Think, Pair, Share

Think/Pair/Share – Finding Main Ideas Together

Preview a text layout with students – noting the headings, diagrams, pictures and captions, and

predicting as a class what it will be about

Explain in broad terms what the text will be about, so students can connect with it

Teach up to five key words which will be unfamiliar to students BEFORE reading

Read the text aloud to students, do not pause unless absolutely necessary, so students hear a text read at normal pace – this helps them to hold the meaning across the tex

Students read along silently while the teacher reads aloud

Think – Ask students to note down any main ideas they have found plus any practical examples linked to these ideas – private thinking and jotting time for 2-3 minutes

Pair – Ask students to share their ideas/examples with a partner and add in any extra information they have now discovered – 5 minutes

Share – As a class, or in a group of four, share main ideas and examples briskly and add in any extras

Each student completes a note making scaffold which can be marked by the teacher

Think – Write down your own main ideas and examples

Pair – Talk with a partner – Now add in any extra ideas and examples

Share – Share your ideas and examples with a group – Now add any extras