Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Despite a seemingly infinite variety of classifications, there is no generally-accepted instrument for the scrutiny of EFL teachers’ scaffolding practices. This study endeavored to provide a sound model based on which teachers’ SFs (i.e. Scaffolding Functions) and SSs (i.e. Scaffolding Strategies) could be collated. To this end, a mixed approach was employed and earlier models along with teachers’ practices were investigated. The result was a checklist comprising 55 SS items classified into linguistic, cognitive, metacognitive, social, cultural, and affective SFs. To develop a comparative analysis, 90 instruction hours of 30 teachers were recorded and transcribed. Short-Focused Conversations (SFCs) formed the basic unit of analysis according to which teachers’ qualification, high-support and low-support scaffolding, and negotiation type were examined. The findings of the study strongly supported the notion of fading and the timely withdrawing of assistance to enhance learners’ growth of autonomy.
Author: Parviz Birjandi
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2124689912