What is 'scaffolding' in the context of education?

Scaffolding in education refers to the instructional method where teachers provide temporary support to students as they learn new concepts or skills. This support is gradually removed as students become more proficient, allowing them to develop greater independence in their learning. This process helps students build confidence and competence, as they start by relying on the teacher's guidance and eventually progress to mastering tasks on their own. The goal is to empower students, enabling them to tackle complex problems independently after initially receiving the necessary support to understand the material.

The other options do not align with the essence of scaffolding. Providing permanent support would not encourage independence; offering no support contradicts the purpose of scaffolding, which is to assist learners; teaching only theoretical concepts would ignore the hands-on practice and gradual release of responsibility that scaffolding emphasizes.