as functional, cultural, personal-growth/liberal, and critical literacy. He defines functional literacy as a level of literacy that is “readying people for the necessities of daily life—writing checks, reading sets of instructions”(1990, p. 3) and other basic reading and writing skills. However, he also warns that there are hidden agendas in these types of defined literacies. Ill prepared teachers who do not connect to and challenge their students result in no critical literacy and very little
Van Der Stuyf. R.R. (2010). Scaffolding as a Teaching Strategy. Adolescent Learning and Development. Section 0500A, November, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.sandi.net/20451072011455933/lib/20451072011455933/RTI/Scaffolding%20as%20a%20Teaching%20Strategy.pdf
According to McArthur, Konold, Glutting and Alamprese (2010), many adults in the United States have difficulties with basic literacy. A solution to this situation has been the founding of adult basic education (ABE) programs by the U.S Department of Education which helps and serves more than 2 million adults annually (U.S Department of Education, Division of Adult Education and Literacy, 2002, 2006). Mellard and Patterson (2008) found that ABE students differ in skill from zero or minimal reading skills to reading simple stories, books and descriptions on familiar subjects so new vocabulary can be determined by context. According to Mellard and Pattersen (2008) ABE literacy program is divided in to four levels which range from “beginners” to “high intermediate”. Scaffolding theory provides a promising method of providing support to students with learning challenges, e.g. dyslexia and short term memory deficit. As stated by Larkin (2001) the main purpose of scaffolding is to support students and slowly reduce help until they are able to apply the new skills and strategies independently. Students receive support to complete particular task and eventually demonstrate task mastery.
While I believe every child is a reader, I do not believe every child will be enthralled with reading all the time. All students have the capability to read and enjoy reading, but just like any other hobby, interest will vary from student to student. The students in my classroom will be encouraged in their reading, be provided with choice, taught how books can take you into another world but, my students will not be forced to read. This paper will illustrate my philosophy of reading through the theories I relate to, the way I want to implement reading and writing curriculum, and the methods I will use motivate my students to read and help them become literate.
Within this novel the students are learning about the Mohawk tribe and some of the cultural differences that they had compared to the people that lived in Brooklyn, NY. This would have been a great way to have introduced a 30-minute lesson about the North Carolina Native American tribes each day or at least every other day. The use of integration of subjects was not observed during my 12-days within the classroom. I do feel that there were areas that social studies and science could have been integrated throughout reading and math. With Magnolia being classified by DPI as a failing school, with only 30% passing the End of Grade testing the main emphasis is on reading and math throughout the whole school, especially the testing grades. Ms. McDonald’s class is considered to have the most ESL learners within fourth grade. This school ranks 16th out of 19 schools for Robeson County Public School, with last year only 28% of fourth grades meeting the standards for math and 27.2% for
Every child deserves a positive, safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment where they will grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. My role as an educator is to provide my students with this type of environment as well as an education that will help them succeed academically and become life long learners. It is the responsibility of a literacy educator to provide students with this type of environment, but also to provide instruction that will help students become successful readers and writers. There are numerous programs and philosophies about literacy and reading. Through years of experience and research, one begins to develop their own creative approach on teaching these skills. After looking at different programs and seeing the positive and negatives of each, an integrated and balanced approach of literacy seems to be the best way to teach the differing needs of each student.
One of the most successful and influential early childhood educational strategies that have been used to promote children’s social and cognitive development is scaffolding. Scaffolding generally refers to the process through which adults facilitate children’s learning by enabling them achieve a level of ability beyond the child’s capacity at the time (Scarlett, 2005). This essay will discuss how scaffolding facilitates and supports meaning making in children’s play. First, the essay will briefly introduce the concept of scaffolding and its importance in children’s development. The essay will then explore various early childhood educational theories that support or acknowledge the role played by scaffolding, the view of children as learners capable of constructing meaning and the importance of teacher presence in a play based curriculum. The essay will examine scaffolding through the theoretical lens of the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, the constructivist theories of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget and Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. The essay will argue that all examined theories support the role of scaffolding in facilitating and supporting meaning making in children’s play and emphasize the importance of teacher presence in all areas of the curriculum, especially in a play based curriculum.
The aim of this essay is to explore language acquisition and compare and contrast different theories of language acquisition and language development. Language in its most basic form is used to communicate our needs and wants. It encompasses a range of modes of delivery including signing, spoken and written words, posture, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures. So how do we learn ‘language’? Are we born with the skills for communication, or is it something that we have to learn or have taught to us? Four theories are looked at in this essay to determine how children acquire and then develop language. These theories include behaviourist, nativist, cognitivist and sociocultural. This essay will highlight some similarities and differences in each theory and what impact these have on a child’s acquisition and development of language. Lastly we will look at the implications of these theories when working with children. Can a classroom teacher deliver a quality literacy program based on just one of these theories or does it need to incorporate components of all four? Sims, (2012) pp. 21 states ‘’High-quality learning experiences in the early years of life enhance children’s cognitive and language skills’’. This places a great responsibility on educators and teachers alike to provide an environment which is rich in learning opportunities that will encourage both the acquisition and development of language.
Scaffolding is the process of support given to students during their learning process to help them achieve their goals. Using
...r understand the importance of scaffolding which allows educators to be able to diagnose children’s learning needs and development of teaching techniques to meet them. To conclude although Vygotsky’s theory isn’t as complete as other theories, his theory is one that is important for educators to adopt.
Two days a week in the morning, the children participate in a reading and writing block called “literacy and writing workshop.” The classroom is organized into five different levels with one group having one extra person; the levels are based on scoring of reading assessments. The groups are rotated so that each may spend 15 minutes cycles with either the teacher or Para-educator. The groups not with an instructor were to work on the “Daily-5” (explanation later) until their scheduled lesson. After the students finish their lesson, they are to fill the remainder of the workshop time working on “Daily-5.” This workshop is part of a regular routine. The students understand that after a reading a story with the teacher, they are verbally given a writing assignment. The assignment is usually to write a five sentence paragraph and color a picture related to the reading.
...before she introduced the new terms and vocabulary. Finally, Bruner investigated how adults use language to mediate the world for children and help them solve problems. Children learn effectively through scaffolding by adults. This technique is based on taking step by step for building knowledge. It suggests that a teacher can scaffold children learning in different ways. For example, students face difficulties in reading lessons in the first stages; therefore, the teacher has to use visual and auditory materials before she enrolls in the lesson, such as realia, pictures, and videos. This will helps the child to predict what the story is about. In addition, she has to introduce the new terms which are difficult for a child to pronounce it. These techniques and instructional strategies are most effective for teaching English as a foreign language for young learners.