Quick Guide:Cooperative Learning Activities

There are many ways to incorporate cooperative learning into your teaching, ranging from simpler activities (Beginning Strategies) to complex approaches (Advanced Strategies) that require more time, planning, and resources.

Beginning Strategies

Think-Pair-Share Teacher asks pupils a question (for example: what things to you do in the

morning to get ready for school?). Pupils have a few minutes to think about their answers. Teacher then pairs up pupils. Each pair shares and compares their answers. Teacher may then ask one pupil from each group to share what they learned.

Variation: Think-Pair-Share-Square Once the pairs have finished comparing answers, put two sets of pairs

together (the “square”). Pupils share their responses.

Rally Robin/Round Robin: In pairs (Rally Robin) or in a larger circle (Round Robin), pupils respond one

by one to the teacher’s question, such as “how many things in this room begin with the letter A?”

Each pupil must contribute. Group members must listen respectfully and quietly.

Brainstorming In a pairs or larger groups, pupils think up as many ideas as possible on the

topic (for example, how many different ways can we think of to travel from home to school?).

It can be helpful to assign roles as well (see below).

Role Assignment: Each person in a pair or a team (best to limit teams to 4 people) is given a

particular role. Popular roles include:

Recorder: writes down the group’s ideas and decisions Time Manager: makes sure the group finishes on time Reader: reads aloud any materials and checks that everyone

understands Facilitator: invites everyone to participate and to work well together Encourager: praises people and encourages them to keep working

hard Observer: watches how the group is working together and notes any

problems to be discussed during the group reflection phase

In the ABRA materials, we suggest the following roles:

Speed Captain: puts on the time pressure to ensure the tasks get done Super Supporter: encourages all ideas without passing judgements Synergy Guru: encourages teammates to build on each others’ ideas

Interviewing In pairs, pupils take turns asking each other questions, such as “It is the day

of Lea’s birthday party. What should you what would you buy at the grocery store for the party?”

The pairs then share what they’ve learned with the larger group.

Echo Reading In pairs or groups, one pupil reads part of a text. Then the other pupil(s) read back, or echo, what was just read.

Advanced Strategies

Jigsaw Best for material that does not have to be mastered equally by all pupils. Divide material into sections. Assign sections to different members of the team. Team members work with pupils from other groups who have the same

material (section of the jigsaw) to master the material. Pupils return to their home group and teach the others the material.

Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (STAD) Assign pupils to ability-balanced teams. Provide instruction to the whole class. Have teams study material together. Give pupils quizzes individually. Average team members’ individual scores and offer extra points for pupils

whose scores improve after each quiz. Share the results at the school and with parents.

Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT) Assign pupils to ability-balanced teams. Provide instruction to the whole class. Have teams study material together. Organize tournament tables where pupils compete in games to earn points. Distribute points: the points earned by pupils are assigned to a team score. Share the results at the school and with parents.

Sukumawiki This is variation of TGT, but adapted for reading practice. Select stories that are challenging to the majority of the class. Assign pupils to teams, with two or more teams reading the same story Have team members study the story, either individually or in pairs/triads. Create team tables, with a piece of paper at the centre as the sukumawiki. Assign team members to tables with others who have read the same story. Select one pupil to be the reader. S/he will start reading the story, soon

leaving out a word and substituting in the word “sukumawiki.” The other pupils at the table compete to touch the paper first. The person

who does so gets to say the correct word that was left out. Give one point for each correct word. Rotate the roles of reader and participants, so each person has a chance to

read. Add up the points and assign them back to the team.