Fading scaffolds. Part 2: Supports to constructing explanations in primary science

Abstract

The development of the skills for constructing scientific explanations is challenging in primary education because it combines cognitive and linguistic elements, as well as a scientific support. Research in Spanish speaking contexts to orient the construction of explanations in the science classroom is scarce. This article addresses the implementation of instructional design for the construction of school scientific explanations with the support of fading scaffolds. The study sought to enhance the development of skills for explaining as well as the acquisition of new concepts which were part of the scientific support. The results show the students’ gradual progress on the construction of explanations while scaffolding was applied. We discuss orientations for the instructional design of scaffolding to support the construction of scientific explanations in primary education, based on this experience and, additionally, on the theoretical and empirical underpinning developed on the first part of this work.