The document discusses the concept of scaffolding in reading assessments, emphasizing its role in providing comprehensible input and supporting students' learning. It outlines various strategies for effective scaffolding, including simplifying language and format, adding visuals, and providing choices to students. The benefits of scaffolding include improving assessment validity and enabling students to demonstrate their strengths and inform instructional adjustments.

1. Improving Your
Reading Assessments with
Scaffolding
Lorraine Valdez Pierce
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
TESOL 2011 Convention* New Orleans, LA

2. What is Scaffolding?
 Providing Comprehensible Input
(Krashen)
 Reaching Zone of Proximal
Development (Vygotsky)
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3. How Can
Scaffolding
Improve Assessment of Reading?
 By reducing linguistic load
 By showing what students
actually know & can do
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4. Simplify the Language
 Use short phrases
 Reduce sentence length
 Limit number of sentences
 Use one & two-syllable words
 Use present tense
 Avoid wordiness
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5. Simplify the Format
 Reduce page clutter
 Limit use of needless visuals
 Space out on page
 Use large font size
 Add boldface type
 Use text boxes
 Divide into sections
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6. Add Visuals & Graphics
 Use pictures to represent words
and ideas
 Use graphic organizers
 Allow pictorial responses
 Teach visualization strategies
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7. Provide Choices
 Allow options in tasks
 Provide a word or item bank
 Ask for completion, not
generation
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8. Benefits of Scaffolding
 Add validity to assessments
 Allow Ss to show strengths in
content areas
 Gain information for redirecting
instruction
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