Numbered Heads Together

Numbered Heads Together is a simple, low-risk and highly motivating cooperative instructional strategy that renders each student accountable for learning the material. Students are placed in groups and each person is given a number (from one to the maximum number in each group).

This cooperative instructional strategy promotes discussion and both individual and group accountability.

• It fosters students to be attentive in group discussion, so that if called on, they will be prepared to give an answer.
• It ensures that the quieter and less expressive students will be given opportunities to speak up and present their group’s answers and thoughts.
• It promotes individual accountability and mutual cooperation.

• It fosters students to be attentive in group discussion, so that if called on, they will be prepared to give an answer.
• It ensures that the quieter and less expressive students will be given opportunities to speak up and present their group’s answers and thoughts.
• It promotes individual accountability and mutual cooperation.

1. Divide your class equally (if possible).
2. In each group, students count off by the number of students in the group. For example, if you have six students, students count off 1-6. For any group that has less than 6 students, one student should take charge of two numbers.
3. Teacher poses a question that has several possible answers.
4. Teacher tells groups the specific amount of time given.
5. Team members put their heads together discussing the question. Each group members must make sure that they know the answer agreed upon by the group as he/she may be called to present the answer to the class/teacher.
6. Teacher alerts groups to stop the discussion.
7. Teacher calls a number from 1-6. Students with that number from all the different groups stand/raise their hand. Each of standing/raised hand students is called upon to give their group’s answer. Standing students with different answers can be called upon to give their group’s thinking.