Scaffolding the Writing Process

In a previous post, I explored what scaffolding is and why it is essential in writing instruction. In this post, I will share how I learned to use scaffolds by reflecting on my own writing process at each stage. In the future, I plan to help my students grow from hesitant writers to confident authors.

 

Using Scaffolds to Support Students in the Writing Process

• RECAP - A scaffold is support that helps students complete a task or reach a goal.

Scaffolding means the teacher gives help so students can do something they can’t do alone. This help is temporary and removed when the student can do it on their own.

 

ALL students can use scaffolds, not just those with special needs!

 

How teachers can use scaffolds in writing:

First, teach students the writing process step by step.

Then model writing together before students write alone.

Tips for each step of the writing process:

• 1.   The Brainstorm - Use visuals, sentence starters, and real-life experiences to spark ideas. Encourage oral storytelling and provide graphic organizers to help students plan.

• 2.     The Outline - Offer templates, checklists, and sentence frames to help students organize their thoughts before drafting.

• 3.   Drafting - Support vocabulary with word walls and mentor texts. Model writing and use tools like text prediction or sentence frames to guide structure.

• 4.     Peer Review/Feedback - Teach students how to give feedback using checklists, rubrics, and sentence starters.

• 5.     The Final Draft - Encourage revision using feedback. Allow tools like text-to-speech or speech-to-text for accessibility.

• 6.     Publication - Celebrate student work by sharing it with others. Use checklists and tech tools to polish and present their writing.