Think-pair-share

This strategy will help students to:

  • formulate and share individual ideas through focused, short-term, purposeful talk with peers

  • develop the ability to filter information and draw conclusions

  • consider other points of view when making decisions.

Implementation

  1. Pose a question, issue or scenario then ask students to think about their response. Students may also write down their responses during this time. 

  2. After giving sufficient ‘thinking time', instruct the students to form pairs then share their ideas. This will allow students to consider others' ideas and perspectives.

  3. If time allows, one pair of students may share ideas with another pair, making groups of four. Sufficient time for discussion should be allowed.

  4. The discussion can then become a whole class activity where all ideas are considered. 

  5. As with all the think-pair-share strategies, students should be given the opportunity to reflect on what they have written, heard and discussed.  

  6. Ask students to consider what influenced their thinking and/or decision.

Variations

Musical-pair-share

Explain to students that they are to move around the room until a piece of music stops then find the nearest person and discuss a question posed by the teacher or written on the board. Repeat the procedure for different questions.

Think-pair-share-write

Conduct the think-pair-share as explained in Steps 1 to 3. Have students reflect on the discussion then write their thoughts on paper.

Think-ink-pair-share

Ask students to think then ‘ink' or write their own ideas, understandings or attitudes to a given statement before sharing these with a partner.