What’s the Buzz? Collaborative Pairs
Toni Enloe
Aug 24, 2009
COLLABORATIVE PAIRS ...two words that can strike fear in the hearts of even a seasoned teacher. Why the apprehension about using them during instruction? When teachers are asked why they are reluctant to try collaborative pairs, they usually give one of two reasons:
1. I'm afraid of losing control of the class.
2. I have so much material to cover that I don't have the time to stop and let students talk.
What we know, is that for our students to begin to internalize what they are learning, they must discuss it. Learning must be social before it is cognitive and we cannot afford to not take the time for pairs work if student learning is our goal. We know that students are going to talk so use it for good!
Several years ago Greenville County Schools in South Carolina conducted a LEARNING-FOCUSED audit of middle schools (high schools and elementary had not yet been trained) to determine the level of collaborative pairs implementation and the impact on their students. The district Teaching and Learning staff interviewed groups of teachers to find out what was working well for them and what was not working using a format that was closely aligned to the reflection meeting guidelines described in the "Implementation Section" of the LEARNING-FOCUSED Strategies notebook. In many cases, these teachers stated that they were still struggling with the implementation and best use of collaborative pairs. The staff also interviewed groups of students and their answers were the most telling. The students consistently identified three LEARNING-FOCUSED strategies they liked:
1. Essential Questions - "I like knowing what we are going to do and how to show what I know." In fact, one inclusion student would stop by his science teacher's room every morning to look at the Essential Question so he could begin thinking about the answer. He had her the last period of the afternoon.
2. Graphic organizers - "They help me get a picture in my head and makes learning stuff easier."
3. COLLABORATIVE PAIRS - "Everybody has to do something."
Students unanimously agreed that they liked the way they were learning now and teachers reported that students were more enthusiastic.
Like beginning a new diet, getting started can be the greatest challenge. How do you start collaborative pairs in your classroom? Ideally the best time to start is the first day of school (or as soon as possible!), teaching collaborative pairs as one of the routines that will be used in your classroom. Those first days of collaborative pair instruction should be short and simple.
Steps for Teaching the Collaborative Pair Process:
1. Have students pair up - maybe with the person beside them.
2. Create Numbered Heads - Have students identify who will be a 1 and who will be 2. (Ex: Who has a birthday closest to the first day of school? That person will be the 1 and the other will be the 2.) Occasionally you will end up with odd numbers in your classroom due to student absences etc., so you may need to have one pair of threes. That is okay. You will just have to be a little more creative when calling on the pairs or giving your instructions.
3. Create a signal that you will use with the students to signify when it is their time to talk and your time to talk. Note: For teachers working in teams, design signals that all of you will use. It will make things much easier for your students and you.
4. Practice - First practice having the students start and stop using your predetermined signals. Practice this several times and then give them a pairs assignment. EX: 1's tell 2's about one thing that you did this summer. Then ask 2's what their partner said. This will send the signal that both partners are accountable. Once you have done this, switch. 2's will tell the 1's and 1's will share.
5. REMEMBER: One of the keys to successful collaborative pairs is keeping the interaction time short. 30 - 90 seconds. After that amount of time they tend to talk about their stuff instead of yours.
Will students occasionally get off topic? Of course they will, but as you walk around and monitor their discussions you can redirect them when needed. Like many things, the more students practice, the better they will get and the more consistent you are the easier it becomes. You are still in control of the class, but in a way that makes learning more meaningful.
Four Ideas for Working in Pairs
1. Book Ends (Activating Strategy and Summarizing Strategy) - In this activity students are asked to discuss, and then make and record predictions before the start of an activity. When the activity is completed, pairs review their predictions and make any revisions to the information.
2. Prediction Pairs - Much like the Book Ends activity, students are asked to listen to a passage that is read aloud. When the teacher pauses, the pairs talk about what they think will happen next. The teacher can collect responses and then continue reading.
3. Where on Earth Am I - Pairs of students work together to locate places on a map. EX #1: Partner 1 gives Partner 2 the longitude and latitude coordinates of a location and Partner 2 locates and marks it on the map. Students take turns giving the coordinates and locating the places. EX #2: Partner 1 gives Partner 2 characteristics of a specific climate and Partner 2 locates an area with that climate on the map.
4. Match Mine - This activity encourages students to use descriptive words. EX #1: Partner 1 draws a simple picture while Partner 2 waits. Partner 2 tries to replicate the drawing using Partner 1's description. EX #2: Partner 1 creates a geometric figure using toothpicks and gum drops or small marshmallows. Partner 2 tries to replicate the design based on a set of oral directions from Partner 1, then reverse the roles. After they have finished, the pairs evaluate what was helpful and what needed improvement.
For more information about the use of collaborative pairs and other LEARNING-FOCUSED Strategies see the Connecting Exemplary Practices in Acquisition Lessons notebook and the new What Moves You book - How to Get the Most From Collaborative Pairs.
