What does "reading scaffolding" entail?

Reading scaffolding refers to the method of providing temporary support to students as they develop their reading skills. This approach recognizes that learners often require guidance and assistance, especially when confronted with challenging texts. By breaking down the reading process and offering structured help, educators enable students to build their confidence and capabilities gradually.

Support can come in various forms, such as modeling thinking processes, breaking texts into manageable parts, or offering vocabulary support. As students become more proficient and capable of understanding complex materials independently, this scaffolding can be gradually removed, much like how physical scaffolding is taken down once a building is strong enough to stand on its own. The key aspect of scaffolding is its temporary nature; it is designed to assist in skill acquisition until students reach a level of competence where they can tackle reading tasks independently.