JASVINDER SADYORAPAIR WORK: TIMED RETELL

Pair Work: Timed Retell

Description:

Timed Retellis a recollection of what has been heard, read, understood, or experienced. Timed Retellcan take many forms (dramatic, written, oral) and may involve sequencing (for example, first … then … after that).

Timed Retellis a comprehension strategy that can examine a student’s assumptions and understandings and lead to further reading and responding activities. Timed Retellverifies information the learner has gained and organizes thinking.

Purpose

Students’ practise their listening and speaking skills in pairs. Students’ in pairs take turnsspeaking, listening, and retelling information in timed steps. This strategy is used for students to consolidate their understanding when reading about a topic. It is also used to review class material and help students develop their study skills, and to practice new vocabulary terms for any science unit. This strategy:

  • Enhance critical thinking skills.
  • Make connections between written and oral skills.
  • Briefly consolidate or reinforce learning.

This strategy addresses various concepts

Helps students’ in developing the following skills:

  • A strategy that can be used to learn content material in science.
  • Share responsibility for reviewing with each other.
  • “Talk” their way into meaning and understanding through verbal rehearsal.
  • Develop note-taking skills, confidence and share ideas.
  • Attentive listening skills while sharing viewpoints on an issue.
  • Enhance critical thinking skills.
  • Create an argument and be concise in its delivery.
  • Make connections between written and oral skills.
  • Apply skills in different ways – in pairs, small groups, and with the whole class.

Helps the teacher:

  • Plancomposition of pairs, carefully selecting them to encourage the comfort level of students.
  • Sets clear expectations regarding the focus of listening and speaking.
  • Give appropriate time lines.
  • Monitors student activity and understanding by moving about and listening.
  • Elicits response from volunteers or by random selection at the end of “Timed Retell”.
  • Uses information gained throughout the activity to make informed teaching decisions

Sample Activities:

Activity 1: Is it true that if the length of each side of a rectangle is doubled then the area of the rectangle is doubled?

Activity 2: Is it true that if the length of each side of a rectangle is reduced to half then the area of the rectangle is also reduced to half?

Activity 3: Is it true that all squares are rectangles?

Class Activity:

  • Is it true that if each side of a rectangle is doubled then the area of the rectangle is doubled?

Tips and Resources:

  • I am attaching activity sheet 1 and 2 (Appendix I & II) to be used as a resource by the teacher candidates to implement this “Timed Retell” strategy.
  • This can be modified with different time lines depending upon thecomplexity of the activity.
  • Take time to ensure that all students understand the stages of the process.
  • Make use of transitions wisely.

Blank Line Masters:

Empty space is provided on activity sheet 1 and 2 for a teacherto use this literacy strategy.

ACTIVITY SHEET 1Appendix I

What Teachers do What Students do Time Line

Before
Choose a relevant question that invite debate.
• Activity 1: Is it true that if the length of each side of a rectangle is doubled then the area of the rectangle is doubled?
Assume Side 1=2cm, Side 2=4cm
• Make sure the students have the appropriate background knowledge about the topic.
• Review active listening, speaking, and participation skills. / • Individually jot down ideas about the topic.
During
• Put students in pairs facing each other.
• Direct all partner A students to tell what they know about the topic for 1 minute.
• Direct partner B to retell the talk for about 1 minute then to respond (e.g., add additional information).
• Direct partner A to retell what partner B said. / • Decide who will be partner A and who will be partner B.
• Partner A speaks and tells partner B all they know on the topic while partner B actively listens.
• Partner B retells partner A’s talk then responds to what partner A said and mentions anything of importance that partner A did not mention on the topic.
• Partner A retells what partner B just said. / 1 minute
1 minute
1 minute
After
• Invite students to write a summary of the discussion.
• Share summaries in small groups of four.
• Organize the class into a circle to share all ideas and concepts. / • Partner B writes a carefully constructed summary of your discussion.
• Partner B read the summary to the partner A to ensure that no important details have been omitted. Partner A to do peer editing.
• Share both summaries with two other students.
• Share ideas in a full class circle setting. / 2~3 minutes
2~3 minutes
3 minutes
5 minutes
Notes: / Notes: / Notes:

ACTIVITY SHEET 2 Appendix II

What Teachers do What Students do Time Line

Before
Choose a relevant question that invite debate.
• Activity 2: Is it true that if the length of each side of a rectangle is reduced to half then the area of the rectangle is also reduced to half?
(Assume: Side 1= 2cm Side 2=4cm)
• Make sure the students have the appropriate background knowledge about the topic.
• Review active listening, speaking, and participation skills. / • Individually jot down ideas about the topic.
During
• Put students in pairs facing each other.
• Direct all partner A students to tell what they know about the topic for 1 minute.
• Direct partner B to retell the talk for 1 minute then to respond (e.g., add additional information).
• Direct partner A to retell what partner B said. / • Decide who will be partner A and who will be partner B.
• Partner A speaks and tells partner B all they know on the topic while partner B actively listens.
• Partner B retells partner A’s talk then responds to what partner A said and mentions anything of importance that partner A did not mention on the topic.
• Partner A retells what partner B just said. / 1 minute
1 minute
1 minute
After
• Invite students to write a summary of the discussion.
• Share summaries in small groups of four.
• Organize the class into a circle to share all ideas and concepts. / • Partner B writes a carefully constructed summary of your discussion.
• Partner B read the summary to the partner A to ensure that no important details have been omitted. Partner A to do peer editing.
• Share both summaries with two other students.
• Share ideas in a full class circle setting. / 2~3 minutes
2~3 minutes
3 minutes
5 minutes
Notes: / Notes: / Notes:

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