Scaffolding Strategies That Work

What Scaffolding Really Means

Scaffolding is temporary, intentional support that helps emergent bilingual students access grade-level content while developing English proficiency. The key word is temporary: scaffolds are meant to be gradually removed as students gain independence. Scaffolding the language does not mean lowering the content. A scaffolded lesson teaches the same grade-level TEKS; it simply provides the linguistic bridges students need to engage with that content.

Scaffolding Is NOT...

Common misconceptions about scaffolding:

• 1NOT simplifying the content: You scaffold the language, not the learning. A 5th grader still engages with 5th grade science concepts
• 2NOT doing the work for the student: Scaffolds support independence, not dependence. The goal is for students to eventually perform without the scaffold
• 3NOT one-size-fits-all: A sentence frame that helps a Beginning student is unnecessary for an Advanced student. Match the scaffold to the proficiency level
• 4NOT permanent: If a student still needs the same scaffold after months of instruction, the scaffold may need to change, not increase
• 5NOT only for emergent bilingual students: Good scaffolding benefits all learners, but it is legally required for EB students under ELPS

Scaffolding by Proficiency Level

The amount and type of scaffolding should match the student's proficiency level:

Scaffolding by Language Domain: Listening

Strategies to scaffold listening comprehension:

• 1Pre-teach vocabulary: Before a lecture or read-aloud, introduce 3-5 key terms with visuals and definitions. Do not overwhelm with long lists
• 2Use visual anchors: Display images, diagrams, or graphic organizers while speaking so students have visual references for oral input
• 3Slow down, do not simplify: Speak at a slightly slower pace with clear enunciation, but use academic vocabulary. Pause frequently to allow processing time
• 4Check for understanding actively: Use thumbs up/down, response cards, or turn-and-talk rather than asking "Does everyone understand?"
• 5Provide listening guides: Give students a simple outline or graphic organizer to complete while listening, which gives them a purpose for listening

Scaffolding by Language Domain: Speaking

Strategies to scaffold oral language production:

• 1Sentence stems and frames: Provide sentence starters matched to proficiency level. For example, "I agree with ___ because ___" or "The evidence shows that ___"
• 2Think-pair-share: Give students time to think, then discuss with a partner before sharing with the class. This lowers the anxiety of speaking in front of the whole group
• 3Structured academic discussions: Use protocols like Socratic Seminars (for advanced students), numbered heads, or gallery walks with discussion prompts
• 4Allow wait time: After asking a question, wait 5-10 seconds. Emergent bilingual students need processing time to formulate responses in English
• 5Accept approximations: For Pre-Production and Beginning students, accept gestures, single words, or code-switching. Production will increase over time
• 6Model academic language: Use think-alouds to model how you would answer a question using academic vocabulary and complete sentences

Scaffolding by Language Domain: Reading

Strategies to scaffold reading comprehension:

• 1Pre-reading activities: Build background knowledge before reading. Use images, videos, discussions, or K-W-L charts to activate prior knowledge
• 2Annotated texts: Provide glossed texts with definitions of key terms in the margins. For lower proficiency levels, include images alongside definitions
• 3Graphic organizers: Use story maps for narratives, cause-effect charts for informational text, and Venn diagrams for comparison
• 4Chunking: Break long texts into smaller sections. Have students read and discuss one chunk at a time rather than reading the entire passage at once
• 5Cognate awareness: Teach students to identify cognates (words that are similar in English and Spanish, such as "information/información," "problem/problema," "analyze/analizar"). This is a powerful strategy for Spanish-speaking EB students
• 6Multiple reads with different purposes: First read for general understanding, second read for details, third read for analysis. Each read goes deeper

Scaffolding by Language Domain: Writing

Strategies to scaffold written language production:

• 1Shared writing: Write collaboratively with the class, modeling thinking and language choices. Gradually release responsibility to students
• 2Writing frames: Provide structured templates that guide organization. For example, "First, ___. Next, ___. Finally, ___. In conclusion, ___"
• 3Word banks: Provide lists of content-specific vocabulary, transition words, and academic phrases relevant to the writing task
• 4Mentor texts: Show students examples of the type of writing you expect. Analyze the language features together before students write their own
• 5Graphic organizer to draft: Have students organize ideas in a graphic organizer first, then convert the organizer into connected sentences
• 6Focus on communication first: For Pre-Production and Beginning writers, accept labels, lists, and illustrated responses. Do not penalize grammar errors that do not impede meaning