Effective scaffolding strategies help learners move beyond their current level of understanding by providing structured support as they build new skills. Rooted in Vygotsky's theory of the Zone of Proximal Development, scaffolding enables students to tackle challenging tasks with guided assistance—promoting deeper learning, confidence, and independence. In the health sciences, where learners often encounter complex clinical reasoning and high-stakes performance tasks, scaffolding allows educators to support the development of competence while maintaining appropriate levels of challenge. Scaffolded instruction can take many forms, including breaking down tasks, modeling expert thinking, providing timely feedback, and gradually transferring responsibility to learners.

TLC‧To‧Go is produced by the Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, with the assistance of NotebookLM. Find more information about the TLC at http://tlc.uthsc.edu.