The document discusses scaffolding, which involves initially providing substantial support to learners that is gradually reduced as proficiency increases. It describes different types of scaffolding including scaffolding teacher talk, examples, and support materials. It provides guidance on matching scaffolding levels to student needs, focusing on key features, using explicit verbal prompts, clear representational models, examples, and offering guidance while aiming for independence.

1. The features of scaffolding
Types of scaffolding
How to scaffold
Examples of scaffolds
The scaffolding continuum
MATCHING THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO STUDENT NEED

2. » The use of scaffolding:
• initially provides learners with substantial support
• reduces support as learners gain in proficiency
• means that teachers need to adapt instruction to ensure
that mathematics outcomes are available to all students
• is a means of ensuring desired outcomes are
accomplished
• does NOT mean simplifying the outcome.

3. » Scaffolding teacher talk
» Scaffolding examples
» Scaffolding support materials

4. • Levels of questioning
• Rephrasing (teacher and pupil dialogue)
• Levels of verbal prompts
• Accompanying talk with diagrams or pictures
• Providing a ‘think aloud’

5. • Start with easy examples
• Include increasingly more challenging examples

6. • Determine the level at which the student is working:
– concrete
– semi-concrete
– symbolic
» and choose materials accordingly.
• Decide whether cue cards need to be text based or
picture based.

7. 1. Focus on key features
2. Make sure verbal prompts are explicit
3. Provide clear representational models
4. Give clear examples
5. Offer guidance and support

8. 1. Focus on key features
•Explicitly state each feature.
•Provide written cues on a chart.
•Provide a personal cue card.
•Use cue card showing features by examples.
•Use cue card showing features pictorially.
•Provide verbal or physical prompts to direct student to
key feature.

9. 2. Make sure verbal prompts are explicit
•State exactly what needs to be done.
•State and then model exactly what needs to be done.
•Provide text to support verbal prompts.
•Provide pictures to support verbal prompts.
•State what needs to be done and provide physical
guidance to demonstrate.

10. 3. Provide clear representational models
•Use the sequence:
˃ concrete → semi-concrete → symbolic
•Materials are not the concept, they are a means of
modelling a concept.

11. 4. Give clear examples
•Make sure examples used are within the students’ skill
level.
•Start with examples that will guarantee high levels of
success but also include ‘challenge’ examples at the next
level.
•Provide opportunities for practice or rehearsal.
»Remember to use non-examples.
»Make sure pre-skills have been taught.

12. 5. Offer guidance and support
•Individualise the amount of support offered.
•Some students may need to practise one component of a
strategy at a time and then be guided to put all the
components together.
•Only use the level of prompting that is NECESSARY to
guarantee success.
•Remember the aim is for the student to become
independent.

13. 6. Verbal rehearsal
•Look at these two numbers. ____ is the larger number.
•Ben, which is the larger number, ___ or ___ ?
•Zoe, point to the larger number.
•Kim, which number is larger, ____ or ___?
•Ali, what number did Kim say was larger?
•Yes, ___ is the larger number. We can say ____ is bigger
than ____ .

14. » Language chart
» Vocabulary: minus, plus
_take away
less than
difference
minus
decrease by
subtract
+
total
add
sum
plus
increase

15. Counting on
+1 +2 +3
eg 16 + 3 16 17 18 19
only if +1, +2, +3, +4
Cue card or Chart

16. » Group activity
• Look at the ‘counting on’ cue chart and discuss how it
provides a scaffold for each feature of the strategy.
• After a few minutes have each group share their ideas.
• What other scaffolds might you use?

17. Support
Overt Covert

18. » Reducing scaffolds
• Monitor student performance.
• As students become more proficient, remove scaffolds
step by step.
• The aim is for all students to become independent.

19. » Reducing scaffolds
• Progress from overt descriptions of thinking
strategies to covert practice of these strategies.
• A ‘think aloud’ moves from:
– the teacher verbalising each step, to
– the student verbalising each step, to
– the student performing each step without having to
verbalise the process.

20. » Reducing scaffolds
• To progress from teacher-directed to student-
directed activity, the teacher:
– initially directs students in each step
– reduces direct involvement little by little
– allows students take responsibility for using each step.

21. » The NSW Mathematics K–6 Syllabus defines the jump
strategy as:
˃ ‘An addition or subtraction strategy in which the student places
the first number on an empty number line and then counts
forward or backwards firstly by tens and then by ones to perform
a calculation.’