MESHGuides

Schools form a controlled educational environment for most children from the age of two through to 18. Here children are exposed to their own means of physical activity during this period. It is important to challenge, motivate and encourage success from an early age in a subject like PE and this is why researchers such as Piaget (1932) and Vygotsky (1978) develop models such as scaffolding and Zone of Proximal development (ZPD).

Scaffolding is a useful tool in developing deep learning within PE. But what is deep learning? Deep learning is said to occur when the learner uses higher order cognitive skills such as analysing, interpreting, synthesising or problem solving to construct long term understanding. Deep learning entails a sustained, substantial and positive application on the part of the learner. In a sense the learner makes the new knowledge/understanding/ability ‘their own’.

Every teacher will have the capabilities to get the best from their students; this is inherent in the training a teacher receives throughout their PGCE or GTP course. However, this process is one which is continually development due to the variations of intakes, class and ages of students. Larkin (2002) suggests that teachers can follow a few effective techniques of scaffolding which would improve the implementation and understanding of this concept.

Motor learning research has shown that repetition is integral to supporting motor learning, with some key considerations. So called ‘blocked’ practice, where we repeat the exact same movement over and over, only teaches us how to do that movement in one particular context, with no challenge to vary and adapt it.

The relationship between scaffolding and mastery learning is key to the development of overall learning. Mastery learning is where the students are helped to master each learning unit before proceeding to a more advanced learning task" (Bloom 1968). In most cases a teacher would plan to break up a skill or concept in to small chunks to allow students to gain the necessary insight and practice to become content with the subject/activity. From here children would be assessed for their basic understanding and application of the skill and grouped according to their success.

Differentiation is the practice of varying instruction in the learning environment to promote learning in as many students as possible (Tomlinson, 2000). Differentiation is an educational strategy in which students who possess different abilities, display different learning needs, and varying levels of academic achievement are grouped together or given individualized tasks. As a general instructional strategy, differentiation shares many similarities with scaffolding.

Central to the concept of ‘scaffolding’ is the concept of providing assistance with tasks students are unable to master for themselves. With this in mind, the way in which a teacher pitches their expectations of students is key. This is where prior knowledge of student abilities and differentiation methods come in to their own. A teacher should try to engage all students as fully as possible by pitching the expectations and skills at the appropriate level. This will in turn create a success rich environment where students want to achieve and learn.

Throughout the course of a lesson, a teacher may find they are using a variety of strategies to cater for different stage-of-learning – and therefore different approaches to engage with the aims, content and purpose of the lesson.

In attempting to offer appropriate scaffolding for each learner, the teacher helps each student master a task or concept that the student is initially unable to grasp independently. The teacher offers assistance with only those skills that are beyond the student’s capability.

Considering students receive, interpret and process information in ways unique to themselves there is need to make every effort to use individualised learning. Although it would be virtually impossible to truly individualise learning for all students, teachers should employ differentiated approaches where feasible. Here teachers can modify the activity to make it more difficult or simpler, thus providing tasks that are appropriate to the individuals in their class.

When we consider a question like this we need to establish the two types of motivation. Intrinsic motivation is defined as the motivation (the drive to do something) from within. A person with intrinsic motivation will persist with a task even in the face of difficulty, will choose to challenge themselves, and will gain rewards simply from the task itself, not necessarily rewards, praise or winning. Extrinsic motivation on the other hand is motivation which is driven by external reward such as money, prizes, status, fear of punishment etc.