Scaffolding numeracy: pre-service teachers' perspective

Scaffolding has become increasingly popular as it provides teachers with an appealing alternative to traditional classroom techniques of teaching. Recent research identified a number of different ways that scaffolding can be used in the classroom to improve students’ numeracy levels in primary schools. However, despite the importance of scaffolding, pre-service teachers experience difficulties in understanding the complex techniques of scaffolding and often fail to make connections between theoretical explanations and their practical use. This paper examines current perceptions of scaffolding by a cohort of pre-service teachers, both in its conceptual framework and its practical implications to teaching in the classroom, and to teaching numeracy in particular. The results indicated that the participants appreciated the importance of scaffolding as an alternative to the traditional forms of educational instruction. However, they continue to demonstrate a limited appreciation of the more complex and theoretical aspects of scaffolding.