A Scaffolding Model for small groups in mathematics

We investigated whether the use of the Small-Group Scaffolding model (SGS model), when supporting heterogeneous student-groups in a collaborative setting in math lessons, promoted teachers’ contingent support. Participants were four teachers and 109 students working collaboratively in 28 small heterogeneous student-groups on the topic of Early Algebra. The two teachers in the experimental condition were taught to scaffold the groups in their classes according to the SGS model (give contingent support adapted to student-groups’ needs). 136 fragments, containing 2680 utterances, of the interaction between four teachers and eight of their student groups were analyzed, showing that more contingent support was given in the scaffolding condition. We concluded that using the SGS model does promote teachers’ contingent support.