Skip To Main Content

Holder Canvas Triggers - Mobile

Schools Trigger & District Link

Weglot Trigger

Search Trigger

Mobile Main Nav

Canvas Menus

In this Section

Horizontal Nav

Breadcrumb

Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures

Student engagement with Kagan cooperative learning structures

Student engagement is one of the high quality instructional practices expected in all classrooms in District 62. Student engagement includes tapping into students’ interests and lived experiences, making learning interactive, nurturing students’ authentic voices, and engaging in academic conversations.

Kagan cooperative learning structures are one way in which high student engagement is supported throughout the district.

Use of Kagan cooperative learning structures ensures that all students experience positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction.

Cooperative learning structures support students’ social emotional and academic development.

Photo of one student helping another with work in the classroom.

In This Section

Learning standards

Illinois standards & INstruction

CCSD62 Essential Standards

Some of the Kagan Structures Used in CCSD62

Mix Pair Share

Students mix around the room to music or just the beat of their own drum. When the music stops or the teacher calls “pair,” students pair up with the classmate closest to them.

The teacher then gives the class a topic to discuss with their partner. This can be repeated multiple times with the same or different questions, making sure students pair up with a different classmate each round.

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.

Timed Pair Share

In a Timed Pair Share, the teacher first has students think about a topic. Then for a pre-announced time (often a minute), one student in each pair shares his/her thoughts while the partner just listens.

This is ideal to create equal participation for elaborate responses. Second, in Timed Pair Share, students respond to each other. Pair Share is for that quick two-way share.

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.

Rally Coach

The Kagan approach to the “Rally Coach” activity pairs students into two (or three) person teams.

In a Rally Coach activity, one student writes the answers to the question while their partner serves as the “coach,” offering tips and problem-solving suggestions as they go. Typically, students will trade roles once (x) number of questions are complete (all of the questions in a single row of addition problems, for example).

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.

Rally Table

In this process, the class or the students are divided into groups. This is done to encourage group learning, team building and cooperative learning.

The group of students are given a sheet of paper and a pencil. A question is posed to the students in such a manner that the students can write multiple answers for a given question. A timer is set and the students are asked to write the answers. Each student of a group writes one answer and passes the paper to his other group member.

Till the time is up, the students keep writing answers by passing the paper in group. After the time is up, the student is asked to read out the answer he has written. This enables the entire group to work together and come up with suitable answers.

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.

Simultaneous Round Table

Simultaneous Round Table is a way to generate ideas as a group all at the same time.

With each member of the group writing simultaneously on their own paper about one designated idea, the group generates an exponentially larger amount of ideas.

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.

Showdown

Students show and share their answers with one another.

If all teammates agree on the answer they erase their boards and move on. If even one of the team members disagrees then they must discuss their answers and come to a consensus on the right answer.

See CCSD62 students participating in this structure in the video below.