Kagan Cooperative Learning structures are learning strategies that facilitate teaching and learning. It requires equal participation and individual accountability. These classroom approaches can help ease the anxiety of students by giving them an opportunity to understand something they may not have without having to directly as the teacher. The structures build trust between the students who contribute and listen to each other. Many anxious children are resistant to risk taking, these strategies help to encourage doing things that the student may interpret as a risk in a safe and comfortable situation. In the small group or partner situations, students are able to share their ideas without having to address the entire class as a whole.
RallyRobin- A structure where students are paired up and take turns discussing and responding to the question or conversation topic (Kagan, 2013, p. 12).
Timed Pair Share- A structure where partners take turns listening and sharing in an allotted amount of time (Kagan, 2013, p. 14).
Three-Step Interview- A structure where each student interviews a partner and reports to the class or team what they learned in the interview (Kagan, 2013, p. 16).
Quiz- Quiz- Trade- A structure where students ask each other quiz questions, ensure correct answers then trade questions, moving around the room to work with multiple partners (Kagan, 2013, p. 18).
Numbered Heads Together- A structure where students discuss a question posed by the teacher, one teammate is called on to share the team’s answer (Kagan, 2013, p. 20).