Bridging Gaps with Technology: A Systematic Review of Digital Scaffolding in ESL Classrooms

Digital scaffolding has gained increasing attention in English as a Second Language (ESL) education; however, its conceptualisation and implementation remain fragmented. This systematic literature review synthesises empirical research on digital scaffolding in ESL contexts, examining how it is defined, the factors driving its adoption, and how it is implemented across formal educational settings. Guided by PRISMA 2020 protocols, a structured Scopus search identified 214 records published between 2020 and 2025, of which 8 studies met the inclusion criteria after screening. The synthesis reveals persistent conceptual ambiguity: while some studies equate digital scaffolding with technological affordances such as automated feedback or digital prompts, others frame it as adaptive, contingent, and fading support grounded in sociocultural learning theory. Drivers of digital scaffolding are broadly shared but contextually framed, with global studies emphasising enrichment, learner autonomy, and personalization, and Malaysian studies highlighting equity-related constraints such as feedback scarcity, infrastructural challenges, and assessment demands. Implementation spans micro-level tools, meso-level instructional sequences, and macro-level learning ecosystems, yet most interventions remain skill-specific, short-term, and limited in attention to scaffold fading and transfer. Overall, the review demonstrates that digital scaffolding extends beyond technology use and requires pedagogically designed, layered support that is sensitive to learner development and contextual conditions.