A4. Why is scaffolding important in teaching physical education?

On first reflection, we can often observe children who flourish in the classroom but struggle in PE, or vice versa. Such observations can lead to the belief that children have different ‘styles’ of learning that are fixed, such that a child who enjoys reading and writing may never be as comfortable learning in the physical domain. Each child is at a different stage of a learning journey that spans from the abstract and theoretical to the practical and physical reality. Learning in different domains is not incompatible, and in fact capacities in the physical domain can inform verbal and numerical reasoning, and vice versa.

The term ‘scaffolding’ comes from the works of Wood, Bruner and Ross (1976). ‘Scaffolding’ was developed as a metaphor to describe the type of assistance offered by a teacher or peer to support learning.

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). As teachers, if we can offer learners different ways of engaging with a task, then we are catering for a wider range of learning opportunities and therefore facilitating learning.

References & Research

http://www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/resourcesandcpd/resear ch/summaries/rslearningstyles.asp

http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/LSRC_ LearningStyles.pdf

Wood, D., Bruner, J.S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry. 17.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.