Session 3: Scaffolding Learning during Small Group Skills Instruction
Sequence of Sessions
TEACHERS & PRINCIPALS
This one-day training is designed for teachers using preschool CKLA. The training will focus on how to use scaffolding techniques to provide support to diverse learners
throughout the CKLA preschool day. The training will follow an “I do, we do, you do” approach to teach participants to apply scaffolding strategies to different types of
CKLA activities.
Overarching Objectives of this May 2014 Network Team Institute:
TEACHERS
1. We discussed 3 aspects of an activity that can be changed to adapt for more or less support. What are they?
2. In planning for adaptations, what is the first question to consider?
3. Which is an example of a high-support read-aloud prompt?
High-Level Purpose of this Session:
TEACHERS
Session Description:
Presenters will showcase ways to offer support during Small Group Skills instruction for diverse learners. Examples of ways
scaffolding techniques can be layered onto Small Group Skills activities will be demonstrated for activities in the Animals domain.
With guidance from the presenter, participants will then collectively brainstorm ways in which they might scaffold one Small Group
activity using a specific scaffolding technique and its dimensions. Then, participants will work independently or in small groups to
adapt one Small Group activity to fit the needs of learners with diverse needs (presented as a case study).
Related Learning Experiences
Prior to the May NTI, all participant not familiar with UDL may wish to view this overview document:
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/udlguidelines_graphicorganizer
For those participants who did not participate in the November/December Preschool ELA NTI session, or for those who wish to review, we recommend the
following resources be reviewed prior to the May NTI event:
CKLA-Preschool General Overview document: http://www.engageny.org/resource/preschool-ela-general-overview
CKLA-Preschool Overview Webinar:
http://www.engageny.org/resource/ckla-prek-overview-webinar
Key Points

This session will give participants an opportunity to scaffold (applying process from session 2) with particular students in mind, using student profiles
that will be provided.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of this session?
How will we know that they are able to do this?
In this session principals and teachers will:
In this session principals and teachers will:
1. Participants will gain familiarity with scaffolding one Small Group Skills
activity from the Animals domain using an ‘I do, You do, We do’ protocol
and three different scaffolding strategies
2. Using the tool presented in Session 1, participants will demonstrate two
adaptations of a Small Group Skills activity in response to the needs of
two groups of students who need varying levels of support.
1. Participants demonstrate scaffolding one Small Group Skills activity from
the Animals domain
2. Using the tool presented in Session 1, participants will demonstrate two
adaptations of a Small Group Skills activity in response to the needs of
two groups of students who need varying levels of support.
Session Overview
Section
1.
Hook,
Remind, and
Present
2.
Prepare and
Present
3.
Group
Practice and
Quick Debrief
Time
Overview
Prepared
Resources
Facilitator
Preparation
15
HOOK: MODEL the Day 16 Warm Up Activity using beach ball and rhyming words from the
activity.
REMIND: Tell participants that the purpose of Small Group Skills is to introduce new skills
and concepts and to spend time working directly with students in a small group setting.
PRESENT: Tell participants that any activity throughout the day can be broken down into
discrete steps. Show and explain the stair step metaphor which represents identifying the
end goal (end of the stairs) of an activity or skill and then identifying the discrete “stair
steps” a student needs to take to master that goal/skill. Tell participants that planning for
diverse learners is especially important in Small Group Skills. Small Group time is set aside
specifically to allow teachers to provide highly individualized feedback and scaffolding to
students.
Beach ball, Read and
Blank
practice
Planning
facilitating
Tool, Animals Animals Day 16
Teacher
Small Group 2
Guide: Days Warm Up
1&16
Activity
15
PREPARE: Have participants prepare for the session by reading the Warm Up activity from
Blank
Small Group 2, Day 16 (Animals) while thinking about how the stair step metaphor applies
Planning
to the activity.
Tool, Animals
PRESENT: Using the planning tool steps, model for participants the use of the planning tool
Teacher
to plan the Skills activity that they just read. The activity’s end goal is to have students
Guide: Days
provide a rhyming word when prompted. Break down the skills (“stair steps”) needed to
1&16
achieve this goal and identify scaffolding strategies that can be applied to each step.
15
GROUP PRACTICE 1: Have participants read Small Group 2 activity: “Silly Animal Rhymes”
which is very similar to the Warm Up that was just modeled and identify the end goal of
this activity (Step 1 in planning tool). Quickly review as a whole group the end goal: to
Blank
provide two rhyming words that fit into the verse structure of the song “Down by the Bay.”
Read Animals
Planning
GROUP PRACTICE 2: As small groups or individually, have participants identify the steps
Day 16 Small
Tool, Animals
required to achieve the end goal of providing a made-up rhyming verse. Remind
Group 2 Silly
Teacher
participants to think about both the specific activity on that day and how the skills needed
Animal Rhymes
Guide: Days
for that activity are dependent on other skills.
Activity
1&16
QUICK DEBRIEF: Review the steps identified as a whole group to make sure every step is
detailed. Discuss how steps can be related to the specific activity or can be broader as they
relate to a skill (phonological awareness) building across the year.
4.
Group
Practice
5.
Debrief and
Reflect
10
Blank
Read student
GROUP PRACTICE: Split participants into small groups (4-5) and assign each group a
Planning
profiles and list
student profile. The student profiles will vary from students who need very high support to Tool, Animals of possible
students who need low support, to students who have mastered the end goal already with Teacher
scaffolds you
most profiles being students who need various types higher support. Have the small
Guide: Days might provide for
groups identify scaffolding strategies and dimensions to apply at each step in order to help 1&16, 4
each student to
the profile student achieve the end goal.
Student
facilitate
Profiles
discussion
20
DEBRIEF: Discuss as a whole group which scaffolding strategies and dimensions were used
for different student profiles (i.e., students who are far from mastery versus for students
who are close to mastery). Then, ask about students who have already mastered the skill.
Discuss: Does the end goal ever change?
Answer: The end goal only changes in order to challenge students who have attained
master. The end goal might change for a specific student for that day’s 10 minute small
group because a teacher is scaffolding the student to “climb a certain number of stairs” on
a given day, but the ultimate goal is to get every student to attain the end goal for a given
skill.)
During each share, as a whole group, decide whether each adaptation was related to 1)
materials 2) child response 3) teacher feedback
REFLECT: Have participants think about how the planning tool can aid them in their
existing planning.
Blank
Read student
Planning
profiles and list
Tool, Animals of possible
Teacher
scaffolds you
Guide: Days might provide for
1&16, 4
each student to
Student
facilitate
Profiles
discussion
Session Roadmap
Section 1: Hook, Remind, and Present
Time: 15
Materials
used (in
slides)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions
10 minutes Slide 1
GROUP
Small Groups with
 Have participants stand in circles of 10 people with one facilitator. Facilitator
 Begin this session with a Warm Up activity from Small Group Skills:
The facilitator acts as the teacher. The facilitator says a single
syllable word like cat and passes the ball to someone else in the
circle. The person with the ball says a rhyming word and passes it
back to the facilitator. The facilitator says another rhyming word or
changes the rhyme family.
NA
Slide 2
NA
NA
NA
Slide 3
1 minute Slide 4
2 minutes Slide 5
NA
NA
 During this session is participants will use the planning tool
Whole Group
handout to
o Identify the end goal of a particular activity/task.
o List the steps for completing the end goal.
o Identify ways to help students achieve mastery of each
step.
 Participants will use the 3 scaffolding strategies discussed in earlier
sessions to plan ways to help students achieve mastery at each
step.
(REVIEW)
 The purpose of Small Group Skills is to introduce new skills and
provide opportunities for individualization and differentiation.
 Maximum of ten kids with one adult.
Whole Group
2 minutes Slide 6
(REVIEW)
 There are two small group activities per day that take about 10
minutes each.
 Typically each small group begins with a short active warm up
followed by a more in-depth activity that focuses on a particular skill
or group of skills.
Whole Group
Section 2: Prepare and Present
Time: 15
Materials
used (in
slides)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions
GROUP
2 minutes Slide 7
 The warm up rhyming activity we just did involves many levels or
steps to achieve the end goal of producing a rhyming word.
 In this session we will talk about how to differentiate instruction
during Small Group Skills activities.
HANDOUT:
07_Handout_ckla_pk_d3_tg_Day16
Whole Group
2 minutes Slide 8
 Step 1 of our planning process is to identify the activity’s end goal.
 The end goal of this activity is for a student to produce a rhyming
word.
 This is an expressive task and requires the student to be able to
think of a word that rhymes (real or nonsense) and say it out loud
in front of the group.
Whole Group
Animals
Teacher
Guide:
Day 16
6 minutes Slide 9
1 minutes Slide 10
 Step 2 is to identify the steps that a student takes to the end goal.
 In this case, there are the steps during the activity but there is also
an assumed skill that is the building block of producing rhyming
words: identifying rhyming words (point to blue box).
 An activity can be more or less demanding depending on the
response expected from a child. Identifying two words that rhyme
(receptive) is easier than producing a rhyming word (expressive).
(REVIEW FROM EARLIER SESSION)
Whole Group
Whole Group
 Remember, Carol Tomlinson, an expert in instructional
differentiation uses the analogy of a sound system equalizer when
describing scaffolding.
 Sometimes, only one aspect of the instruction is scaffolded. Other
times several aspects of the instruction can be scaffolded.
 Keep this image in mind while we talk about Step 3 of planning,
deciding how to scaffold the steps.
2 minutes Slide 11
 The final step in planning is to think about how to support each
step.
 The first two steps in this activity are more about behavior
management than the skill itself, but are essential for successful
participation in the game and can be scaffolded with teacher
feedback.
 As students play this game more and more, you can remove these
scaffolds because they will have learned the game and the
behavior expectations.
Whole Group
2 minutes Slide 12
 The next steps in this activity address the expressive skill of
producing a rhyming word.
 You might need to adjust the way you give students the prompt,
perhaps using additional materials, or you might change the
response you expect from a child.
 The ultimate goal of the activity, to produce a rhyming word, does
not change; only the scaffolding changes.
 As students master the end goal, you adjust each step to provide
less and less support and introduce new challenges.
Whole Group
Section 3: Group Practice and Quick Debrief
Time: 15
Materials
used (in
slides)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
5 minutes Slide 13
Script/ Activity directions
 Have participants read Small Group 2: Silly Animal Rhymes in their
handouts.
 As they read, have them think about the metaphor of stair steps. How
can you break this activity down into stairs a student could climb?
GROUP
Independent
HANDOUT:
07_Handout_ckla_pk_d3_tg_Day16
04_Handout_ckla_pk_d3_tg_Day1
2 minutes Slide 14
 Have participants identify the end goal of the Silly Animal Rhymes
Activity
 Debrief on the end goal: There are really TWO goals:
 “To produce two rhyming words, one an animal, as part of the verse.
 And, to illustrate the Silly Rhyme they have created.”
HANDOUT:
08_Handout_BlankPlanningTool
Independent
Whole Group
Blank
Planning
Tool,
Animals
Teacher
Guide:
Day 16
8 minutes Slide 15
 Have participants identify the steps to achieve the end goal
 Debrief on the steps to achieve these two goals: Should be
o Produce an animal’s name
o Produce a rhyming word matching the animal’s name (end goal
1)
o Comprehend the verse created by student and recorded by
teacher
o Hold drawing utensil
o Draw an interpretive picture of the verse (end goal 2)
 Are there any implied steps in being able to do these tasks?
o YES, expressive language, receptiveexpressive rhyme, drawing
confidence, behavioral expectations include waiting your turn to
have verse recorded by teacher
Independent
Whole Group
Section 4: Group Practice
Time: 10
Materials
used (in
slides)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
10
minutes
Slide 16
Student
profiles,
Script/ Activity directions
GROUP
Blank
 Hand out student profiles to tables and have participants work in small groups (3-5) Small
Planning
Groups (3- Tool,
with their student profile.
5)
o Read the profile aloud as a group
Animals
o Plan supports tailored to the student.
Teacher
 Please note, you won’t adjust materials, response AND feedback at each step, but
Guide:
you might think of different ways to differentiate at different steps.
Day 16
 Brainstorm as many ways to provide support as possible.
 These ideas would serve as your “tool box” when you actually conduct the activity in
class; it will be a list of ways to support a student from which you can pull things on
the fly based on how students are engaging in the activity.
Section 5: Debrief and Reflect
Time: 20
Materials
used (in
slides)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions
GROUP
2 minutes Slide 17
 One representative from each group of 4-5 share scaffolding ideas as we
come across your student profile.
 Keep in mind what is being used to provide scaffolding: materials, feedback,
or adjusted expected response.
Whole
Group
Share
4 minutes Slide 18
 One representative from each group of 4-5 share scaffolding ideas for Sasha.
 Possible suggestions:
o Use picture cues for Sasha to help her choose two words that rhyme
(materials, teacher feedback)
o Ask Sasha if two words rhyme rather than having her come up with one
(child response)
o Play the rhyming game from Warm Ups to help Sasha remember some
rhyming words (Teacher Feedback)
o Give her a large crayon for drawing (materials)
o Allow her to draw or paint on a vertical surface rather than horizontal
Whole
Group
Share
4 minutes Slide 19
 One representative from each group of 4-5 share scaffolding ideas for
Maribell.
 Possible suggestions:
o Use picture cues for Maribell to help her choose two cards that depict
rhyming words. (materials, child response)
o Ask Maribell if two words rhyme rather than having her come up with
one (child response)
o Let Maribell whisper her rhyming words to you rather than say them in
front of other students (child response)
o Have Maribell draw her rhyming sentence before telling you the words
that rhyme (child response)
o Give her a large crayon for drawing (materials)
4 minutes Slide 20
 One representative from each group of 4-5 share scaffolding ideas for James. Whole
Group
 Possible suggestions:
o Model the activity for James by creating your own drawing with two silly Share
rhyming words (Teacher feedback)
o Use picture cues for James to help him choose two cards that depict
rhyming words. (materials, child response)
o Ask James if two words rhyme rather than having him come up with one
(child response)
o Have James draw his rhyming sentence before telling you the words that
rhyme (child response)
4 minutes Slide 21
 One representative from each group of 4-5 share scaffolding ideas for Ian.
 Possible suggestions:
o Ask Ian to write his silly rhyming words using invented spelling.
o Have Ian sing his version of Down by the Bay
o Have Ian make multiple drawings/silly rhyming verses to create a
songbook
o Encourage Ian to create feminine rhymes (e.g., monkey, skunky)
Whole
Group
Share
Whole
Group
Share
 The planning tool is flexible:
o Reiterate that the planning tool can be used at the school level,
classroom level, student level.
o It can also apply to a skill developing over time (attendance) OR a simple
10 minute activity.
o It is a methodical way of thinking about and planning an activity for
diverse learnings
o Have participants reflect on the planning tool and how it can help them
plan for skills activities in their own schools and classrooms.
2 minutes Slide 22
Whole
Group
Share
Independe
nt
Reflection
Use the following icons in the script to indicate different learning modes.
Video
Reflect on a prompt
Turnkey Materials Provided
Session3_Scaffolding Learning During Small Group--Skills Instruction.PPT
Session3_Scaffolding Learning During Small Group--Skills Instruction_FG.doc
07_Handout_ckla_pk_d3_tg_Day16
04_Handout_ckla_pk_d3_tg_Day1
08_Handout_BlankPlanningTool
0B_Student Profiles
Additional Suggested Resources
Beach ball
Active learning
Turn and talk