The Effects of Fade‑in and Fade‑out Scaffolding on EFL Learners’ Grammar Achievement and Foreign Language Anxiety in Project‑Based Flipped Classrooms

Static scaffolding often fosters learner over-reliance, prompting interest in fading techniques like fade-in (least-to-most) and fade-out (most-to-least) support. While scaffolding has been widely studied, limited research compares these two fading approaches within project-based flipped learning (PBFL), particularly in language education. This quantitative experimental study examined the effects of fade-in and fade-out scaffolding on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' acquisition of passive voice structures and their foreign language anxiety (FLA). Over six weeks, ninety homogenized female learners in a project-based flipped learning (PBFL) course were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (fade-in or fade-out scaffolding) and a control group (no systematic scaffolding). A pretest and post-test measured grammar gains, and an FLA scale was administered post-course. ANCOVA results revealed four main findings. First, the fade-in group significantly outperformed the control group. Second, although the fade-out group showed higher gains than the control, this difference was not statistically significant. Third, no significant difference emerged between the two fading approaches. Finally, the type of scaffolding received did not significantly affect learners' FLA levels. These findings offer language teachers practical guidance for implementing fading scaffolding within PBFL environments.