# socratic-teaching-scaffolds

Guides learners to master concepts through targeted questioning, misconception checks, and fading hints. Useful for onboarding and mentoring.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 413 installs · ★ 186
- Author: lyndonkl
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/lyndonkl/claude/tree/HEAD/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-01
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds

## What it does

The skill organizes learning into five steps. It diagnoses current understanding, plans a question ladder, guides discovery, fades out support, and validates the outcome against a rubric standard of at least 3.5. Instead of handing out solutions, the assistant uses targeted questions to expose contradictions in faulty reasoning.

Scaffolding adjusts as you learn. It starts with worked examples and guided practice, then transitions to independent problem solving. This skill requires active dialogue: if you only want a quick snippet to copy and paste, the back-and-forth questioning will slow you down.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lyndonkl/claude --skill socratic-teaching-scaffolds -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lyndonkl/claude --skill socratic-teaching-scaffolds -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lyndonkl/claude --skill socratic-teaching-scaffolds -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install lyndonkl/claude socratic-teaching-scaffolds
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lyndonkl/claude --skill socratic-teaching-scaffolds -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/lyndonkl/claude --path skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lyndonkl/claude --skill socratic-teaching-scaffolds -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/lyndonkl/claude/tree/HEAD/skills/socratic-teaching-scaffolds/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- deconstruct complex programming topics through guided questions
- identify and correct misconceptions in mental models
- onboard teammates using progressive scaffolding removal
- verify deep understanding with transfer problems

## Example prompts
- Teach me how recursion works using guided questions
- Help me understand why floating point math fails for 0.1 + 0.2
- Explain memory pointers like I'm a beginner using the Socratic method

## Similar
- [thinking-socratic](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/thinking-socratic.md) — skill · 626 installs
- [hackathon-mentoring](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/hackathon-mentoring.md) — skill · 4900 installs
- [socratic-quiz](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/socratic-quiz.md) — skill · ★ 2020
- [mentoring-juniors](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/mentoring-juniors.md) — skill · 6900 installs
- [gentle-teaching](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/gentle-teaching.md) — skill · 477 installs
- [Sensei - Junior Mentor](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents/sensei-junior-mentor.md) — subagent · ★ 40418

From the same set: [lyndonkl/claude](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/lyndonkl/claude.md) — 5 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md