Scaffolding in the Classroom

In the days before I knew about more effective practices, I used to assign my learners to practice their spelling words by writing sentences that contained their words - just like my teacher did to me. Unlike my teacher, I allowed learners to write as many or as few sentences that they cared to as long as they incorporated all of their spelling words. 

I will never forget one of my students, Henry, who always turned in this assignment with some of the most amazing sentences that always revealed a very creative story as the sentences flowed from one line to the next. Henry was always so proud of his work. There was just one small problem I had with his sentences every single week. His sentences NEVER included ANY of the spelling words. In vain I attempted to explain to him of my problem. He just simply was too wrapped up in his writing to take time to consider these words that had no use to him. 

I wonder what Vygotsky would have thought about Henry. In Mind and Society (1978), Vygotsky provides some insight into an experiment conducted by A.N. Leontiev wherein he examined the potential signs played during memory activities. Children were asked basic questions would illicit a color (red, blue yellow, green, etc.) for an response. In one of the activities, cards with colors were laid before the children as they answered these questions. The transcribed data revealed that the were not a feature that was heavily relied on by the children, and in some cases they got in the way for the children as they tried to answer the questions (Vygotsky 1978). 

 I am aware that Henry's story isn't exactly like the research Vygotsky explained, but the research still made me think about the symbols we impose upon students and expect that they use them I wonder what other resources educators use, with good intention, that actually are limiting students as they make an effort to construct their own meaning or draw from their own understanding.