Developing teachers’ literacy scaffolding practices

SUMMARY

The paper explores the outcomes of a professional development (PD) intervention aimed at improving literacy scaffolding practices among teachers. This intervention, named Video to Support Excellence in Teaching (VIST), was conducted over three years (2018-2021) and involved 38 teachers from nine Norwegian schools. The focus was on enhancing three key scaffolding elements: modeling, feedback, and strategy instruction.

The intervention employed a cycle of videotaped lessons, live lesson observations, and coaching sessions, analyzed using the Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation (PLATO) framework. This approach aimed to provide teachers with actionable insights and support to refine their scaffolding techniques. The results showed significant improvements in the quality of teachers' literacy scaffolding practices, demonstrating the effectiveness of the video-based PD model.

The study situates its intervention within the broader context of evolving educational needs, highlighting the importance of continuous professional development for teachers. With rapidly changing curricula, advancing technologies, and increasingly diverse student populations, teachers face the ongoing challenge of adapting their instructional practices. Despite the critical role of scaffolding in literacy instruction, prior research indicates that teachers often struggle to integrate these practices effectively.

Key to the success of the VIST intervention were five features of effective PD: a focus on content, active learning, coherence, sustained duration, and collective participation. The intervention's design addressed these criteria by being site-based, individualized, and long-term, ensuring that teachers received ongoing, context-specific support. The study emphasized that high-quality PD needs to be flexible and responsive to teachers' unique contexts and needs.

Among the successes, the study found that teachers were able to implement high-level scaffolding practices more effectively over time. However, several challenges were also noted. Teachers expressed difficulties in translating theoretical scaffolding concepts into practical classroom applications. Additionally, achieving a common theoretical understanding among all participating teachers was challenging, highlighting the need for continued, nuanced support.

IMPLICATIONS

Implications for Educators

For teachers, the study highlights the effectiveness of video-based professional development (PD) in enhancing literacy scaffolding practices. The use of video allows teachers to reflect on their instructional techniques, observe best practices, and receive targeted feedback. This method can be adopted more widely in teacher training programs to facilitate continuous professional growth. Teachers are encouraged to actively participate in such interventions and collaborate with peers and coaches to improve their scaffolding skills, ultimately benefiting student literacy outcomes.

Implications for School Administrators and Policymakers:

School administrators and policymakers should recognize the value of sustained, individualized PD programs like the VIST intervention. Investing in long-term PD initiatives that provide ongoing support and coaching can lead to significant improvements in teaching quality. Administrators should ensure that PD programs are flexible enough to address the unique needs of teachers and adaptable to different school contexts. Policymakers might consider allocating funds and resources to develop and implement video-based PD programs on a larger scale, promoting a culture of continuous professional development within schools.

Implications for Professional Development Designers:

The findings underscore the importance of designing PD programs that incorporate the five features of effective PD: content focus, active learning, coherence, sustained duration, and collective participation. PD designers should integrate these elements into their programs to maximize their impact. The success of the VIST intervention suggests that combining video analysis with live observations and personalized coaching is a promising approach.

Implications for Researchers:

The study opens several avenues for future research. Researchers can explore the long-term effects of video-based PD interventions on teacher practices and student outcomes. Investigating how different scaffolding strategies impact various student demographics and learning environments can provide deeper insights into effective teaching practices. Additionally, researchers should examine the scalability of such interventions and how they can be adapted for different educational settings. The challenges reported by teachers, such as achieving a common theoretical understanding, warrant further investigation to develop more effective PD frameworks.

Implications for Teacher Education Programs:

Teacher education programs should incorporate video-based learning and reflection techniques into their curricula. By familiarizing pre-service teachers with these methods, teacher education programs can better prepare them for the demands of modern classrooms. Emphasizing the importance of scaffolding in literacy instruction and providing hands-on experience with video analysis can enhance the readiness of new teachers to implement effective teaching strategies from the outset of their careers.

Reference:

Article Title: Developing teachers’ literacy scaffolding practices—successes and challenges in a video-based longitudinal professional development intervention Authors: Camilla Gudmundsdatter Magnusson, Jennifer Maria Luoto and Marte Blikstad-Balas

Publication Year: 2023

Journal: Teaching and Teacher Education