Think-Pair-Share

Purpose

This protocol promotes productive and equitable conversations, where all students are given the time and space to  think, share, and consider the ideas of others. It ensures that all students simultaneously engage with the same text or topic, while promoting synthesis and the social construction of knowledge.

Materials 

  • Guiding questions, decided beforehand
  • Optional: recording form with questions and answer spaces for students

Procedure

1. Move students into pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B.
2. Pose the question and give students time to think independently and silently about their answer to the question.
3. Invite partner A to ask partner B the question.
4. Give partner B a specified timeframe (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) to share his or her response.
5. Have partners reverse roles and repeat steps 3–4.
6. Using a total participation technique (e.g., cold call, equity sticks, etc.), invite students to share their responses with the whole group.
7. Repeat this process with remaining questions.

Variations

  • Pair the Think-Pair-Share protocol with a close reading lesson to allow students time and space to collaboratively  work on their answers to text-dependent questions.
  • Expand groupings to include three students (Think-Triad-Share). Ensure all students have time to think, repeat the question to a group member, and share their thoughts.

References 

Lymna, F. (1981). The responsive classroom discussion: The inclusion of all students. In Mainstreaming digest. College Park, MD: University of Maryland College of Education.

 

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