Scaffolding Techniques: Investigating the Status of Foreign Language Teacher's Familiarity

Abstract

In the present study, the researchers have investigated foreign language teachers’ familiarity with scaffolding techniques and where Iranian instructors have learnt such scaffolding techniques. This study follows a descriptive-survey method. For this purpose the researchers used a questionnaire of scaffolding techniques. The questionnaires were distributed among 41 instructors in three university language centers. A binomial Test was carried out to investigate the rate of Iranian instructors’ acquaintance with scaffolding. As the result of the first question showed, the majority of Iranian instructors were familiar with the scaffolding techniques and used them while teaching. Furthermore, according to the results of the second question more than half of the Iranian instructors have learnt most of scaffolding techniques in MA level. The results also clearly showed that there are weaknesses in the educational system (here MA courses) for foreign language teaching skills.

Keywords

• scaffolding in education
• foreign language teachers
• foreign language learning