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Scaffolding: adjusting support to the child's level of development

Element · All elements
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 6 studies (2 causal, 1 quant-synthesis, 1 review, 1 associational, 1 qualitative), q2–q4 · 0 of 6 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The paper identifies scaffolding as a key teaching skill within the ZPD: "Scaffolding is an instructional process by which the teacher adjusts or modifies the amount and type of support offered to the child that is best suited to his level of development". It states the concept implies that teachers intervene more at the tougher parts so that task difficulty stays within the learner's ability range, with tasks developmentally sequenced from easier to harder aspects. It reports this has been well demonstrated in a variety of tasks by early childhood educators and researchers.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • A teacher able to judge the child's current level and modify the amount and type of support accordingly

Constraints

Target Learners

  • young children

Target Learning Goals

  • performing tasks within the ZPD that the child cannot yet do independently

Affordances

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Seng, Seok-Hoon. (1997). Zone of Proximal Development and the World of the Child. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED416957
Page metadata
Field Value
type element
id scaffolding-adjusted-support-within-zpd
title Scaffolding: adjusting support to the child's level of development
description The paper identifies scaffolding as a key teaching skill within the ZPD: "Scaffolding is an instructional process by which the teacher adjusts or modifies the amount and type of support offered to the child that is be...
status review
canonical True
generated by claude/unspecified on 2026-09-25
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — seng-1997

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