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Dimension 3 Access Strategies

Colored Pencils

Each student uses a different color pen/pencil when working on a group problem. Students can use poster paper or larger than normal paper, so that everyone has physical access to the paper.

Extended Wait Time

After posing a question to the whole class, count to five slowly in your head before calling on a student, hopefully resulting in more hands being raised.

Fishbowl

During class discussions, split the group in half. Have one half sit together so they can see each other, and the other half sit in a circle around them. The inner group talks for a certain amount of time (3 minutes, 5 minutes) with minimal input from you. The outer group writes what they heard during the discussion. Collect their notes; switch groups on different days.

Gallery Walk

Students post their individual or group work around the room and then walk around and look at their peers’ work. Work may be in finished form or in progress. Gallery walks can be “silent” or interactive. Students can post comments/question using sticky notes or talk through questions and comments. With group work, one student can be chosen to stay behind to present their group’s work to the other students.

Group Questions

The teacher only answers group questions (questions that have been agreed upon by all group members). One student raises their hand when the group has a question. The teacher asks a different student in the group what the question is and only answers the question if all group members agree it’s a question.

Idea Melting Pot

After a do-now, rather than having students raise their hands to share how they solved a problem, have them turn in their work to you without their names on it. Randomly pick one of the papers and choose a student to present the solution written there. The class can work together to understand what was done.

Participation Quiz-

Share what your Partner Said

Before a group discussion, have students turn and talk to a neighbor. When the discussion begins, have students who want to talk share their neighbor’s idea, not their own.

Share Wrong Answers Like They’re Right Answers

Share an incorrect solution to a problem, saying “another student solved the problem this way. Identify similarities and differences between this solution and the solution you have. What makes sense to you? What questions do you have?” Encourage students to share their thinking in a whole class discussion or in small groups about their own solution to the problem as it relates to the incorrect solution the teacher support productive small group work on mathematics. Focus can be on how students explain clearly, build on each other’s ideas, or respond to the thinking of others. provides. If possible, let the students come to the decision that the provided solution is incorrect and encourage them to justify their thinking.

Student-Led Questioning Routine

Establish a routine of student-led questions and challenges after viewing each student presentation or work. For example, students might routinely finish their presentation by asking the class “Do you have comments or questions?” and calling on classmates.

Team Huddle

During group work, call a team huddle to give information, answer a common question, or give a reminder.

Three Things

If students are stuck on a problem, ask them to state three things they know about the problem and three things they are wondering about. This can help students realize that they are making progress and have information that they can potentially draw on to make more progress.

Time Alone

Give students some time (maybe 5 minutes) to work alone on a problem before working in a group, so that they have time to think and prepare their ideas. You may want to structure this alone time by setting expectations as to what students will share with their groups after 5 minutes. For example, tell students, “Be prepared to share one idea that you have for getting started on this problem and one question that you have about the problem.” or “Be prepared to share one thing that you know about this problem and one thing that you don’t know about this problem.”

Turn-and-Talk about a lower-stakes question

Ask students: What is confusing/tricky about this problem? What are three things you know about this problem? With your partner, summarize what we have done so far. Ask your partner: Why did we multiply there?