Think-Pair-Share
Overview
Students deepen their math understanding as they use and hear others use specific math language in informal ways. When learners think about a problem or worked example then discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing with the larger group, everyone participates and practices their skills.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch how a teacher reviews think-pair-share with her class and applies it to a math problem. By having individual think time, students are more equipped to process and answer questions meaningfully. They are also held accountable for maintaining their Attention with a peer, which contributes to a more fruitful discussion.
Design It into Your Product
Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.
Watch how Class Dojo builds think-pair-share into its classroom communication platform. From 16:58, see how it enables teachers to create prompts for students to engage in Math Communication with their partners.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Cooperative Learning Strategies
As students solve problems in a group, they learn new strategies and practice communicating their mathematical thinking.
Flexible grouping is a classroom practice that temporarily places students together in given groups to work together, with the purpose of achieving a given learning goal or activity.
As students walk through stations working in small groups, the social and physical nature of the learning supports deeper understanding.
As students work with and process information by discussing, organizing, and sharing it together, they deepen their understanding.
When students have meaningful discussions about math and use math vocabulary, they develop the thinking, questioning, and explanation skills needed to master mathematical concepts.
Having students teach their knowledge, skills, and understanding to their classmates strengthens learning.
Students deepen their understanding and gain confidence in their learning when they explain to and receive feedback from others.
