Get More Learners Engaged with Think, Pair, Share

Think, pair, share is an oldie-but-goodie classroom strategy for giving learners time to think and share ideas. Here are the steps: 

1. Think: Give learners a predetermined amount of time to think about the prompt or question you have proposed. Consider setting a timer that learners can see count down so they know how much time they have left. Here's an example online timer. 
2. Pair: Students share their thoughts, ideas and answers with a partner. 
3. Share: Learners share their own response or their partner’s with the whole class.

Benefits:

• It gives everyone time to think before answers are shared. 
• It allows space for both internal and external processors. Internal processors will relish the “think" stage and external processors the “pair” stage.
• More ideas are developed as learners hear from their partners, making a richer set of ideas and discussion in the “share” stage. 
• Learners who may be shy to talk to the whole class get the opportunity to share their ideas in speech to a smaller audience--their partner.

Adaptations:

• For lower levels, make it a routine with picture prompts for each stage so learners know what to do.
• Replace “think” with “think and write” to develop writing skills or to make students’ thinking visible.
• For online classes, send learners to breakout rooms or pair them up for private chat conversations for the “pair” stage, if tech skills allow.

For questions or comments about this Tutor Tip, contact Tutor Training Coordinator, Meghan Boyle at mboyle@literacymn.org.