THINK-pAIR-sHARE

Think - pair-share is a strategy that I use with my students when I want them to stop, think about something and then share their thoughts with a partner or group. The students are given an allotted amount of time(usually no more than a couple of minutes) to think about something we have just read or discussed. After silently thinking about the subject, they then are given a short period of time to discuss the topic with a partner or with a group. After that, they then share their discussions with the whole class.
This method gets even the shyest student involved in a one-on-one discussion with another student who may able to more freely share the shy students thoughts and comments with the whole class. Students are learning how to collaborate with other students at an earlier stage in their lives so as they grow older they will feel comfortable when they have do it either academically or professionally.
Make sure that you give them a topic or open ended question to discuss when using Think-pair-share with your students. You can also walk around the room assessing the student's comprehension, listening and speaking skills as they collaborate amongst each other. Allow the group discussions to be student directed and led.