In studies of literature and society, structuralism offers a methodology that observes the relationship of parts to a whole, and this theory is crucial to teaching. One of Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2012) is a method known as scaffolding, in which teachers engage in modelling and provide ‘scaffolds’ for students, to aid them in learning difficult concepts. This structural engagement is a form of ‘cognitive apprenticeship’ in which thinking is made visible to support understanding and mastery.

If we consider the real-world purpose of scaffolding in construction, the analogy informs how the cognitive process works. Scaffolding, also known as staging, is a temporary support structure on the outside of a building, made of wooden planks and metal poles, used by workmen while building, repairing, or cleaning buildings. In teaching, models of concepts or skills are presented to learners to gradate the learning process, providing them with temporary support in building new ideas in their minds. Notably, in construction, staging refers specifically to the fixed platform feature in scaffolding. In constructivist theory, staging correlates to the concept of levelling, whereby the mind is working to achieve higher echelons of thought.

According to instructional scaffolding, visual structures and shapes serve as aids, suggesting they imprint well on minds. The literal origin of the ‘impression’ recalls the mechanical process of the printing press, through which ink was pressed onto paper; in applying pressure, the ink was transferred. This literal concept of transference birthed the metaphor of the mental impression, through which a transmitted image was understood to be imprinted upon the mind of the receiver. Impression formation is a studied process of social psychology in which pieces of knowledge are combined to form a summary impression. According to Gestalt psychology, or gestaltism (from the German Gestalt meaning ‘form, shape, unified whole’), organisms perceive entire patterns or configurations, not merely individual components, which suggests ‘the whole is other than the sum of its parts’ (Kurt Koffka). In Gestalt theory, the principles of similarity, proximity, continuation, closure, figure/ground, and connection (symmetry and order) determine how humans perceive visuals in relation to objects and environments. These mental processes suggests impressions are form transmissions, and as such more mechanical than they might seem.

Thom Sherrington, teacher and author, contends of scaffolding that ‘the metaphor… embeds the idea that, when ready, the supports are withdrawn. Scaffolding always comes down; it is only temporary and must not become relied upon in the long run.’ In his Teaching WalkThrus: Five-step guides for instructional coaching (2020), Sherrington outlines the following five steps for scaffolding:

Map out the components of a task, breaking down the steps and anticipating difficulties;
Provide supports at a detailed level, in the form of diagrams, maps, prompts, organisers and exemplars;
Provide support at overview level, using partially completed and completed exemplars, and checklists;
Prepare scaffolding sets offering varying levels of support, for inclusion and differentiation;
Take the scaffolding down, prompting students to attempt the task independently.

The independent mastery of the task is a crucial step in building confidence, yet arguably the scaffolding is not taken down at this stage. The process of form transmission suggests that, if a scaffold is well transmitted, it is imprinted on the mind of the learner. As such, the scaffold itself is transferred and implanted, as a thought structure in the receiving mind. Through effective communication, structuration becomes embedded; and through repetition, it becomes automated, reducing cognitive load and facilitating the application of other knowledge to the structure.