Part Three: Try It Out!
Team member’s name: Melissa Mayo
Name of strategy implemented: TPSI
With whom the strategy was implemented (grade-level/content area,
th
other teachers, etc.): 4 Grade Reading Class (Students were reading a
story and answering a comprehension sheet focused on details.)
Student/participant examples and pictures (if available) to document
the outcome of the strategy attached.
Sociocultural Benefits
* Students get to choose with whom and with how many people they
get to work with.
* If students prefer not to work with others, they can work
independently.
* When the teacher assigns the groups, students practice interacting
socially with classmates who they wouldn’t necessarily pick to work
with.
Classroom Tips:
* You may want to facilitate the choosing of partners/groups to avoid
hurt feelings and inappropriate behavior. For example, I have used
popsicle sticks (I choose a stick and they choose a person. Then, the
other person has the right to say yes or no. The next stick chosen can ask
to join the partners, making a group, or pick a different person.)
* Or, you may want to assign the TPSI grouping configurations.
Academic Benefits
* Students can read together (increasing fluency and expression).
* Students can use content-area vocabulary while working together.
* Teacher is able to make informal observations (assessments) while
students are working, as well as have their written product.
Classroom Tips:
* This strategy can be used during any subject.
•Monitor closely to make sure students are on task and focused on the
given academic task.
Linguistic Benefits
* Students are able to talk about their answers before writing them.
* Students can get help with spelling and/or vocabulary words from their
partner/group.
Classroom Tips:
* You may want to review the desired noise level of the room so that
students can talk quietly and not disturb each other.
Student with headphones is both CLD and LD in
reading. He is able to listen to the book on tape and
then work with his other 2 group members to answer
the question.
In this partnership, there is a CLD student who is
struggling with reading and writing in English. Her BICS
are very well developed, but she needs much
assistance to achieve success. She is paired with a
student who is very deliberate in her work. It is usually
accurate, but she takes much care (and time) to
complete it.
Students are relaxed while reading lowering the
affective filter.
In this picture, you see a group of 3 boys. The boy in the
chair chose to read independently, but turned his chair
back around when it was time to work on the story
details assignment.
Cognitive Benefits
* This is a way to scaffold learning because students can lean on each
other for support.
* Students can use their L1 and L2, which will benefit students
cognitively.
Classroom Tips:
* You may want to ensure that the groups are mixed ability and varied
linguistically so that support can be given. (You don’t want the blind
leading the blind.)
Questions for the team regarding implementation of the strategy (e.g., length of time, supplementary materials, recommendations for
implementing/adapting the strategy) written as a bulleted list by the team member who implemented the strategy.
* Have you ever used a strategy similar to this in your classroom?
Note: I had done this in previous lessons, and called it PIG (because students could choose to work with a Partner, Individually, or in a Group). I did
not include the total class as a grouping interaction.
* Do you think it is better to always assign groups or let the students choose, or incorporate a mixture?
* Is there ever a benefit to homogenous grouping (not counting when the teacher is giving small group instruction – like guided reading groups)?