Scaffolded Instruction: Small Changes, Big Impact

Even inside a highly effective classroom, subtle instructional shifts can influence student progress and engagement.

DR. LAURA RIGOLOSI
Curriculum & Literacy Specialist
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As an education coach, sometimes it is difficult to know how to support a teacher who is already highly effective in every area. This past year, I worked with a teacher whose classroom seemed like a teaching lab for all educators. Just to be clear: the physical classroom itself was not that pleasing; this was not an aesthetic classroom with tiny white lights around the whiteboard or a Pinterest-worthy bulletin board. But what was happening in her sophomore ELA classroom during her essay writing for test prep unit highlighted her extensive content knowledge, awareness of her students’ needs, and all of the necessary behind the scenes planning to help students improve their on-demand essay writing skills. 
 
To offer a snapshot, here’s what I found in her room:

• Students were sitting in three groups, working on three different tasks, using three different texts.
• When I discussed the grouping choices with the teacher, she explained the groups were designed based on data she pulled from recent assessments.
• Each group of students was working on a type of essay that they needed the most help with, therefore the groups were designed according to student needs.

 
This classroom arrangement takes a great deal of planning, recognition of student needs, and a commitment to move each student. Creating and grading the assessments, then using that data to determine next steps for students, requires weeks of steady planning and the foresight that students have different literacy needs.
 
The ELA teacher led one group of students, her student teacher led another group, and the third group consisted of her advanced students who were working independently on a more complex reading and writing task; the teacher noted they did not need scaffolded instruction to complete an essay. The teacher checked in with them from time to time, but they essentially ran their own group.

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Modifying and modeling

​On days I visited, I floated between the groups, taking notes on what I noticed and heard, assisting students who were stuck. And while there were so many modifications already taking place (I mean, three groups based on needs, differentiated tasks, and differentiated texts — wow!!), my work as a coach is to help the teacher wherever they are in their professional journey by providing a space for reflection, asking questions, and taking risks to try new techniques with an eye towards student growth. Despite the clarity of the directions and consistent setup, I noticed that students took a long time to get started on their reading or writing work, and it made me wonder if they knew exactly what to do. 
 
After visiting her class, we discussed small tweaks she could make in addition to her purposeful classroom setup. Of course, she had already differentiated tasks and texts, but there were a few adjustments to improve the learning experience for students and to help students transition at the start of class with less distractions.

These modifications include: 

​Beginning the class with a central skill or task
While student groups were working on separate tasks and texts, there were common practices in which all students could participate. For instance, all three groups were going to have to read and annotate a text before they begin writing their essay, but they may be annotating for different aspects of the reading. Something I noticed was the teacher circulating to all three groups reminding them to “read and annotate” so they could prepare their written responses.

In our meetings, we discussed opening the class with a central message that all students could work on. The start of the lesson could be called, for instance, “setting a purpose for annotating” and the teacher could model how to “read and annotate” a text with a particular purpose.

If the teacher were to model reading and annotating for students using a portion of a text that includes a character description, then they may notice the details that describe the character, or how these character details illustrate the literary element of characterization. Then, students can go into their groups and notice the similar features in their texts and descriptions of a character. 

This was a suggested way to open class with a sharpened focus, and to model a skill in action that students may need a nudge to remember before they practice it in their groups. 
 
 
Providing a brief model of what students are asked to do
On days that students were charged with having a discussion about the text, the teacher gave them a handout with one or two discussion questions that were tailored to their texts. She asked students to begin class by taking a few minutes to “prepare” to have a discussion. We watched as students looked at their papers, at each other, and then at their phones.

When I met with the teacher, we discussed how students may not know how to "prepare" for a discussion, even if they are in smaller groups. Similarly, it would help to begin class with a teacher demonstrating how they prepare for a discussion by unpacking the discussion question, and then looking for textual evidence to answer the question. This could lead to a class chart: “Ways to prepare for a text-based discussion,” and thereafter students can dive into preparing for their discussion.

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​I have the privilege of visiting classrooms and witnessing many research-based, thoughtful teaching moves in urban school settings. Being a part of a classroom where the teacher differentiated based on her students’ assessments and writing needs was a wonderful starting place. Incorporating small changes into this differentiated unit by beginning the class with a brief common lesson keeps the students’ reading and writing tasks more streamlined.

Most importantly, the small tweaks outlined above do not change the overall setup of her thoughtfully arranged class. Instead, they will keep her class running smoothly and provide students with a clearer model of the skills they will be applying that day. 

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