Cooperative Learning Structures

PositiveInterdepend

ence

Individual Accountabilit

y

EqualParticipation

Simultaneous

Interaction

A Review of the Research

Positive InterdependenceA gain for one is a gain for another.

Weak Forms1.The success of each teammember is likely to contribute to the success of others

2. The success of teams is likely to be facilitated by success of individual members

Intermediate Forms1.The success of each team member contributes to success of all teammates, but a team member could succeed on their own

2.The success of a team is facilitated by the success of each member, but team could succeed without the success or contribution of every member

Strong Forms1.The success of every team member is not possible without success/contribution of each

2.The success of a team is not possible without success or contribution of each member

Individual AccountabilityIndividual public performance is required

For Achievement

1.Color code individual contributions

2.Team scores based on individual scores

3.Give teams time to reflect on individual progress & role performance

4.Assign & grade mini-topics

For Participation

1.Use talking chips

2.Have students summarize their participation

3.Have students take time to reflect on their participation

For Listening

1.Have students paraphrase what they heard

2.Share ideas they heard from groups and individuals

Equal ParticipationParticipation is equal

Created by

1.Turn allocation

2.Division of labor

Possible Roles:

1.Encourager/Praiser/Cheerleader – Pulls out reluctant students, motivates when the team gets down, shows appreciation gambits

2.Gatekeeper – Equalizes participation by shuts the gate if some students talk to much and opens the gate to another student

3.Coach – helps student master academic content without doing it for them

4.Question Commander – Checks to see if the group has any questions that they cannot answer

5.Checker – Checks to see that each person is prepared and has mastered the material

6.Taskmaster – Keeps the group on task

7.Recorder – Writes down group decisions and answers

8.Reflector – Leads the group reflection or summarizes the groups process

9.Quiet Captain – Makes sure the group huddles and whispers

10.Materials Monitor – Obtains and returns supplies, makes sure the team cleans up

Simultaneous InteractionAll students are active at the same time

GOALSEQUENTIAL STRUCTURE

SIMULTANEOUS STRUCTURE

Distribute Supplies

Teacher or student walks around & hands out materials one at a

time

Materials Monitor from each team distributes

materials to teammates

Discuss TopicOne student at a time states their viewpoint

All students discuss their views in pairs

Form TeamsSequential reading by the students’ names

and assignments

Students simultaneously look for

names on tables

Share AnswersTeacher calls on one

student at a timeAll students engage in

choral response

Receive HelpStudents raise hands

and wait for teacher to come over

Students ask a teammate and receive

immediate help

Structures

SHOW DOWN

• Teacher or teammate reads a question aloud

• Students work or think independently

• Teacher calls “Show Down!”

• Students show answer

Key Middle School

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Where learning is key…

FOUR CORNERS• Teacher asks a question & assigns answer

choices to each of the 4 corners of the room

• Teacher allows think time for students to write their answers privately

• Teachers direct students to move to a corner based on their answer choice

• Students find a partner at their corner

• Pairs take turns explaining their reasoning

• Students share out

A B

C D

SAGE & SCRIBE• Teacher/Students determine a sage & a

scribe

• Sage explains to the scribe how to solve a problem or perform a tasking using step-by-step instructions

• Scribe completes the problem or task as the sage is describing the steps

• Sage coaches the scribe if necessary

• Sage praises the scribe when finished

• Students switch roles for next problem/task

First you…Then you…After that…Don’t forget to…

Try this instead…It might help if you…

Great Job!You Did It!Well Done!

NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER• Students number off (groups of 4)

• Teacher poses a problem

• Students write their individual answers

• Students stand up and put their heads together to show their answers, discuss and teach

• Students sit down when their group is done

• Teacher calls a number and those students respond using choral response or response cards

Key Middle School___________________________________________________

Where learning is key…

TIMED PAIR SHARE

• Teacher/Students determine Student A/B

• Teacher announces topic and time limit

• Teacher provides think time

• Student A shares while Student B listens

• Students switch roles

TEAM PAIR SOLO• Teams of 4 work together to solve a problem

• Teacher announces the answer

• If correct, students advance to pair work

• If not, teams solve another problem together

• As a pair, students use sage & scribe or rally coach to solve 2 additional problems

• If correct, students advance to solo work

• If not, students move back to team work

• As a solo, students work alone to solve new, similar problems

RALLY COACH• Teacher/Students determine Student A/B

• Student A solves problem/answers question

• Student B watches, listens, checks, & praises

• Students switch roles

RALLY ROBIN

• Students pair up

• Teacher announces topic and allows think time

• Students take turns sharing ideas (back & forth)

PARAPHRASE PASSPORT• Students pair up and determine Student A/B

• Teacher assigns discussion topic & allows think time

• Student A shares thought, Student B listens

• Student B paraphrases Student A’s thought

• Student B shares thought, Student A listens

• Student A paraphrases Student B’s thought

• Pairs continue sharing back and forth

A

A

B

B

DUELING FLIP CHARTS• Teacher provides teams with a graphic organizer,

explains task, and determines time limit

• Each student on team has a different colored marker

• Teams line up away from the chart

• On Teacher’s command, students take turns inserting one piece of information/answer onto the team’s chart

• Teams continue to rotate through students until time is up or chart is complete

PUZZLE PIECES• Teacher assigns groups a topic, vocabulary

term or quote to consider and gives them a puzzle piece

• Teacher allows think time for individual thoughts/responses

• Groups discuss & design a puzzle piece to represent their topic (with pictures/words)

• Teacher selects from one student from each group to share out group’s puzzle piece

• Puzzle pieces are joined to display one puzzle representing the class as a whole

CAROUSEL• Students in groups of 4 number off

• Teacher poses a question and allows for think time

• Students write their answer individually

• Students share their individual responses with the group

• Teacher calls a number

• Students with that number rotate

• Students share their individual/group responses with new group

• Teacher continues calling number to expand sharing or stating a new problem for new groups

Key Middle School___________________________________________________

Where learning is

key…

Inside/Outside Circle(Teacher Directed)

• Students stand in two circles – inside circle faces out, outside circle faces in

• Each student has a partner

• Teacher poses a question

• Students work together to make sure each knows the answer (seeking coaching from a neighboring pair, if needed)

• Teacher solicits a choral response from either inside circle, outside circle or the whole class

PLACEMAT CONSENSUS• Teacher provides a placemat graphic

organizer with one problem for the group of 4 to work on

• Students complete the problem/answer the question individually in their portion of the placemat

• Students come together to discuss their thinking and reach a consensus answer for the center portion of the placemat

TEAM NOTEBOOK• Students in groups of 4 number off

• Groups have one notebook/worksheet with multi-step problems/questions

• Student 1 completes first step, Student 2 coaches/praises

• Student 2 completes second step, Student 3 coaches/praises

• Student 3 completes third step, Student 4 coaches/praises

• Student 4 completes fourth step, Student 1 coaches/praises

• Continue through the group again, as needed

TEAMMATES CONSULT• Teacher provides worksheet

• Students begin with all pens down!

• Team Discussion – Student 1 reads the first question and students seek an answer from the book and/or by Team Discussion

• Check for Agreement – The student on the left of the reader checks to see that all teammates understand and agree with the answer

• Individuals Write – When there is agreement, then all students pick up their own pens and write the answer in their own words

• Roles – Students progress to the second question. The checker becomes the reader and the person on his/her left becomes the checker