KAGAN STRATEGIES

KAGAN  COOPERATIVE  STRATEGIES

Kagan Cooperative Learning is an extremely successful teaching strategy in which small teams of students work together towards a learning goal. Each member of the group is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Students work through the assignment until all group members successfully understands and complete it. Kagan Cooperative Learning structures minimize the opportunity for pupil to become distracted, disruptive and then disaffected by giving them the skills to work with others and to learn independently of the teacher. This structure teach pupils social skills, interaction with other pupil, turn talking, listening to the views of others and sharing information.

I have used some Kagan Cooperative Strategies in the school. 

1. TALKING CHITS

This strategy was conducted in following steps.

1. Make students into two groups.
2. Give equal number of chits to each group
3. Teacher asks questions.
4. Any member who keeps the chit first on the table will get the chance to answer.
5. The team which finishes maximum number of chits in that particular time is the winner.

2. SHOWDOWN

This was conducted in following steps.

Teams have a set of question cards stacked face down in the center of the table

1.        Teacher selects one student from each team to be the   showdown captain.
2.      The captain draws the top card, reads the question, and   provides think tome.
3.      Working alone, all students, including the captain, write their answers.
4.      When finished, teammates signal they’re ready.
5.      Captain calls “Showdown”
6.      Teammates show and discuss their answers.
7.      Captain leads the checking.
8.      If correct, the team celebrates. If not, teammate tutor then celebrates.
9.      The person on the left becomes the captain for the next round.

3. NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER

This was done in following steps.

1. Student number off (group of four).
2. Teacher poses a problem.
3. Students write their individual answers.
4. Students stand up and put their head together to show their answers, discuss and teach.
5. Students sit down when their group is done.
6. Teacher calls a number and those students respond using choral response.

4. INSIDE OUTSIDE CIRCLE

This was conducted in following steps.

1. Students stand in two circles – inside circle faces out, outside circle faces in.
2. Each student has a partner from the other circle.
3. Teacher writes some questions on the flashcards and give it to all the students who are present in the inside circle.
4. Inside asks while outside responds, inside listens, praises, or coaches (teacher can also ask the question and indicates whether inside or outside responds.)
5. Switch roles - outside asks while inside responds, outside listens, praises or coaches.
6. Switch cards and inside or outside rotates (can also rotate two ahead, three ahead, etc.)