Scaffolding interaction in English as a second language classroom: a socio - cultural analysis

Abstract

Scaffolding interaction (SI) is relevant to the teaching and learning of English as a second language as it emphasizes the interactive nature of learning, providing contingent and collaborative support (Walqui, 2006: Forman, 2008). The study examines how teachers’ language use provides SI to view learning as a shared activity between teacher and learners, adopting a qualitative approach that draws data from a larger study to examine the concept of SI. The finding shows that teacher’s language use mediates joint construction of learning opportunities and the strategic use of the third turn position and code switching influenced and helped to maintain contingency and support. It is also revealed from the finding that SI provides affordance for dialogic discourse that is co- constructed by the teacher and the learners, facilitating learner participation. The study concluded that the right kind of SI is required to facilitate learning and also emphasizes that failure in success of teaching cannot be attributed to lack of language proficiency or fluency, but due to lack of commitment, confidence and perseverance that is required to provide the right target language affordance.