Scaffolding is a crucial educational strategy in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), where learners acquire both content knowledge and language skills simultaneously. The idea behind scaffolding is to provide temporary support that allows learners to engage with content and language beyond their current abilities, helping them to gradually become more independent. By using scaffolding techniques, teachers can create a supportive learning environment that helps students build confidence and competence in both subject matter and language. Below, we will explore several effective scaffolding strategies and how they can be used in CLIL settings.
1. Pre-teaching
Pre-teaching involves introducing essential vocabulary or concepts before learners encounter them in a lesson. This strategy helps learners become familiar with difficult words or ideas, which enables them to approach new content with more confidence. For instance, when teaching a lesson on the solar system, a teacher might pre-teach terms such as "planet," "orbit," and "gravity" before reading a passage or listening to an audio about space. Pre-teaching ensures that students are not overwhelmed by unfamiliar language, which can hinder comprehension and participation.
2. Using Visual Aids
Visual aids such as images, charts, maps, and diagrams are powerful tools in CLIL. These aids help learners organize and process complex information visually. By using visuals, teachers can simplify abstract concepts and give students a framework for understanding the content. For example, when teaching a history lesson on the Roman Empire, a teacher might use a map showing the empire's expansion to help students visualize its reach. Visual aids are particularly helpful for English language learners (ELT) and second language learners (SLT), as they can aid comprehension and facilitate discussion.
3. Providing Examples
Teachers can provide concrete examples to illustrate new concepts. This helps students make connections between what they already know and what they are learning. For example, if students are learning about fractions in mathematics, a teacher could provide real-life examples, such as dividing a pizza into equal slices, to show how fractions work. By drawing on familiar experiences, teachers make the content more accessible and relatable for students.
4. Mini-lessons
Mini-lessons are short, focused lessons designed to address specific concepts or skills within a larger unit of study. These brief lessons, often lasting around 30 minutes, allow students to engage with new material in a manageable and interactive way. Teachers can use mini-lessons to explain grammar rules, introduce new vocabulary, or clarify difficult concepts. For instance, a teacher might use a mini-lesson to explain the use of past tense verbs in English, followed by exercises to practice the concept.
5. Scaffolding Reading
Scaffolding reading involves providing learners with tools to support their reading comprehension. These tools might include definitions, signal words, summaries, and key questions. For example, a teacher might give students a glossary of terms before they read a text about climate change. This will allow students to focus on understanding the overall message of the text, rather than getting stuck on difficult vocabulary. Scaffolding reading helps students build their comprehension skills step by step.
6. Group Work
Group work allows learners to collaborate with their peers, which can be especially beneficial when tackling challenging content. By working together, students can share ideas, ask questions, and support one another’s learning. For example, in a science class, students could work in small groups to design an experiment, each contributing their knowledge and skills. Group work fosters a sense of community and helps students learn from one another, making difficult concepts more approachable.
Pre-reading and Pre-listening Activities
Before engaging with a text or audio, students can benefit from pre-reading and pre-listening activities that prepare them for the material. These activities activate prior knowledge, set expectations, and engage learners’ curiosity. Some key pre-reading and pre-listening strategies include:
Activating Schema: This strategy involves recalling what learners already know about a topic before they encounter new content. For example, if the lesson is about ancient civilizations, the teacher might ask students to brainstorm what they know about early societies. This helps students connect new information to their existing knowledge.
Predicting: Teachers can ask students to predict what will happen next in a text or audio. This encourages active engagement and helps learners mentally prepare for the material. For instance, if a story involves a character in a dangerous situation, students might predict what will happen based on the context.
Visualizing: Encouraging learners to create mental images based on the content they will encounter helps them make deeper connections with the material. For example, when discussing a historical event, teachers can ask students to visualize the setting and imagine what life was like at the time.
During-reading and During-listening Activities
Once learners begin reading or listening, teachers can support their comprehension and critical thinking through several key activities:
Asking Questions: Teachers can ask students questions to stimulate their thinking and check their understanding. For example, after reading a passage, the teacher might ask, "What was the main argument the author made?" or "How does this relate to what we learned last week?" These questions promote reflection and help students process the content.
Summarizing: Summarizing requires students to identify the main points of a text or audio. This activity helps teachers assess comprehension and reinforces key concepts. After a lesson on a scientific process, for example, students might summarize the steps involved in conducting an experiment.
Clarifying: Clarification helps students address any misunderstandings or confusion about the material. Teachers can pause during the lesson to ask students if they need further explanation or to clarify specific terms. This ensures that all learners are on the same page and prevents misconceptions from taking root.
Post-reading and Post-listening Activities
Post-reading and post-listening activities help solidify the knowledge gained during the lesson. These activities promote reflection and application of the content, allowing learners to demonstrate their understanding in practical ways:
Evaluating: Evaluation activities, such as quizzes or comprehension questions, help assess how well students have understood the content. For instance, after reading a short story, students might answer questions that test their knowledge of the plot, characters, and themes.
Reflecting: Reflection encourages students to think critically about the material and how it relates to their own experiences or knowledge. Teachers might ask students to write a reflection in a journal, discussing how the lesson changed their thinking or how they felt about the content.
Applying: Application activities allow students to use what they have learned in a real-world context. For example, after learning about the scientific method, students might design their own experiment based on the concepts discussed.
By using these scaffolding strategies, CLIL teachers can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment where students develop both content knowledge and language skills. These strategies are particularly beneficial for students learning in a second language or tackling challenging subject matter. Research has shown that scaffolding improves student outcomes by offering tailored support and helping learners progressively gain confidence in their abilities (Swain, 2000). Through careful planning and implementation of these techniques, teachers can help students succeed in mastering both language and content.
References
Swain, M. (2000). The output hypothesis and beyond: Mediating acquisition through collaborative dialogue. In J. P. Lantolf (Ed.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning (pp. 97-114). Oxford University Press.
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