Students are given much scaffolded support during their initial exposure to language learning. This gradual release of responsibility from teacher to student allows students to experience early success with using the French language. Modeling is used to provide initial input, and teacher support is used to enable students to function with varying degrees of support or scaffolding as they acquire the language knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to participate in language learning experiences.

• Modeled situations refer to the language provided by the teacher which is closely observed and copied by the students.
• Highly-structured situations provide specific learning supports which allow no choice in language models used by the students in a large group sharing situation.
• Structured situations provide specific learning supports which allow limited choice in language models used by the students in a large group sharing situation.
• Semi-structured situations provide learning supports in open-ended learning situations. Students are able to make choices from the language models provided as they learn to express themselves in a large group sharing situation.
• Guided situations still provide teacher support to the students, however, students are given more responsibility in functioning on their own for very short periods in pairs or in small groups.
• Semi-guided situations provide less teacher support, but the teacher is still available to provide support when required. Students are beginning to rely less on scaffolding provided by the teacher as they use language in pairs or in small groups.
• Independent situations require that students function on their own to make choices based on familiar material, and to select appropriate language to communicate their own original messages.