What is scaffolding for EAL learners? 

Scaffolding is about giving learners the support they need. Over time, this scaffolding and support helps students move from a place of dependence to one of autonomy when it comes to their use of English. 

This concept is based on Vygotsky and Bruner’s theories. They described how learning thrives when scaffolding is used, but that scaffolding is slowly removed as proficiency is gained.

Teachers may create word banks, supply sentence starters, or even allow students to talk about ideas in their home language to better understand a topic. A few scaffolded steps, like a graphic organiser, pictorial story map, or frame for persuasive writing, can go a long way. These seemingly small things are not just niceties. They provide the foundation for EAL students, particularly at their initial stages or when entering a new topic. 

Some key principles for good EAL teaching include: 

• Foster a supportive and inclusive classroom environment in which it is okay to experiment with language. 

• Integrate language with content, so language learning occurs in tandem with maths, science or history. 

• Provide visual and tactile materials—items such as models, manipulatives, or narrative arc maps. 

• Provide opportunities for discussion, in English and students’ home languages. 

• Provide explicit models for oral and written language, such as examples or sentence stems. 

• Retreat gradually, allowing students to attempt more independently. 

The appropriate type of support may include a peer cooperation model to more formalised sentence stems. What’s important is that it suits the learner’s current pace and gradually withdraws as their proficiency develops.