Distancing scaffolds should encourage a child to complete a thought or activity with little guidance from a teacher. These scaffolds are used by the adult to gradually reduce the amount of support provided to a child. Distancing scaffolds allow adults and teachers to give children opportunities to take control of an activity and by doing so develop their cognitive thinking.

The next slide demonstrates examples for how teachers can show support for children’s independence.

When using distancing scaffolds teachers support children’s development of independent thinking into the conceptual realm. This kind of independent thinking can be supported by asking conceptual questions rather than perceptual ones. Asking conceptual questions allows children to think beyond information given in the present. Conceptual questions permit child to take control of the activity by evoking their own creative responses.

Perceptual Question: “What is he wearing on his feet?”

Conceptual Question: “How are the river and the lake alike?”