I’ve been reflecting on how we can better nurture fluency, independence, and hard thinking in A-Level students.
Scaffolds are invaluable tools. They give students a framework for their thinking, helping them structure responses and approach tasks with clarity. But here’s the question: what happens when we hand over the task for creating the scaffold to the students themselves?
Here’s an approach I’m using with my A-Level Drama students. We’re working through a set of questions. For the first two, I’ve provided scaffolds to model the process. For the third question, I’m starting with a “brain dump” where students identify the key “ingredients” they think a good response needs. From there, they’ll collaborate to construct a response scaffold, present it to me, and we’ll refine it together. They’ll then use their shared scaffold to write their responses.
This shift in responsibility does more than develop their ability to structure work. It activates metacognitive thinking where students engage with the why and how of their learning. It also builds on Self-Determination Theory: by giving them autonomy in the scaffold-building process, their motivation increases as they become invested in testing their own ideas.
Of course, this approach isn’t for every class. It requires students to already feel secure with the scaffolds and structures you’ve provided in the past. But for those ready to take that next step, it’s a healthy challenge. It fosters independence, deeper engagement, and transferable skills that reach beyond your subject.
What are your thoughts? Is this something you already apply or think could be useful?
