Instructional Strategy

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Think-Pair-Share

Grade:

K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Type:

Discuss & Collaborate
< 20

Minutes

When:

Before, during, and after reading

Materials:

None
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Description

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© Alona Horkova—iStock/ Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
The Think-Pair-Share strategy is a collaborative instructional strategy that encourages individual thinking, peer discussion, and whole-class sharing. Students consider a question or topic independently, discuss their ideas with a partner, and share their insights with the larger group. This strategy promotes active participation, enhances communication skills, and helps students articulate their understanding in a supportive environment.
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Procedure

1
Present a question, image or topic to students and give them time to think about their responses individually. Encourage them to jot down their ideas or make notes.
2
After sufficient thinking time, ask students to pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts and compare ideas.
3
After pairs have had time to discuss, invite each pair to share their insights with the whole class. This can be done by having pairs volunteer to speak, calling on specific pairs, or using a randomized selection method.
4
Facilitate a class discussion based on the pairs’ contributions, highlighting key points and encouraging further elaboration or clarification as needed.
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Differentiation

Graphic Organizers: Provide graphic organizers for students to record their thoughts during the “think” phase. This helps structure their ideas and makes it easier for them to share during the “pair” and “share” phases.
Sentence Starters: Offer sentence starters or prompts to help students begin their discussions. This is particularly useful for students who may struggle with initiating conversation or articulating their thoughts.
Role Rotation: Rotate roles within pairs, such as one student being the “questioner” who asks probing questions and the other being the “responder” who elaborates on their initial thoughts. This helps students develop different communication skills and deepens their understanding of the topic.
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Variations

Think-Pair-Square: After the initial pair discussion, have each pair join with another pair to form a small group of four. This “square” group then discusses their ideas before sharing with the whole class. This variation promotes a broader exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Digital Think-Pair-Share: Use an online platform where students can type their thoughts during the “think” phase and pair up in virtual breakout rooms to discuss. They can share their final insights with the whole class through a digital forum or collaborative document. This variation leverages technology to facilitate collaboration and sharing.
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