When students struggle with new or challenging material, the right support can help move them from confusion to understanding. This article shares six evidence-backed scaffolding strategies teachers can use to break learning into manageable steps, provide appropriate guidance, and gradually build students’ independence. Thoughtful scaffolding helps students access rigorous learning while giving them the support they need to experience success.
6 Foundational Ways to Scaffold Student Learning
Best Practices
- Foundation #1: Introduction to the Center; Local Data Sources
- Foundation #2: Why Poverty and All Resources Matter
- Foundation #3: Why Educational Neuroscience and Teachers Matter More
- Best Practice 1- Build Relationships
- Best Practice 2- Increase Status
- Best Practice 3 – Grow Emotional & Soft Skills
- Best Practice 4 – Understand the Goals of Behavior
- Best Practice 5- Decrease Stress
- Best Practice 6 – Motivate: Increase Hope & Expectancy of Success
- Best Practice 7 – Motivate: Increase Value
- Best Practice 8 – Grow Mindsets
- Best Practice 9 – Accommodate
- Best Practice 10 – Maintain High Expectations
- Best Practice 11 – Decrease Health Impacts
- Best Practice 12 – Build Family/Community Partnerships
- Best Practice 13- Proactively Guide Using ‘ME’ Strategies
- Best Practice 14 – Make Learning Fun
- Best Practice 15 – Build Background Knowledge
- Best Practice 16- Grow Prefrontal Cortex Skills (Executive Function & Memory Trace)
- Best Practice 17 – Align Instruction & Assessment
- Best Practice 18 – Purposefully Teach
- Best Practice 19 – Explicitly Teach
- Best Practice 20 – Question Strategically
- Best Practice 21 – Use Data & Feedback to Drive Instruction
- Best Practice 22 – Infuse the Arts
- Best Practice 23 – Use Technology Effectively
- Best Practice 24- Grow Language & Literacy
- Best Practice 25 – Lead
- Foundation #1: Introduction to the Center; Local Data Sources
- Foundation #2: Why Poverty and All Resources Matter
- Foundation #3: Why Educational Neuroscience and Teachers Matter More
- Best Practice 1- Build Relationships
- Best Practice 2- Increase Status
- Best Practice 3 – Grow Emotional & Soft Skills
- Best Practice 4 – Understand the Goals of Behavior
- Best Practice 5- Decrease Stress
- Best Practice 6 – Motivate: Increase Hope & Expectancy of Success
- Best Practice 7 – Motivate: Increase Value
- Best Practice 8 – Grow Mindsets
- Best Practice 9 – Accommodate
- Best Practice 10 – Maintain High Expectations
- Best Practice 11 – Decrease Health Impacts
- Best Practice 12 – Build Family/Community Partnerships
- Best Practice 13- Proactively Guide Using ‘ME’ Strategies
- Best Practice 14 – Make Learning Fun
- Best Practice 15 – Build Background Knowledge
- Best Practice 16- Grow Prefrontal Cortex Skills (Executive Function & Memory Trace)
- Best Practice 17 – Align Instruction & Assessment
- Best Practice 18 – Purposefully Teach
- Best Practice 19 – Explicitly Teach
- Best Practice 20 – Question Strategically
- Best Practice 21 – Use Data & Feedback to Drive Instruction
- Best Practice 22 – Infuse the Arts
- Best Practice 23 – Use Technology Effectively
- Best Practice 24- Grow Language & Literacy
- Best Practice 25 – Lead