Jigsaw

Overview

As students work with and process information by discussing, organizing, and sharing it together, they deepen their understanding. When learners dive into understanding a concept or text with a small group and then share their understanding with different students, everyone actively practices their reading skills.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch in this Reading Rockets video as this teacher sets up the structures for a successful jigsaw in an elementary classroom. Each student in the home group has time to prepare an idea to share and, working together, all become experts and can share their learning with other students.

Teachers can strengthen students' Vocabulary skills by having students tackle new material in a jigsaw activity. Also, by having students first review new material independently before moving into small groups, teachers can support learners' varying Speeds of Processing.

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.

Starting at 1:16, learn how Popplet allows students to collaboratively create shareable presentations. These presentations can be created in the first jigsaw group and support students when sharing their expertise in the second group.

Developers can create prompts and spaces for structured small group discussions so students have the opportunity to think, try, and workshop their ideas on Reading skills, such as Syntax and Verbal Reasoning, into a presentation for sharing with other members of the class.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Developing Behaviors for Cooperative Learning

Module by Sanford Inspire

Examples

Cooperative Learning

When and how to use cooperative learning activities, including jigsaw

Examples

Jigsaw and Jigsaw II

Video about two ways to implement jigsaw

Examples

Jigsaw Planning

Description and templates for elementary and secondary classrooms

Research

Feedback & Peer Assessment

Subtopic that explores research on the effects of quality, type, and source of feedback on student learning on Digital Promise's Research Map

Research

Language, Space & Time

Subtopic that explores how language can shape our perception and representation of abstract concepts on Digital Promise's Research Map

Research

Learning Communities

Subtopic that includes research on communities of learners on Digital Promise's Research Map

Factors Supported by this Strategy

Language and Literacy

Decoding

Morphological Awareness

Phonological Awareness

Cognition

Student Background

Home Literacy Environment

More Cooperative Learning Strategies

Gallery Walk

As students walk through stations working in small groups, the social and physical nature of the learning supports deeper understanding.

Learning Strategy & Tool "Fair"

To promote acceptance of learning diversity, students explore learning tools and strategies to see how they work and why they and others might use them.

Reciprocal Teaching

When students explain to others, they deepen their understanding and gain confidence in their learning.

Think-Pair-Share

Students develop reading skills by listening to and speaking with others in informal ways.

Reading PK-3

Jigsaw

Overview

Use It in the Classroom

Design It into Your Product

Resources

Factors Supported by this Strategy

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