The role of the teacher in cognitive development –

scaffolding
Helping learners get to the top of a problem

By far Bruner’s most influential work for teachers was on

the concept of ‘scaffolding’ – the teacher actively helping
and encouraging the learner to get to the top of a
problem. There are various ways that the teacher might
do this throughout a teaching and learning activity.

• Underpinning the learner’s knowledge by linking to

real life experiences
• Presenting the learner with problems – What would
happen if?
• Confirming the learner’s existing knowledge
(assimilation)
• Challenging existing knowledge (accommodation)
• Using open questions to encourage thought
processes
• Using pictorial/ diagrammatical images
• Developing physical skills (or movements)
• Creating readiness to learn
• Feedback
• Giving different options for representing
understanding symbolically.

(These scaffolding strategies are not in any particular

order and some could be used alongside each other)

Your task:

 Consider an element from a course or module you

teach.
 Consider a task which would encourage discovery
learning with your students.
 Use the handout to consider the role of the teacher
within the discovery learning
 Which elements of scaffolding are useful to you and
which are not?