Classroom techniques: Formative assessment idea number 5

Classroom Techniques:  Formative Assessment Idea Number Five

We’ve blogged quite a bit about formative assessment strategies that engage the entire classroom and provide you with the immediate feedback you need to adjust your lesson plans.

Here’s a quick recap of our ideas:

1. The Popsicle Stick
2. The Exit Ticket
3. The Whiteboard
4. Corners

The next formative assessment idea we’d like to share with you is one we call Think-Pair-Share. The concept is quite simple.

How it works

Here’s how to use Think-Pair-Share in your classroom:

  • Ask a question of the class
  • Have each student write down their answer
  • Ask students to pair up with a classmate and discuss their answers
  • After pairs have had a chance to discuss their answers amongst themselves, have them share with a larger group or the rest of the class

Help keep your kids engaged by circulating through the class to determine comprehension of the subject matter.

Think-Pair-Share provides puts students at the center of their learning. If you’ve followed our blog, you’ll know that research has shown that self-regulation of learning leads to student performance improvement.

Learn more

Get more formative assessment tips and tricks in our e-book “Making it work: How formative assessment can supercharge your practice.”

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