What best illustrates scaffolding in instruction?

What best illustrates scaffolding in instruction?

• A. The teacher ignores a child's needs.
• B. The teacher provides supports (modeling, prompts, prompts fading) to move a child from assisted to independent performance.
• C. The teacher uses punishment to enforce participation.
• D. The teacher lets the child figure everything out alone.

Answer: (B)

Scaffolding in instruction means providing temporary supports so a learner can do more than they can unaided, with those supports gradually fading as competence grows. The best illustration is when the teacher offers modeling, prompts, and a plan to fade those prompts, guiding the child from assisted performance to independent performance. This approach gives the learner the necessary structure to practice and build skill while progressively releasing support. In contrast, ignoring needs, using punishment, or letting the child figure everything out alone does not supply the guided support that helps students reach independence.

Scaffolding in instruction means providing temporary supports so a learner can do more than they can unaided, with those supports gradually fading as competence grows. The best illustration is when the teacher offers modeling, prompts, and a plan to fade those prompts, guiding the child from assisted performance to independent performance. This approach gives the learner the necessary structure to practice and build skill while progressively releasing support. In contrast, ignoring needs, using punishment, or letting the child figure everything out alone does not supply the guided support that helps students reach independence.