SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES BOOKMARK

Building Independence, Not Dependence

🎯 THE GOLDEN RULE

Start with LESS support, add MORE only if needed. Goal: Smallest clue that helps them succeed!

📊 THE SCAFFOLDING LADDER

(Start at Level 1, move up only if needed)

LEVEL 1: WAIT TIME ⏰

  • Count to 5-7 silently
  • Let them think!
  • Often all they need

LEVEL 2: FINGER TRACKING 👉

  • Slide finger under word
  • Helps them focus
  • “Let’s track together…”

LEVEL 3: PROMPTING QUESTIONS ❓

  • “What’s the first sound?”
  • “Do you see a chunk you know?”
  • “Does that make sense?”

LEVEL 4: FIRST SOUND CUE 🔤

  • Give beginning sound
  • “This starts with /st/…”
  • Let them finish it

LEVEL 5: PICTURE CUE 🖼️

  • Point to illustration
  • “Look at the picture”
  • “What’s happening?”

LEVEL 6: CHUNKING ✂️

  • Break into parts
  • Cover portions with finger
  • “See a little word inside?”

LEVEL 7: BLEND ASSISTANCE 🔊

  • Say sounds with them
  • “/c/…../a/…../t/… cat!”
  • Gradually speed up

LEVEL 8: TELL THEM 💬

  • Give the word
  • “That’s ‘giraffe'”
  • Then: “Read the sentence again”

🌟 PROCESS PRAISE PHRASES

Instead of: ❌ “Perfect!” ❌ “You’re so smart!” ❌ “Good job.”

Try: ✓ “You worked so hard!” ✓ “Great strategy!” ✓ “You didn’t give up!” ✓ “You figured it out yourself!” ✓ “You tried again!” ✓ “Smart thinking!”

🎭 CATCH & RELEASE

When they’re truly stuck:

  1. CATCH (5 seconds) Give word quickly “That’s ‘stream'”
  2. RELEASE (immediately) Hand it back “Now you read the sentence”
  3. KEEP MOVING Continue story Don’t dwell on it!

🎯 CHOICE = ENGAGEMENT

Offer choices to build ownership:

  • “Which book tonight?”
  • “Your turn or mine?”
  • “One chapter or two?”
  • “Want to try this page?”

Pressure kills joy. Choice creates it!

⏱️ THE 5-SECOND PAUSE CHALLENGE

This is for YOU, not your child!

When they pause at a word:

  1. Take a breath
  2. Count: 1…2…3…4…5
  3. Wait a bit more
  4. THEN decide if they need help

More often than not, they’ll solve it!

✅ QUICK CHECK

After each reading session:

☐ Did I wait 5 seconds before jumping in? ☐ Did I start with a LOW scaffold level? ☐ Did I praise the PROCESS not perfection? ☐ Did I offer at least one CHOICE? ☐ Did I use “catch & release” when needed?

3+ checks = You’re building independence!

🚫 AVOID THESE!

❌ Jumping in too fast (robs them of “aha!” moment) ❌ Stopping at every error (kills flow) ❌ Taking over when they struggle ❌ Only praising perfection ❌ No choices offered ❌ Forcing harder books

💡 REMEMBER:

Independence isn’t taught—it’s GROWN.

Your job: Create safe space to try. Their job: Try, struggle, succeed.

Trust them. They’re more capable than you think! 🌸

Words That Bloom | www.wordsthatbloom.com Building Confident, Independent Readers

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