Cooperative Learning Structures
January 22, 2013
Why use cooperative learning stuctures in your classroom?
- More students actively engaged in learning at one time
- Higher participation rate among students
- Encourages students to collaborate
- Boost engagement and achievement
Cooperative Learning Structures
- Have specific objectives
- Prescribe how students will interact with the content
- We will explore three structures and their intended purposes today
Fan-n-Pick
What type of learning situations could this structure be used?
What type of thinking skills or questions would be best?
What content areas can this structure be applied?
Structure Directions:
1. Group students (3-4) and number off
2. Student #1 fans cards, turns to students #2 and says, "Pick a card, and card."
3. Student #2 selects a card and reads the question aloud to student #3
4. Student #3 answers the question
5. Student #4 listens carefully to student #3's answer and asks a follow-up question and/or paraphrases the student's response
6. Student #1 gives student #4 praise
7. Cards get passes to student #2 and the steps are repeated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp2YNmoAn-s
Your turn to practice!
Rally Robin
What type of learning situations could this structure be used?
What type of thinking skills or questions would be best?
What content areas can this structure be applied?
Structure Directions:
1. Teacher poses a question or a problem.
2. Allow think time.
3. In pairs, students take turns responding orally to the question.
Student A responds/Student B responds back and forth until time is up.
Your turn to practice!
Rally Coach
What type of learning situations could this structure be used?
What type of thinking skills or questions would be best?
What content areas can this structure be applied?
Structure Directions:
1. Pair Shoulder Partners. Determine who is A and who is B.
2. Present a problem for which there is only one correct answer.
3. Partner A solves the problem while Partner B coaches, checks the accuracy of the
answer and praises.
4. If the answer is incorrect, Partner B coaches Partner A to the correct answer.
5. Present a new one-answer-only problem.
6. Partner B solves the problem while Partner B coaches, checks the accuracy of the
answer and praises.
7. Repeat from step 1.
Your turn to practice!
Management Tips:
1. Use only one sheet of paper and pencil to ensure that the partner who coaches,
focuses on coaching.
2. A sheet defining the roles of each partner may be helpful when first using this
strategy with students.
3. Model good coaching for the students, including the difference between coaching
and giving the answer.
4. Shoulder partners work better than face partners, making it easier for both
students to view the paper.
Social Skills
1. Coaching
2. Patience
3. Requesting and offering help
4. Giving and accepting praise
5. Appropriate noise level
6. Giving and accepting constructive criticism
Leslie Simmons and Tara Mulvey
Guaranteed to be engagning and exciting!
More Resources to Explore:
http://www.kaganonline.com/index.php
http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/co-op.php
Team Building: http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1045
Reading and Cooperative Learning: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/14340/
Class Building: http://www.mrsruss.com/Teachers/classbuilding.html