Great First Instruction - Frequent Opportunities for Interaction

WHAT:

Teachers intentionally and strategically provide students with continual opportunities to interact with peers through flexible grouping. Sometimes the students are in small groups, triads, or pairs where every student has an opportunity to speak and work on projects together. Through the various group activities, students are encouraged to interact with each other and have time for extended academic conversations with their peers. Teacher talk is reduced and the students engage in structured discussions about the content. Students are given adequate wait time so they can communicate their answers.

WHY:

Learning is more powerful when students have an opportunity to participate fully, discussing ideas and information. Effective teachers allow students to interact in a collaborative exploration of content. Through meaningful interaction, students can practice speaking and making themselves understood by asking and answering questions, negotiating meaning, clarifying ideas, and other techniques.

HOW:

Below are examples of Interaction strategies and elements for successful implementation.

Interaction Strategies:

Brainstorming
Conversation Round Table
Gallery Walk
Inside-Outside Circle
Jigsaw
Numbered Heads Together
Reader-Writer-Speaker Response Triads
Stay and Stray
Talking Chips
Think-Ink-Pair-Share

Effective Interactive Groups Have:

Teacher Modeling
Clear, Explicit Directions
Sentence Frames
Practice Time
Student Accountability
End Product

Copy of Interaction Strategy Slides Library

101_Tips.pdf