Scaffolding principles of content-based science instruction in an international elementary school

ABSTRACT

Recent research on scaffolding has turned the spotlight on implementing scaffolding principles for more effective instruction in the classroom. This qualitative study, using observations, investigated scaffolding principles, including continuity, intersubjectivity, contextual support, handover, flow, and contingency, in content-based instruction (CBI) in an international school. To this end, nine hours of science instruction by three science teachers were video-recorded and analysed deductively based on scaffolding principles. The content analysis of observation transcripts showed that continuity, intersubjectivity, and contingency were frequently observed during interaction in science classes, whereas the teachers occasionally implemented contextual support, handover, and flow. The findings revealed that scaffolding principles were mainly related to the conceptual understanding of scientific knowledge and the control of students’ frustration in performing demanding activities and understanding complicated concepts. Furthermore, the findings uncovered that scaffolding principles were focused on providing opportunities for students’ engagement and genuine communication and eliciting real-life samples and experience through inquiry-based, concept-based, problem-based, and project-based teaching approaches. Most importantly, the teachers frequently employed various scaffolding principles through practical and active participation by doing experiments and projects, modelling, and using video aids for more interactive and collaborative teaching practices. These findings contribute to our understanding of scaffolding principles and teacher-student interaction in science classes.

KEYWORDS:

• scaffolding
• scaffolding principles
• content-based instruction
• international students
• science instructiom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was not supported by any funding agency.

Notes on contributors

Zahra Kamrani

Zahra Kamrani is a Ph.D. candidate of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at Islamic Azad University, West Tehran Branch, Iran. Her main areas of interest include teacher scaffolding and content-based instruction.

Zia Tajeddin

Zia Tajeddin is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Tarbiat Modares University, Iran. His research interests center on teacher education and L2 pragmatics pedagogy in the context of EIL/ELF. He co-edits two international journals: Applied Pragmatics (John Benjamins) and Second Language Teacher Education (Equinox). He is the co-editor of the Springer book series Studies in Language Teacher Education. He is the co-editor of Lessons from Good Language Teachers (with Carol Griffiths, Cambridge University Press, 2020), Pragmatics Pedagogy in English as an International Language (with Minoo Alemi, Routledge, 2021), and Teacher Reflection: Policies, Practices and Impacts (with Atsuko Watanabe, Multilingual Matters, 2022).

Minoo Alemi

Minoo Alemi is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at Islamic Azad University, West Tehran Branch, Iran. She is the associate editor of Applied Pragmatics (John Benjamins) and sits on the editorial board of many journals. Her areas of interest include L2 pragmatics, technology-enhanced education, and teacher education. She is the co-editor of Pragmatics Pedagogy in English as an International Language (with Zia Tajeddin, Routledge, 2021). She has also published numerous papers in different journals such as Language Learning and Technology, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, Language and Intercultural Communication, TESL-EJ, and RELC Journal.