VISUAL SCAFFOLDING

By Danielle Nagel and Partner

 WHAT IS VISUAL SCAFFOLDING
Using visual aids to make verbal instruction more understandable
Allows students to connect spoken English to visual cues
Teachers should provide the hard copy of visuals as well as digital files
(for easy access)
Teacher gestures are extremely helpful. The meaning of the gestures
should be pre taught and used consistently
The goal of visual scaffolding is to support content with use of
corresponding visuals, no matter the subject area.
Using visuals allows student to build on previous knowledge
 STEPS TO VISUAL SCAFFOLDING
1. Identify the vocabulary
Specify the key words in the lesson
2. Collect the visuals
Find corresponding pictures to the new vocabulary
Find pictures to reinforce old vocabulary that students might not be comfortable with
3. Reproduce and organise visuals
Make the images easy to display
Put the images in the order they will be used during the lesson
4. Engage the students
Get the students to make use of the pictures
Create a classroom dictionary
5. Build the file
Continue to develop the students vocabulary
Make the content accessible to students both inside and outside the classroom
 HISTORY CURRICULUM
EXPECTATION
CHC2D: Canadians History since World War 1, Grade 10 Academic
Strand B. Canada, 1914-1929
Overall Expectation
B2. Communities, Conflict, and Cooperation: analyse some key interaction
within and between different communities in Canada, and between Canada
and the international community, from 1914 to 1929, and how they affected
Canadian society and politics
Specific Expectation
B2.2 analyse, with reference to specific events or issues, the significance of
Canadas participation in international relations between 1914 and 1929
 ESL CURRICULUM EXPECTATION
Reading
Overall Expectations
2. Use a variety of reading strategies throughout the reading process top
extract meaning from texts;
3. Use a variety of strategies to build vocabulary
Specific Expectations
2.2 identify and use a variety of features of texts to locate information and
aid comprehension
3.1 use a variety of vocabulary acquisition strategies to enrich vocabulary
 ESL CURRICULUM EXPECTATION
Writing
Overall Expectation
1. Write in a variety of forms for different purposes and audiences
Specific Expectation
1.2 write longer and more complex texts to express ideas and feeling on
personal topics using a variety of forms
 STEP LEVEL 2
Our student already demonstrates the following skills
Reading
Demonstrate understanding by responding to a simple text with visual support
using drawings, L1, pre taught vocabulary and high frequency words. Read and
follow short, simply worded instructions
Identify and use common text features to locate information
Decode unfamiliar vocabulary, using key visuals and other cueing systems
Writing
Write simple sentences, using familiar words and a framework provided by the
teacher
Use elements of English grammar in simple compound sentences
Write words, using common sound symbols patterns. Write familiar words
 STEP LEVEL 3
Our students to reach level 3 should be able to by the end of the year:
Reading
Demonstrate understanding by responding to simple or adapted text, read
and follow instructions consisting of a few steps for a variety of tasks
Locate information using text features in a text without visual support
Read and understand pre taught academic words. Determine the meaning of
unfamiliar vocabulary, using root words, prefixes and suffixes
Writing
Generate ideas with peers using familiar strategies
Sort and organise ideas or information by choosing a familiar organizer
Write about familiar topics, using linked sentences in some text forms
Choose key subject specific words to write about a topic
Write key subject specific vocabulary be referring to list and resources
CREATING A VISUAL DICTIONARY
 VIMY RIDGE
Took place on April 9th, 1917 on Easter morning in the region of the Arras
It was the first time all the divisions of the Canadian army were together
during the First World War
It was very important to those in charge that everyman knew the plan to
attack the ridge, that way if someone died, someone else could file their role
This was first time the creeping barrage was perfected. Creeping barrage
is when the artillery fires just ahead of the troops in order to protect the
troops from enemy fire.
Leading up to the attack the Canadians completed many trench raids on
the Germans in order to demoralise them
The British Commander of the troops during this battle was Sir Julian Byng
who was advised by the First Division Command Arthur Currie
 ACTIVITY
Students are going to create their own visual dictionary
Steps
1. Look over the list of vocabulary
2. As a group discuss what you think the vocabulary words mean
3. As a group look for pictures that represent the terms
4. In the group discuss if those pictures match the definitions
5. Create possible definitions for the words given to go along with the
pictures
6. Upload your definitions to the google classroom for everyone else to
see
7. Present your findings
 Creeping Barrage: was an artillery tactic
where the gunners fired ahead of the troops,
allowing the infantry to follow behind it and
be protected from enemy gunners.
 VOCABULARY

Vimy Ridge Monument

Division
Infantry
Trench Raids
Arthur Currie
Sir Julian Byng or the Byng Boys
The Arras Region
WORK PERIOD
10-15 minutes
PRESENTATION TIME
 LESSON FOLLOW UP
Make sure that the visual dictionary is always available to
all of the students (i.e. accessible on a google classroom)
Do a follow up activity where the students have to use
the vocabulary they learned in sentences, both orally and
written.
The visual dictionary should be used as a tool for
assisting the students, not as a tool for evaluating them.
 UNIVERSAL DESIGN
This activity can be used anytime you introduce new vocabulary to a
class
For example in science you can use it to introduce the parts of a cell and
terminology related to it
This activity can be used at all grade when introducing new ideas
For example in kindergarten you can use a visual dictionary to help students
learn their animals
For younger grades you can incorporate visual scaffolding into your word
wall- pair each word on the wall with a visual
Always make it accessible so that student can access it when they need
it, whether that be in a day, a week, or a year
 REFERENCES
Herrell, A. L., & Jordan, M. (2016). 50 Strategies for Teaching English Language
Learners (Fifth ed.). USA: Pearson Education.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2007). The Ontario curriculum grades 9 to 12:
English as a second language and English literacy development. Retrieved
from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum /secondary/esl.html.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). The Ontario curriculum grades 9 and 10:
Canadian and World Studies. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.
ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/canworld.html.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2015). STEP: Steps to English proficiency.
Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/ell/systemleader
/instructional_guidance.html.