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Think-Pair-Share is a strategy designed to provide students with "food for thought" on a given topics enabling them to formulate individual ideas and share these ideas with another student. It is a learning strategy developed by Lyman and associates to encourage student classroom participation. Rather than using a basic recitation method in which a teacher poses a question and one student offers a response, Think-Pair­Share encourages a high degree of pupil response and can help keep students on task.

What is its purpose?

·            Providing "think time" increases quality of student responses.

·            Students become actively involved in thinking about the concepts presented in the lesson.

·            Research tells us that we need time to mentally "chew over" new ideas in order to store them in memory. When teachers present too much information all at once, much of that information is lost. If we give students time to "think-pair­share" throughout the lesson, more of the critical information is retained.

·            When students talk over new ideas, they are forced to make sense of those new ideas in terms of their prior knowledge. Their misunderstandings about the topic are often revealed (and resolved) during this discussion stage.

·            Students are more willing to participate since they don't feel the peer pressure involved in responding in front of the whole class.

·            Think-Pair-Share is easy to use on the spur of the moment.

·            Easy to use in large classes.

How can I do it?

·            With students seated in teams of 4, have them number them from 1 to 4.

·            Announce a discussion topic or problem to solve. (Example: Which room in our school is larger, the cafeteria or the gymnasium? How could we find out the answer?)

·            Give students at least 10 seconds of think time to THINK of their own answer. (Research shows that the quality of student responses goes up significantly when you allow "think time.")

·            Using student numbers, announce discussion partners. (Example: For this discussion, Student #1 and #2 will be partners. At the same time, Student #3 and #4 will talk over their ideas.)

·            Ask students to PAIR with their partner to discuss the topic or solution.

·            Finally, randomly call on a few students to SHARE their ideas with the class.

Teachers may also ask students to write or diagram their responses while doing the Think-Pair-Share activity. Think, Pair, Share helps students develop conceptual understanding of a topic, develop the ability to filter information and draw conclusions, and develop the ability to consider other points of view.

Uses for think, pair, share

Note check, Vocabulary review, Quiz review, Reading check, Concept review, Lecture check, Outline, Discussion questions, Partner reading, Topic development, Agree/Disagree, Brainstorming, Simulations, Current events opinion, Conceding to the opposition, Summarize, Develop an opinion

Hints and Management Ideas

·        Assign Partners - Be sure to assign discussion partners rather than just saying "Turn to a partner and talk it over." When you don't assign partners, students frequently turn to the most popular student and leave the other person out.

·          Change Partners - Switch the discussion partners frequently. With students seated in teams, they can pair with the person beside them for one discussion and the person across from them for the next discussion.

·          Give Think Time - Be sure to provide adequate "think time." I generally have students give me a thumbs-up sign when they have something they are ready to share.

·          Monitor Discussions - Walk around and monitor the discussion stage. You will frequently hear misunderstandings that you can address during the whole-group that discussion that follows.

·        Timed-Pair-Share - If you notice that one person in each pair is monopolizing the conversation, you can switch to "Timed-Pair-Share." In this modification, you give each partner a certain amount of time to talk. (For example, say that Students #1 and #3 will begin the discussion. After 60 seconds, call time and ask the others to share their ideas.)

Rallyrobin - If students have to list ideas in their discussion, ask them to take turns. (For example, if they are to name all the geometric shapes they see in the room, have them take turns naming the shapes. This allows for more equal participation.) The structure variation name is Rallyrobin (similar to Rallytable, but kids are talking instead of taking turns writing).

·          Randomly Select Students - During the sharing stage at the end, call on students randomly. You can do this by having a jar of popsicle sticks that have student names or numbers on them. (One number for each student in the class, according to their number on your roster.) Draw out a popsicle stick and ask that person to tell what their PARTNER said. The first time you do this, expect them to be quite shocked! Most kids don't listen well, and all they know is what they said! If you keep using this strategy, they will learn to listen to their partner.

·          Questioning - Think-Pair-Share can be used for a single question or a series of questions. You might use it one time at the beginning of class to say "What do you know about      ?" or at the end of class to say "What have you
learned today?"

How can I adapt it?

·        Think-Write-Pair-Share - To increase individual accountability, have students jot down their ideas before turning to a partner to discuss them. You can walk around the room and look at what they are writing to see who understands the concept. It also keeps kids from adopting the attitude that they will just sit back and let their partner to all the thinking.

·          Science - Making predictions about an experiment, discussing the results of an experiment, talking over charts and graphs, drawing conclusions, developing a concept through discussion, talking about environmental problems.

·          Health - Discussing healthful practices, talking about how to handle stress, discussing proper placement of foods in food groups, analyzing problems in a diet, reviewing body systems,

·          Social Studies - Discussing political viewpoints, learning about latitude and longitude, discussing economic trends, analyzing causes and effects of important events, discussing important contributions of historical figures

·          Math Problem-Solving - Place a complex problem on the overhead (For example, use one of the Weekly Math Challenges found in the Math File Cabinet.) Ask students to think about the steps they would use to solve the problem, but do not let them figure out the actual answer. Without telling the answer to the problem, have students discuss their strategies for solving the

problem. Then let them work out the problem individually and compare answers.

·          Math - Practicing how to read large numbers, learning how to round numbers to various places, reviewing place value, solving word problems (as described above), recalling basic geometric terms, discussing the steps of division, discussing how to rename a fraction to lowest terms

·          Spelling - Call out a word, have them think of the spelling, then designate one person to turn and whisper the spelling to their partner. The partner gives a thumbs-up to show agreement, or corrects the spelling. You can reveal the correct spelling by uncovering the word from a chart.

·          Reading - Discuss character traits and motives, make predictions before a chapter or at the end of a read-aloud session, discuss the theme of a book or story, make guesses about vocabulary words based on context clues in the story, discuss the meaning of similes and metaphors in a story

·          Language Arts - Discuss Daily Oral Language responses, discuss ways to edit or revise a piece of writing, talk over story ideas, discuss letter-writing conventions

·        Art - Discuss elements of artistic compositions, discuss symbolism in artwork, compare and contrast the various works of a particular artist, analyze the use of color and line in works of art

·          Music - Identify elements of musical compositions, identify instruments in musical selections, compare and contrast types of music

Assessment and Evaluation Considerations

Listening skills, communication skills, using appropriate structures and features of spoken language, effective note taking and co-operative skills are most effectively assessed when using this strategy.

Student Benefits

With Think-Pair-Share, students are given time to think through their own answers to the question(s) before the questions are answered by other peers and the discussion moves on. Students also have the opportunity to think aloud with another student about their responses before being asked to share their ideas publicly. This strategy provides an opportunity for all students to share their thinking with at least one other student; this, in turn, increases their sense of involvement in classroom learning.

As a Cooperative Learning strategy, Think-Pair-Share also benefits students in the areas of peer acceptance, peer support, academic achievement, self-esteem, and increased interest in other students and school.

Teacher Benefits

Students spend more time on task and listen to each other more when engaged in Think-Pair-Share activities. More students are willing to respond in large groups after they have been able to share their responses in pairs. The quality of students responses also improves.

Assigned questions are those prepared by the teacher to be answered by individuals or small groups of students. Students discuss their responses among one another or with the teacher. Particular positions or points-of-view should be supported by evidence. In some instances, it may be desirable for students to generate their own set of questions.

This instructional method is effective when questions are well-phrased so that answering involves more than mechanical searching and copying from a book or other reference. It can be an efficient way for the teacher to introduce or review facts, concepts, generalizations, arguments, and points-of-view. Well-selected assigned questions can stimulate higher-level thinking, problem solving, decision making, and personal reflection. Questions should allow for multiple responses. Because student abilities and learning styles differ, this method may require some adaptation in order to maximize learning for all students.

Open Book exams allow you to take notes, texts or resource materials into an exam situation. Open Book exams test your ability to find and apply information and knowledge. They are often used in subjects requiring direct reference to written materials, like law statutes, statistics or acts of parliament.

Open Book exams usually come in two forms:

·              Traditional sit-down/ limited-time exams, with varying degrees of access to resources and references.

·              Take Home exams–Open Book exams you do at home. Question(s) are handed out, answers are attempted without help from others, and the exam is returned within a specified period of time (often the next day).

What Kinds of Material Can Be Used?

The materials you can take into an Open Book exam can vary. Some Open Book exams restrict the type of materials (e.g. formula sheets and tables or a limited number of texts). Others may be totally unrestricted (any quantity of any material).

Materials might be:

·                   your notes

·                   readings, reference materials or textbooks

·                   equipment like calculators, drafting tools etc.

Materials used in Take Home exams are usually unrestricted. Check your course guide or with your lecturer to find out what you can use. The main restriction for Take Home exams is that they must be your work–you must attempt them by yourself without any help from others.

Why Are Some Exams 'Open Book'?

Some exams are Open Book because they test for more than just rote-learning. At university, simply memorising and repeating information is not enough to get you a good mark. Higher education is supposed to equip you with intellectual abilities and skills. Open Book exams test your ability to quickly find relevant information and then to understand, analyse, apply knowledge and think critically.

What Kinds of Questions will an Open Book Exam Have?

Open Book Exams don't test your memory. They test your ability to find and use information for problem solving, and to deliver well-structured and well-presented arguments and solutions.

Open Book exam questions usually require you to apply knowledge rather than just remember facts. They may be essay-style questions or involve problem solving or delivering solutions. The style of question depends on the faculty or school setting the exam. For example in Law, the questions may set up a hypothetical fact situation that you will need to discuss.

Misconceptions About Open Book Exams Myth No. 1: Open Book exams are a breeze

Open Book or Take Home exams are not an easy option. Answering the questions well requires more than just copying information straight from texts. For example, having access to a textbook can stop you from giving a wrong answer if you can't remember a fact or formula, but just getting that fact correct won't get you good marks. In Open Book exams, it's how you locate, apply and use the information that is important.

Myth No. 2: You don't have to study

Probably the biggest misconception about Open Book exams is that there is no need to study anything. You should study for Open Book exams just as you would for any other exam. Having books and notes to refer to might mean you don't have to memorise as much information, but you still need to be able to apply it effectively.

This means you must fully understand and be familiar with the content and materials of your course so you can find and use the appropriate information. In Open Book exams, you need to quickly locate the information you need in the resources you have. If you don't study you won't be able to locate relevant information–you won't know where it is.

Myth No. 3: You can just copy straight from the book!

You can't copy chunks of text directly from textbooks or notes. This counts as plagiarism, just as it does in your other assignments. In Open Book exams, the resource materials are made available to you, so you are expected to do more than just reproduce them. You must be able to find, interpret and apply the information in your sources to the exam questions. You usually need to reference as well, just as you would for any other assignment.

Myth No. 4: The more materials the better!

Students tend to get carried away and take too many materials and resources into the exam with them. Don't overload with materials. Only take what you need into an Open Book exam. Stacks of books won't necessarily guarantee your performance, and you won't have time for extensive reading. Too many materials can end up distracting you

and crowding up your work space. Carefully select your materials and organise them for quick reference.

Doing Well in Open Book Exams

Open Book exams require you to

·              learn for understanding rather than just remembering

·              understand how to find information

·              make good notes and organise materials for fast reference

·            apply the information in your sources to the questions Study

You need to study for Open Book exams just as you would for any exam. If you know your subject, you'll have a knowledge base to draw on. You will also understand how and why topics are linked. This style of learning equips you well for exams and 'real life' experiences. If you don't study you won't know how to find answers and–books or no books–you can't answer the questions.

Familiarise yourself with texts and notes, and make sure you can locate important information. Be familiar with your materials so you will not waste valuable exam time searching through them.Prepare your environment

Plan ahead and work out the materials and resources you will take into the exam room.

Don't overload with materials. Only take what you need into an Open Book exam. Carefully select your materials and resources and organise them for quick reference. The same goes for writing implements. Make sure you have spare pens, pencils and erasers. If you need any other tools, make sure they all work and pack them neatly. For those using non-solar calculators, don't forget spare batteries!

If you are doing a Take Home exam, gather readings, notes and resources together beforehand and organise them neatly in your study area at home. Make sure you have enough paper, pens etc. Set up a quiet space where you can concentrate, and where you can work without interruptions.

Find out the exam requirements

For Open Book exams, find out:

·            the materials you can take into the exam room

·              how much time you have

·            the topic areas the exam will cover

·           how long answers should be

·         if you need to reference

·         the types of questions–essays, short answers etc. For Take Home exams, find out:

·         the time and date the exam should be handed in

·         where the exam should be handed in

·         how much time you have to complete the exam

·         the topic areas the exam will cover

·         how long answers should be

·         if you need to reference

·         the types of questions–essays, short answers etc. Don't anticipate questions

When you prepare your notes, don't waste time guessing possible questions or trying to prepare 'model' answers–preprepared answers don't work. Essay style questions will tend toward a 'free' response rather than a fixed 'single right answer' question, so formula answers don't fit. However, you do need to have 'thought through' conceptual frameworks and philosophical positions, and have some general conclusions in mind. You don't need to know everything, but you need to know how to find the relevant information.

Practise

Your lecturer or tutor may provide some sample questions or a dry run. You might also want to check out some past exam papers in the Library.

Get a Good Night's Sleep

On the night before the exam, don't stay up until all hours studying. You'll be fuzzy, stressed and unable to think clearly.

Preparing Notes & Materials Organise

A large amount of materials might make you feel secure, but you'll probably work best relying on no more than a few pages of notes and a few well-chosen texts.

Spend some time making your reference materials as user-friendly as possible so that you don't waste time frantically flipping pages back and forth or shuffling papers. Unless you're sitting a Take Home exam, you'll need to work within a short time limit

(a few hours). To do this well, try to have the essential facts, formulae, etc. at your finger tips. Also, writing a flow chart to show how the relevant topics are connected is very helpful.

Preparing Resources Before the exam

·       Use tables of contents and index pages to locate relevant sections in the books you plan to use.

·       Bookmark useful chapters or pages. Post-it notes can be helpful here.

·       Prepare brief summaries, e.g. in margins of texts to provide a quick reference.

·       Prepare a list of key information (formulae, key definitions etc.) likely to be used.

·       Use index cards to list key topics and relevant page numbers of texts. Use one card per book. This can help you find information quickly.

Preparing Notes

Make some useful notes for yourself

·       Review the subject to get a good overview.

·       Work out the main themes and topics.

·       Identify key concepts or information.

·       Make brief and legible notes.

·       Summarise important information.

·       Use clear headings.

·       Organise notes by topic.

·       Identify how topics are connected. Sitting the Exam

Don't panic

When you are sitting an exam, it's OK to be nervous, but try not to panic. An Open Book exam is another form of intellectual analysis. It is not very different from preparing an assignment at home, except that time is more limited. See our guide to Surviving Exams.

KALAIMANI Eat something

You might feel too nervous to eat, but your brain needs fuel! If you don't eat, halfway through the exam you'll find yourself feeling tired, hungry and losing concentration. It's also a good idea to take some bottled water into the exam room.

If you're sitting a Take Home exam:

·                   don't forget to eat lunch or dinner

·                   take a break every couple of hours

·                   drink plenty of water

Read all the questions carefully

Before you start the exam, make sure you read all the questions carefully and understand what it is you are being asked to do. Look for the Clue Words in the questions.

Use the exam time wisely

Answer the 'easy' questions first. Starting with the 'hard' questions (questions you are unsure of) slows you down and can leave you with insufficient time to address the others that you can do well in.

Don't use too many quotations

Don't copy long chunks from the text or waste time quoting extensively. Use very few quotations–your own analysis is more important. Use the time and information to build a well-constructed answer.

Don't over-answer

With lots of materials available, it can be tempting to over-write and waffle on. Remember that more is not always better. Answer the question, and aim for concise, accurate, thoughtful answers that make good use of supporting evidence.

Open Book Exam Checklist

·            Find out the exam requirements

·            Find out practical details (time, place etc.) Preparation

·            Study your course materials

·            Work out the materials and resources you will use

·            If you're doing a Take Home exam, prepare your study area

·            Prepare useful notes

·            Organise your materials

·            Get a good night's sleep On the Day

·            Don't panic

·            Only take in what you really need

·            Eat something

·            Arrive in good time

·            Avoid 'panic talk'

·            Read all the exam questions carefully

·            Start with the easy ones

·            Use quotations sparingly

·            Don't over-answer

·            Be aware of the time

There are major types of problem solving – reflective and creative. Regardless of the type of problem solving a class uses, problem solving focuses on knowing the issues, considering all possible factor and finding a solution. Because all ideas are accepted initially, problem solving allows for finding the best possible solution as opposed to the easiest solution or the first solution proposed.

What is its purpose?

The process is used to help students think about a problem without applying their own pre-conceived ideas. Defining what the problem looks like is separated from looking at the cause of the problem to prevent premature judgment. Similarly, clarifying what makes an acceptable solution is defined before solutions are generated, preventing preconceptions from driving solutions. Some people argue that problem solving is the art of reasoning in its purest form. In the classroom, problem solving is best used to help student understand complex ethical dilemmas, think about the future or do some strategic planning.

How can I do it?

Reflective Problem Solving follows a series of tasks. Once you have broken the students into groups, the students define the problem, analyze the problem, establish the criteria for evaluating solutions, propose solutions and take action.

Define the Problem: List all the characteristics of the problem by focusing on the symptoms, things affected, and resources or people related to defining the problem. In the end, pair down the thinking to a clear definition of the problem to be solved.

Analyze the Problem: Use the evidence you collected in step one to decide why the problem exists. This step is separate from defining the problem because when the steps are done together it is possible to prejudge the cause.

Establish Criteria: Set a clear objective for the solution. If the problem is too hard, break the objectives into two categories – musts and wants. Don’t discuss solutions yet, just what criteria a solution must meet.

Propose Solutions: Brainstorm as many different solutions as possible. Select the one that best meets the objectives you stated as a part of the criteria for a solution.

Take action: Write a plan for what to do including all resources you will need to complete the plan. If possible, implement the plan.

Creative Problem Solving uses the same basic focus, but the process is less geared towards solutions and more towards a focus on brainstorming. The focus is on creating ideas rather than solving a clear existing problem. Sometimes the problem is pre­defined, and the group must focus on understanding the definition rather than creating it.

Orientation: Similar to defining the problem, orientation also focuses on being sure the group is prepared to work together. The group might take the time to agree upon behaviors or ways of saying things in addition to setting the context and symptoms of the issues. The group generates a series of headings that group the topics they must address.

Preparation and Analysis: Decide which headings are relevant or irrelevant. The group focuses on similarities and differences between ideas and works on grouping them into like categories. The group asks how and why a lot, and focuses on the root cause of the problem in a way that is similar to analyzing the problem.

Brainstorm: The group generates as many potential solutions as possible. At this point, all ideas are considered to be good ones.

Incubation: Before deciding which solution is the best, the group should leave the problem for as much time as reasonable. Often several days or a week is ideal depending on the ages of the students. Leave enough time to develop distance but not long enough for students to lose the gist of their earlier work.

Synthesis and Verification: Start by establishing the criteria for a good solution, then look at all the brainstormed solutions and try to combine them to create the solution with the greatest numbers of positives and the smallest numbers of negatives.

How can I adapt it?

If you are working in a multi-grade room or on a project that involves diverse group, problem solving is a great process for achieving consensus. You can also use parts of the process to help students challenge set thinking patterns.

This strategy provides a way for readers to share with each other the excitement of a particular moment in relation to a book or to their own writing. Author's Chair is the final step in the writing process. A special time and place is allotted to writers who wish to share their final products with an audience. Because the writing has already gone through revising and editing based on constructive criticism, Author's Chair is an opportunity for the writer to receive positive feedback from their classmates. The student in the author's chair reads aloud a selected piece of text or a piece of their own writing. Peers then have an opportunity to respond to what is read aloud.

What is its purpose?

·            to develop students' concept of authorship

·            to emphasize that students' ideas and experiences are worthy of preservation and sharing

·            to develop collaborative learning abilities and peer editing skills

·            provide an audience for hard work done well is a motivating force for children to write more in the future.

·            as an active-listening audience member, students develop listening and attention span skills.

·            analyze written work requires reflection and critical thinking abilities. Giving and receiving feedback is beneficial for both parties. Both the presenter and the audience member's own writing improves as a result of the critique.

How can I do it?

·              Facing the audience, an individual reads a personal draft or polished composition.

·            The author shares accompanying illustrations with the audience.

·            The audience is respectful and accepting of the author's efforts.

·            The author requests comments from audience members.

·              First responses are positive.

·            Comments focus upon favourite events and characters or particularly interesting and impressive uses of language.

·            The author or audience direct questions about the clarity and the effectiveness of passages, or about the language structures or specific vocabulary.

·            The audience offers suggestions.

·            Initially teachers model and guide audience responses.

How can I adapt it?

·              Beginning writers can share drawings with captions or limited text.

·            Students could share their writing with younger students.

·            An "author of the week" could be chosen regularly. The individual's work could be put on display and peers could post their comments about particular compositions. Items for display should be chosen by the author.

·            Allow children time to share their reasoning at the 'math author's chair,' a special chair for students to explain to their classmates their own solution to a problem.

·            This procedure should apply to writing efforts in all subject areas. Examples of narrative and expository writing should be shared.

Assessment & Evaluation Considerations

·                            Students' interest and participation as authors and listeners is observed and recorded.

·              Note comments posed and questions asked about drafts which identify needs for instruction.

·              Sessions could be audio or video taped

Brainstorming is a large or small group activity which encourages children to focus on a topic and contribute to the free flow of ideas. The teacher may begin by posing a question or a problem, or by introducing a topic. Students then express possible answers, relevant words and ideas. Contributions are accepted without criticism or judgement. Initially, some students may be reluctant to speak out in a group setting but brainstorming is an open sharing activity which encourages all children to participate. By expressing ideas and listening to what others say, students adjust their previous knowledge or understanding, accommodate new information and increase their levels of awareness.

Teachers should emphasize active listening during these sessions. Students should be encouraged to listen carefully and politely to what their classmates contribute, to tell the speakers or the teacher when they cannot hear others clearly and to think of different suggestions or responses to share.

What is its purpose?

·            to focus students' attention on a particular topic

·            to generate a quantity of ideas

·            to teach acceptance and respect for individual differences

·            to encourage learners to take risks in sharing their ideas and opinions

·            to demonstrate to students that their knowledge and their language abilities are valued and accepted

·            to introduce the practice of idea collection prior to beginning tasks such as writing or solving problems

·            to provide an opportunity for students to share ideas and expand their existing knowledge by building on each other's contributions

How can I do it?

·            In a small or large group select a leader and a recorder (they may be the same person).

·              Define the problem or idea to be brainstormed. Make sure everyone is clear on the topic being explored.

·            Set up the rules for the session. They should include:

- letting the leader have control.

- allowing everyone to contribute.

- ensuring that no one will insult, demean, or evaluate another participant or his/her response.

- stating that no answer is wrong.

- recording each answer unless it is a repeat.

- setting a time limit and stopping when that time is up.

·            Start the brainstorming. Have the leader select members of the group to share their answers. The recorder should write down all responses, if possible so everyone can see them. Make sure not to evaluate or criticize any answers until done brainstorming.

·            Once you have finished brainstorming, go through the results and begin evaluating the responses. Some initial qualities to look for when examining the responses include:

- looking for any answers that are repeated or similar.

- grouping like concepts together.

- eliminating responses that definitely do not fit.

·              Now that you have narrowed your list down some, discuss the remaining responses as a group.

It is important for the teacher to:

·              Establish a warm, supportive environment.

·              Emphasize that a quantity of ideas is the goal.

·              Discourage evaluative or critical comments from peers.

·              Encourage and provide opportunity for all students to participate.

·            Initially emphasize the importance of listening to expressed ideas, and model printing and recording of the ideas, then read each contribution to or with the group.

How can I adapt it?

·              Use this procedure to plan a classroom activity such as a research project, a field trip, a concert or a party.

·              Display brainstormed lists of words to be used as spelling resources. Add to brainstormed lists regularly.

·            Groups and individuals can use brainstorming to generate prewriting ideas for stories, poems and songs.

·            Categorize brainstormed words, ideas and suggestions.

·              Use brainstormed words and sentences for exploring sentence structures and for key vocabularies.

Assessment and Evaluation Considerations

·            Observe students' ability to focus on a topic or task in a group situation.

·              Note students' participation in the oral expression of ideas.

·              Monitor listening behaviours. (Do students take turns speaking? Do they ask for clarifications?)

·              Periodically record students' oral language strengths, weaknesses and development in their files.

Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy that simultaneously addresses academic and social skill learning by students. It is a well-researched instructional strategy and has been reported to be highly successful in the classroom. For a more in depth explanation of this strategy, follow this link to the self-guided tutorial.

What is its purpose?

There is an every increasing need for interdependence in all levels of our society. Providing students with the tools to effectively work in a collaborative environment should be a priority. Cooperative Learning is one way of providing students with a well defined framework from which to learn from each other. Students work towards fulfilling academic and social skill goals that are clearly stated. It is a team approach where the success of the group depends upon everyone pulling his or her weight.

How can I do it?

Five Basic Elements of Cooperative Learning

1.  Positive Interdependence

2.  Face-To-Face Interaction

3.  Individual Accountability

4.  Social Skills

5.  Group Processing

The basic elements of cooperative learning can be considered essential to all interactive methods. Student groups are small, usually consisting of two to six members. Grouping is heterogeneous with respect to student characteristics. Group members share the various roles and are interdependent in achieving the group learning goal. While the academic task is of primary importance, students also learn the importance of maintaining group health and harmony, and respecting individual views.

How can I adapt it?

Cooperative learning can take place in a variety of circumstances. For example, brainstorming and tutorial groups, when employed as instructional strategies, provide opportunities to develop cooperative learning skills and attitudes.

Assessment and Evaluation Considerations

Observing cooperative learning groups in action allows you to effectively assess students' work and understanding. Cooperative learning groups also offer a unique opportunity for feedback from peers and for self-reflection.

·            Group Social Skills Checklist Template

·            Cooperative Group Processing

·            Cooperative Self Evaluation

·            Cooperative Project Evaluation

·              Putting Their Heads Together - Encouraged by College Techniques, Teachers Urge Students to Do Homework and Prepare for Tests in Groups

A discussion is an oral exploration of a topic, object, concept or experience. All learners need frequent opportunities to generate and share their questions and ideas in small and whole class settings. Teachers who encourage and accept students' questions and comments without judgement and clarify understandings by paraphrasing difficult terms stimulate the exchange of ideas.

What is its purpose?

·            to help students make sense of the world

·            to stimulate thought, wonder, explanation, reflection and recall

·            to provide opportunities for students to clarify and expand their ideas and those of others

·            to promote positive group interaction and conversation

·            to demonstrate questioning techniques

How can I do it?

·             Open-ended Discussions:

o Open-ended discussions begin with a sincere question (to which there is no one correct or concise answer) posed by teacher or student.

o All listeners consider the question.

o Incorporate pauses after students' responses to encourage extended or different responses.

o Clarify students' responses when necessary.

o Establish student-student dialogues during the discussion whenever possible.

o Respect students' questions and their responses.

o Model the role of sensitive listener, collaborator, mediator, prompter, learning partner and questioner.

·             Guided Discussions:

o Guided discussions begin with teacher-posed questions that promote the exploration of a particular theme, topic or issue.

o Through discussion, students should achieve a deeper understanding of the topic.

o After some time is spent on teacher-directed questioning, students should be encouraged to facilitate discussions by continuing to formulate and pose questions appropriate to the topic of study.

·             Talking Stick Circles or Discussions:

o Talking stick circles or discussions can be used to encourage students to reflect on experiences or discuss feelings.

o The students gather in a circle.

o The participant holding an assigned object or the talking stick has the option of speaking while other circle participants listen.

o Once speakers have shared their comments and opinions, they pass the stick or object to the person next to them.

o Talking circles can be used with a large group or small groups, or with inner-outer circle formations.

o Inner-outer circle participants gather in two circles.

o The students in the outer circle listen to the discussion taking place in the inner circle, then exchange places and become active participants in the inner circle

How can I adapt it?

·              Discussions should be part of every school subject.

·              Discussions can be incorporated into the following strategies: o Author's chair

o Book talks

o Categorizing

o Conferencing

o Co-operative learning

o Guided reading and thinking

o Literature study

o Researching

Assessment and Evaluation Considerations

·              Observe students' participation and conduct in large and small group discussions.

·              Note which students rarely or never ask questions.

·              Note the settings, topics, concepts or objects which stimulate the most discussion.

Teacher Resources

·              Suggestions for Classroom Discussion

·              Fostering Effective Classroom Discussions

·              Classroom Discussion Techniques

·              Key Points in Conducting Classroom Discussions

·              Questions We Think are Good but are Not

·              Research Findings Concerning the Use of Discussion as a Learning Tool

·              Mistakes and Solutions in Conducting Classroom Discussions

·              How to Write Great Discussion Questions

·              Classroom Discussion Ideas

·              Guidelines for Small Group Discussions

·              Designing and Using Classroom Discussions

·              Classroom Discussion - Topics and Situations related to early pioneer life

As an instructional strategy, drill & practice is familiar to all educators. It "promotes the acquisition of knowledge or skill through repetitive practice." It refers to small tasks such as the memorization of spelling or vocabulary words, or the practicing of arithmetic facts and may also be found in more sophicated learning tasks or physical education games and sports. Drill-and-practice, like memorization, involves repetition of specific skills, such as addition and subtraction, or spelling. To be meaningful to learners, the skills built through drill-and-practice should become the building blocks for more meaningful learning.

What is its purpose?

Drill and Practice activities help learners master materials at their own pace. Drills are usually repetitive and are used as a reinforcement tool. Effective use of drill and practice depends on the recognition of the type of skill being developed, and the use of appropriate strategies to develop these competencies. There is a place for drill and practice mainly for the beginning learner or for students who are experiencing learning problems. Its use, however, should be kept to situations where the teacher is certain that it is the most appropriate form of instruction.

How can I do it?

Drill and practice software packages offer structured reinforcement of previously learned concepts. They are based on question and answer interactions and should give the student appropriate feedback. Drill and practice packages may use games to increase motivation. Teachers who use computers to provide drill and practice in basic skills promote learning because drill and practice increases student acquisition of basic skills. In a typical software package of this type, the student is able to select an appropriate level of difficulty at which questions about specific content materials are set. In most cases the student is motivated to answer these questions quickly and accurately by the inclusion of a gaming scenario, as well as colourful and animated graphics. Good drill and practice software provides feedback to students, explains how to get the correct answer, and contains a management system to keep track of student progress.

How can I adapt it?

There has been a definite move away from paper-based drill and practice systems to computer-based systems. Drill and practice exercises with appropriate software can enhance the daily classroom experience. Given the personalized, interactive nature of most software, the computer can lend itself to providing extended, programmed practice. Used in small doses, electronic learning experiences can supplement any lesson effectively. Certain software allow students to reinforce specific skills in a certain subject area. Although not as easily integrated across the curriculum, drill and practice software can be useful. It usually comes in one of two formats. The first focuses on a specific subject area or a part of that area. The most common areas are reading and math. The second type attempts to improve skills in several areas of the curriculum. As with all other types of software, the teacher needs to determine if technology is the best way to work with the subject matter being dealt with.

Games provide child centered activities to apply problem solving strategies as well as an opportunity to practice basic skills.

Basic Skills Practice Cards can be designed to be used in many different formats. They can be used with a game board, in a lotto format or as flashcards.

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Know - Want to Know - Learned

K-W-L is an introductory strategy that provides a structure for recalling what students know about a topic, noting what students want to know, and finally listing what has been learned and is yet to be learned.

What is its purpose?

The K-W-L strategy allows students to take inventory of what they already know and what they want to know. Students can categorize information about the topic that they expect to use.

How can I do it?

·            On the chalkboard, on an overhead, on a handout, or on students' individual clean sheets, three columns should be drawn.

·              Label Column 1 K, Column 2 W, Column 3 L.

·              Before reading, students fill in the Know column with everything they already know about the topic. This helps generate their background knowledge.

·            Then have students predict what they might learn about the topic, which might follow a quick glance at the topic headings, pictures, and charts that are found in the reading. This helps set their purpose for reading and focuses their attention on key ideas.

·            Alternatively, you might have students put in the middle column what they want to learn about the topic.

·       After reading, students should fill in their new knowledge gained from reading

the content. They can also clear up misperceptions about the topic which might

have shown up in the Know column before they actually read anything. This is

the stage of metacognition: did they get it or not?

How can I adapt it?

Hill, et. al. (1998) have modified the K-W-L chart to include a fourth column at the end, W for "Further Wanderings." In their K-W-L-W chart, this column is for students to pose new questions they have as a result of their research. They also suggest that the first column be filled in individually first and then knowledge and questions from the entire class are pooled second. Throughout the unit, students add to the columns as they encounter new information. Different colored markers or pencils can be used to visually represent new learning. Margaret Mooney suggests adding a fifth column, H, (K-W-H-L­W) for "How" the students intend to gather the information once they've determined what they need to learn. The K-W-L chart (and its modifications) helps students organize their thoughts about a topic.

Possible additions to chart and/or topics for discussion:

·         What we think we know, but aren't sure about

·         What's our evidence for what we know

·         How we might find out what we want to know (what would be evidence?)

·         What could we find out by interacting with or observing the materials/phenomena, rather than by reading or asking experts?

·         What questions do we still have?

Assessment & Evaluation Considerations

·         Observe students' ability to focus on a topic or task in a group situation.

·         Note students' participation in the oral expression of ideas.

·         Monitor listening behaviours. (Do students take turns speaking? Do they ask for clarifications?)

·         Periodically record students' oral language strengths, weaknesses and development in their files.

Teacher Resources

·         Hill, Bonnie Campbell, Cynthia Ruptic and Lisa Norwick, Classroom Based
Assessment, ©1998, Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., Norwood MA

·         KWL

·         KWL Generator

·         KWL table

·         KWHL Chart

·         K-W-L Chart: Nonfiction or Informational Writing

·         What Do You Know? Encouraging Inquiry-based Research

·         Volcano KWLChart

·         Use a KWL to Help Children Comprehend

·         Using KWL to Introduce Inquiry

·         KWL - A Reading Comprehension Strategy

Peer partner learning is a collaborative experience in which students learn from and with each other for individual purposes.

What is its purpose?

Students reflect upon previously taught material by helping peers to learn and, at the same time, develop and hone their social skills.

How can I do it?

Students work together as partners, one functioning as a "doer" and the other as a "helper". The doer performs a task or answers questions; the helper observes and provides feedback and helping information. The doer is the student and the helper takes on the role of teacher. Later, the partners reverse roles.

Children become curious about printed symbols once they recognize that print, like talk, conveys meaningful messages that direct, inform or entertain people. By school age, many children are eager to continue their exploration of print.

One goal of this curriculum is to develop fluent and proficient readers who are knowledgeable about the reading process. Effective reading instruction should enable students to eventually become self-directed readers who can:

·            construct meaning from various types of print material;

·            recognize that there are different kinds of reading materials and different purposes for reading;

·            select strategies appropriate for different reading activities; and,

·            develop a life-long interest and enjoyment in reading a variety of material for different purposes.

To assist teachers in achieving these goals, this curriculum advocates the use of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction resources including:

·            environmental signs and labels

·            rhymes, chants, songs

·            poetry

·            wordless picture books

·            predictable books

·            cumulative stories

·            maps, charts

·            novels

·            print resources from all subject areas

·            notes, messages, letters

·            folktales

·            myths and legends

·            writing by students and teachers

·            newspapers, magazines, pamphlets

·            mysteries

The resources shared with students should stimulate their imaginations and kindle their curiosity. Familiarization with narrative and expository materials, and frequent opportunities to write in all subject areas, facilitate the reading process. By becoming authors themselves, students increase their awareness of the organization and structures of printed language.

To read for meaning, students must simultaneously utilize clues from all cueing systems. Readers bring knowledge and past experiences to the reading task to construct interpretations and to determine if the print makes sense to them. It is easier for readers to understand print when the content is relevant to their personal experiences. Familiar content and topics convey meaning or clues through the semantic cueing system. When students are comfortable and familiar with the content of a passage, they can predict upcoming text and take greater risks in reading. Research has repeatedly shown that fluent readers risk more guesses when interacting with unfamiliar print than poorer readers. They derive more meaning from passages than readers who frequently stop to sound or decode words by individual phonemes or letters.

Knowledge of word order and the rules of grammar which structure oral language, guide readers' predictions for printed language. Such language-pattern clues comprise the syntactic cueing system. Readers should constantly question the text to ensure that what they are reading makes sense and sounds like language.

Reading experiences that focus on relevant and familiar content, vocabulary and language patterns increase students' chances of constructing meaning and being successful readers. At the elementary level, successful reading experiences reaffirm students' confidence as language users and learners. The holistic approach to the reading process stresses the importance of presenting students with whole and meaningful reading passages. This approach is based on the principle that the readers' understanding of an entire sentence, passage or story facilitates the reading and comprehension of individual words within those passages.

The graphophonic cueing system relates sounds to printed symbols. When print is translated into words that are in their listening vocabularies, readers will recognize and comprehend the words. If the sounded words are unfamiliar to readers, they must rely on the other cueing systems to construct meaning. Teachers are reminded that students may know the common sound-letter relationships and still be unable to obtain meaning from print. For that reason, this curriculum emphasizes that phonics should be taught or practiced in context and in conjunction with the other cueing systems.