About the Book
Provide the perfect structure and support to develop student independence.
Effective scaffolding leads to learner autonomy—but too many educators have been airlifting students to right answers, perpetuating a generation who don’t know how to learn. Yes, we know the sweet spot for learning involves giving our students the right blend of productive failure and productive success, but how to do it is cloaked in misconceptions.
How Scaffolding Works unveils the essential moves and methods. Ten interactive modules help every K-12 educator structure support in new ways, including knowing how to:
Gradually release responsibility to students through intentional and purposeful scaffolding
Design lessons and experiences that attend to the affective, metacognitive, and cognitive aspects of learning
Collect data before, during, and after learning, so we can place, move, and take away scaffolds with greater intention
Promote independence with front-end scaffolds, distributed scaffolds, back-end scaffolds, peer scaffolds, and fading scaffolds
Use a blend of demonstration, modeling, coaching, explaining, questioning and choice
Promote purposeful practice—in which learners knows where they’re going and how to get there
Perhaps we rush in to rescue learners because the world seems fraught; we want to help our students reach the safety of academic success. Our intentions are good, but it’s time to step back, gradually and purposefully, and let them pilot their own learning.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Module 1: The Foundations of Scaffolding
Module 2: The Origins of Scaffolding
Module 3: A Model for How Scaffolding Works
Module 4: Mental Models
Module 5: Goal Setting
Module 6: Deliberate Practice
Module 7: Front-end Scaffolds
Module 8: Distributed Scaffolds
Module 9: Back-end Scaffolds
Module 10: Peer Scaffolding
Module 11: Fading Scaffolds
Conclusion: So, How Does Scaffolding Work?
About the Author :
Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Her published titles include 50 Strategies for Activating Your PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, Welcome to Teaching Multilingual Learners, Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers, and RIGOR Unveiled: A Video-Enhanced Flipbook to Promote Teacher Expertise in Relationship Building, Instruction, Goals, Organization, and Relevance.
Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed English teacher and administrator in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, leadership, and curriculum design, as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook (2nd ed.), Your Introduction to PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility, Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward: 50+ Tools That Support Gradual Release of Responsibility, and Welcome to Teaching!
Dr. John Almarode is a bestselling author and an Associate Professor of Education at James Madison University. He was awarded the inaugural Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship in 2015 and received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia in 2021. Before his academic career, John started as a mathematics and science teacher in Augusta County, Virginia. As an author, John has written multiple educational books focusing on science and mathematics, and he has co-created a new framework for developing, implementing, and sustaining professional learning communities called PLC+. Dr. Almarode′s work has been presented to the US Congress, the Virginia Senate, and the US Department of Education. John and his colleagues have also focused a lot of attention on the process of implementation – taking evidence-based practices and moving them from intention to implementation, potential to impact through a series of on-your-feet-guides around PLCs, Visible Learning, Visible Teaching, and the SOLO Taxonomy.
Review :
"Almarode, Fisher, and Frey have expertly created an insightful, timely, practical playbook for teachers and school leaders who want to learn more ways to ensure that all students gain skills using supportive structures called scaffolds. Most of all, educators will enjoy the techniques for using ongoing formative assessment and spiraling curriculum."
"At a time when every educator and transformational leader are strategizing on how to eliminate inequities and achievement gaps among their scholars, this book is a valuable, timely resource. The authors have masterfully defined the characteristics of effective scaffolding to make instruction and learning both accessible and relevant for all learners, regardless of the level they begin. I view this ′playbook′ as an absolute necessity—for its clarity and focus on the steps educators can take to help all scholars reach their highest academic potential."
"How Scaffolding Works is a highly-engaging and thought-provoking resource for school administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers to collaboratively learn about scaffolding. Each module includes real-life examples, opportunities for peer discussion and an easy-to-use framework for deliberately planning scaffolds for ALL learners throughout the learning process. This playbook is a must read for anyone wanting to learn how to use high-effect size strategies to scaffold learning."
"This text provides a fresh lens through which to view the practice of scaffolding, applicable to all grade bands and subject areas!"
