Provide scaffolds for difficult tasks the teacher provides students with temporary supports and scaffolds to assist them when they learn difficult tasks.
research findings
Investigators have successfully provided students with scaffolds, or instructional supports, to help them learn difficult tasks. A scaf- fold is a temporary support that is used to assist a learner. These scaffolds are gradually withdrawn as learners become more com- petent, although students may continue to rely on scaffolds when they encounter particularly difficult problems. Providing scaffolds is a form of guided practice.
Scaffolds include modeling the steps by the teacher, or thinking aloud by the teacher as he or she solves the problem. Scaffolds also may be tools, such as cue cards or checklists, that complete part of the task for the students, or a model of the completed task against which students can compare their own work.