Over the past year we’ve been learning from 40 schools in Walsall and Sandwell England. These schools, located outside of Birmingham in areas of unusually high economic deprivation, were chosen to participate in a Priority Education Improvement Areas (PEIA) grant to increase self-regulation and meta-cognition (and therefore academic and social outcomes) in students.
Windsor Academy Trust, the visionary and organizer of the program, reached out to us to provide a training and support, and we’re thrilled to have been a part of it and thrilled to share that the initial results have been really encouraging.
Together with local education leaders, we’ve had the opportunity to visit all 40 schools, train leadership teams on Engaging Academics and Check for Understanding techniques, and study video of teachers implementing the techniques in their classrooms. From the video study alone, we’ve been lucky enough to cut 17 videos that we’ve been using in training, several of which you’ve read about on this blog herehere and here for example.
In June, we started our second round of visits, to assess growth in meta-cognition and self-regulation, and we were delighted that of the 16 schools we visited, 13 of them were implementing techniques to positive effect. Obviously the real evidence will be in the form of assessment outcomes, which we are very optimistic about (there are lots of very promising leading indicators, including Goldsmith Primary School, part of Windsor Academy Trust being named an Apple Distinguished School, one of 400 schools chosen internationally) but in the meantime we’ll be writing more about what we’ve learned, and we couldn’t wait to share this interview with Max Wakeman, the Head Teacher at Goldsmith, where we taped two of the outstanding lessons we shared above.
In this interview, Max reflects on his school’s success in our work together, he talks about the importance of creating a strong Culture of Error for his teachers – and about showing love for students by holding them to the highest of expectations.
TLAC team-member Hannah Solomon had so much fun talking to Max here – we know you’ll enjoy learning from him as much as we did!
Teachers know that giving students more freedom — by enabling greater choice and agency — unlocks engagement and better outcomes. Decades of research backs this idea up. Still, there’s value to structure in a classroom.
How then, can teachers balance maintaining a level of control that steers productive learning with giving students the freedom they need to thrive? Setting clear boundaries and leveraging technology effectively are the keys.
The Value of Limiting Choice
Technology is often thought of as a tool that can help open more choice for students. Whether it’s choosing research topics that fit their interests, providing options to engage in educational content to meet different learning styles, or even giving students ways to master topics at their own pace.
Research on choice, however, shows that too many options can be counterproductive. People are more likely to make decisions, and avoid “analysis paralysis,” when there are fewer options. The magic number, the reports say, is to offer less than six choices.
As teachers continue to embrace allowing students more classroom freedom, using technology to offer a set of choices rather than limitless options can be effective.
Adding Alternatives for Answering Questions
Class participation is an easy way to add greater freedom for students without overwhelming them with choices, especially by using technology. For example, if teachers want all students to participate in a classroom discussion they can ask for responses to questions using a computer-based poll and then ask students who feel comfortable to share their answers out loud.
An alternative option is to adopt a platform with a classroom chat feature. Teachers who use classroom.cloud report that using the solution’s chat feature allows students who might be more self-conscious or shy to speak up. By typing their response, or even discreetly asking a question, students can engage more fully in classroom activities.
Adding Guardrails to Set Students Up for Success
Many approaches that grant students greater freedoms are based on self-directed learning. Students might be able to choose the final format of a project or decide between learning about a topic by reading or watching a video about it.
Likewise, offer a game like a web-based scavenger hunt. Such activities require students to use computers and tablets with internet access, opening the door to a variety of explorations, as well as distractions.
Just as teachers can use technology to increase options for learning, they can also use it to add guardrails that size down the vast world of the internet to something not quite so overwhelming (or tempting).
Determining the websites and applications students can access by creating a list of “allowed” and “restricted” content ensures students only access relevant and appropriate resources during class. This way, they will stay on task and work more efficiently.
IT directors who have adopted classroom.cloud ease the burden of managing such a list off teachers’ plates. Instead of taking up teachers’ time to create and manage the lists, IT leaders work with educators to identify sites and apps and then set the restrictions and allowances. Other control options needed include different permissions for specific school buildings within a district.
Tools that enable simultaneous screen sharing as well as a lock screen feature can also help in setting up appropriate guardrails.
When teachers can manage students’ screens with a single click, it becomes easier to bring everyone together after a period of working independently or redirect students who may have gone off track.
Provide Support Anytime, Anywhere
Many classrooms have continued to embrace learn anytime, anywhere environments. Students are learning remotely, in person and in hybrid classrooms. No matter where kids are learning, they deserve the same level of help.
The right technology can enable students to maintain freedom in where and how they learn while still getting the support they need. This goes beyond live-streamed instruction or watching videos asynchronously. Teachers can use technology, like classroom.cloud, to support and engage with students in the very moment they are learning.
When teachers use technology they have an immense opportunity to continue fostering classroom environments that are engaging and anchored in choice. By considering how the same tools can create structure, educators can strike the balance to help students avoid feeling overwhelmed and keep them focused on growing and learning.
Questions to Consider When Choosing Scaffolding Strategies
Karin Hess, author of the article ‘How to be Strategic with Scaffolding Strategies’, wants educators to consider this question when choosing a scaffolding strategy:
Why did I choose this strategy?
Does it match my learning target? and
How will it optimize learning for some or all of my students?
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3 Myths about Scaffolding
Hess shares some ideas about making good choices, but first Hess wants to clear up 3 common myths about scaffolding:
Myth #1: Scaffolding is the Same as Differentiation
Many teachers – and even some educational resources – often mix scaffolding with differentiation, but they are distinct. To help remember the difference, you can think of scaffolding as providing the necessary support to complete a task, while differentiation offers students various options regarding the tasks they can undertake.
When instruction is differentiated, students select from various assignments that are often similar in difficulty. I first intentionally used differentiation during my time teaching middle school. I developed assignment menus that catered to different content (varying texts, materials, scenarios, or subjects), the processes involved (levels of engagement with the material, whether working solo or in pairs, etc.), and the products that students created to demonstrate their understanding. Tools like choice boards, menus, and activity stations are frequently employed throughout a unit to present optional tasks for students.
On the other hand, scaffolding strategies are designed to help each student effectively engage with grade-level content, complete assignments ranging from basic to advanced, and build their confidence and independence as learners.
Myth #2: Scaffolding is always temporary
In fact, many scaffolding techniques—like dividing a task into manageable pieces or collaboratively creating an anchor chart to enhance understanding—can be applied later, even as tasks become more complex. Scaffolds aren’t just for students who need extra help. Even top-performing adults break intricate tasks into smaller segments and rely on models and peer feedback to better grasp new concepts. Think of it this way: a painter always utilizes some form of scaffolding when working on a ceiling.
Myth 3: Scaffolding is used to change the intended Rigor
A scaffolding approach can lighten the cognitive load on a learner’s working memory during educational activities, without altering the challenge level of the task.
For example, when a complex text is read aloud or illustrated as a graphic novel, students are relieved from the need to fully use their working memory to decipher unfamiliar words for understanding the text’s meaning. Instead, they might take sketch notes while listening, capturing essential ideas to facilitate later summarization, discussion, or explanation of more intricate concepts.
While decoding skills are vital, the primary focus of this learning activity isn’t solely on decoding words. Similarly, when a student uses a calculator to perform calculations with large numbers or decimals, they can verify their estimates without the cognitive burden of manually calculating the same operations.
Understanding the learning objectives helps educators identify the most suitable scaffolds for the lesson and specific students—essentially, placing the scaffolding activity in their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Scaffolding is aimed at ensuring that even if a student encounters difficulties, those challenges are constructive.
Consider scaffolding as a bridge that can either (a) enhance content accessibility (such as “chunking” texts, conducting focused discussions, or building background knowledge) or (b) simplify multi-step tasks (like collaborative data collection or breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts with checkpoints).
Determining the Right Time for Scaffolding
Educators can benefit from considering three main areas of support that help students build the skills necessary for tackling more complex tasks or grasping difficult concepts:
enhancing content understanding,
improving executive function, and
fostering language and vocabulary skills.
Effective scaffolding at one Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level typically helps students progress to the subsequent DOK level. Below, Hess outlines various strategies for each DOK Level tailored to different teaching goals. (For a comprehensive collection of strategies, be sure to download Karin’s PDF.)
Scaffolding Purpose 1: Enhancing Understanding and Linking to Key Concepts
Various techniques aimed at enriching learning can easily emerge from activities focused on improving language abilities or fostering executive function. For example, collaborating with students to create an anchor chart outlining the steps for tackling a non-routine math problem not only bolsters executive functioning, but also serves as a useful reference. This chart can remind students of each step as they approach new challenges.
Scaffolding Techniques to Enhance Learning Across Various DOK Levels
DOK 1 – The “DAILY 10” Playlist
The role of prior knowledge in improving reading comprehension and developing schema is crucial. To implement this technique, create a playlist featuring at least six short printed and non-printed materials on a subject (like images, political cartoons, articles, or relevant websites tied to social studies or a science unit) for students at the week’s start.
Each day, for a maximum of ten minutes, students—either individually or in small groups—select one resource to read or listen to and jot down some notes. These notes are not graded. Encourage class discussions and journal entries to link this expanding background knowledge to the current unit of study.
DOK 3 – Carousel Feedback
This approach reframes carousel brainstorming, where small groups rotate through different stations, brainstorming ideas on various subtopics. They record their thoughts on large chart papers for the next group to read and contribute to.
The teacher sets up 4 or 5 large posters, each featuring a unique question prompt or problem-solving task. Students are grouped in a diverse arrangement, each group using a different colored marker for their answers. They start by reading the problem at their table and working on the chart paper to find a solution.
After a few minutes (before they complete their task), the teacher signals for time, and the groups rotate to tackle a new problem. Upon arrival, they review the previous group’s work and discuss it among themselves. They then determine whether the last group’s solution was correct and use a new color marker to either continue solving the problem if it was right or to make adjustments if they spot an error. If corrections are needed, they add a note explaining the mistake and the rationale for the correction.
When time is called again, the groups rotate for a third time, repeating the checking and justification process as before. In the final round of rotations, the groups create a justification for their solution, relying on calculations and notes provided by other teams. This carousel approach fosters meaningful discussions and encourages collaborative reasoning backed by evidence.
Purpose of Scaffolding 2: Enhancing Executive Function and Skill Application
Students who struggle with executive function often find it challenging to stay focused and engaged in dealing with long texts and complex tasks. This skill set also plays a crucial role in goal setting, monitoring progress, and fostering a positive self-image as learners. Executive functions encompass various skills that help students start, track, and complete intricate multi-step projects.
Scaffolding strategies can help in several areas:
Initiation – The ability to kick off a task or activity while generating ideas, responses, or finding solutions (e.g., collaborative brainstorming sessions).
Working Memory – The ability to retain information for engaging with longer texts (e.g., breaking texts into manageable chunks).
Planning and Organization – The skill to handle both current and future tasks demands (e.g., maintaining learning logs).
Self-Monitoring – The capacity to assess one’s own performance and compare it to established standards or expectations (e.g., through conference discussions).
Supportive Strategies for Executive Function at Varying DOK Levels
DOK 2: A Card Pyramid for Information Summarization
The card pyramid technique uses numbered sticky notes or index cards to dismantle information from a text. Ideally, partners collaborate to construct the pyramid, taking turns to verbally summarize their findings, before penning down a written summary.
DOK 3: Crafting a Mathematical Argument
Teaching how to create a mathematical argument can be as challenging as learning it. In this approach, partners split their paper vertically. On the left side, students methodically work through the steps to solve the problem, while on the right, they articulate the reasoning behind each step or explain how it works. contributed to their solution (e.g., my diagram illustrates the division of the candy bar; I’ve labeled each fractional part to clarify…). This scaffolding method is beneficial, as it deconstructs the path to the solution, allowing for a more thoughtful explanation of the reasoning behind each action.
Scaffolding Purpose 3: Nurturing Language and Vocabulary Growth
Developing vocabulary and language skills is crucial for understanding across all subjects. One effective strategy for enhancing vocabulary is to emphasize and reinforce the key language necessary for learning in each content area. Teachers can informally boost language development by using visuals and tangible models to activate prior knowledge, color-coding to highlight significance or differences (like anchor charts, sentence stems, or paragraph frames for multi-digit number place value), facilitating meaningful discussions, and demonstrating their thought processes aloud.
Using multi-sensory techniques can help students develop their language skills. However, it’s important to avoid overwhelming them with too many methods simultaneously, or relying on strategies that don’t easily carry over to future learning. A charming visual of a pumpkin or cookie may not effectively help students understand paragraph or essay writing compared to a structured anchor chart or a color-coded paragraph frame with clear visual cues.
Hess enjoys introducing TBEAR through texts familiar to students, such as fairy tales or pieces they’ve read in class before. Teachers at all grade levels have used or modified TBEAR, and have found it particularly effective for students struggling with language proficiency. In both whole-class settings and partner work, students can use TBEAR to help them find text evidence and prepare for discussions or writing assignments. For example, middle school teachers I’ve collaborated with had students develop and display anchor charts for important math vocabulary after analyzing these words through TBEAR.
TBEAR smoothly supports students in progressing from DOK level 1 to levels 2, 3, or 4, and it’s easy to recall what each letter represents:
T: Create a Topic sentence/Thesis statement/or claim (DOK 1); or define a vocabulary Term or concept.
B: Succinctly summarize the text to act as a bridge to your evidence (DOK 2); or rephrase the meaning in your own words.
E: Find text Evidence/Examples (DOK 2); or offer both examples and non-examples when defining specific terms.
A: Analyze each example or piece of text evidence; include additional details to explain why the evidence backs up your thesis/claim (DOK 3).
R: Share a key takeaway (DOK 1 or 2) or a reflection that might extend from DOK 3 to DOK 4, such as links to the world, personal experiences, or ties to additional resources.
Support for Everyone
True equity starts with the understanding that all students can and should progress beyond memorizing routines and gaining superficial knowledge in a subject. This is particularly important for students with learning disabilities and those who speak multiple languages.
Research indicates every student benefits from daily chances to express their creativity, interpret information and ideas, pose questions, engage in research, and develop their own insights through meaningful discussions.
