Reciprocal Teaching
Definition:
Reciprocal teaching refers to an instructional activity in which students become the teacher in small group reading sessions (http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/reciprocal_teaching). After the teacher models how it works, students will engage with a text and apply four strategies in small groups. These four strategies are: predicting, clarifying, questioning, or summarizing (Miller & Veatch, 2012).
How it works (Miller & Veatch, 2012) (http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/reciprocal_teaching):
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How I will use Reciprocal Teaching:
Much of what we study in Biology and Chemistry can be challenging for the students and always includes new words. The Reciprocal Teaching method is an excellent way to cover challenging material as it will engage the students, causes a discussion, connects to other concepts already learned. Because much of science is about making predictions I think this method is a natural fit for studying science material as making predictions is part of the process. Also, because of the rich terminology in science, it is important to have a clarifier, or someone what addresses confusing parts, or terms, for the rest of the group. I can see using this strategy, while covering new concepts in science, on a consistent basis.
Examples:
In the above video, the teacher really models how to lead a discussion in reciprocal teaching. She then scaffolds them into asking their own questions and clarifying unclear words. The next phase is summarizing and she leads the students to summarize for one another the main idea. Then she asks them to share their predictions with one another.
The video above shows a student group involved in reciprocal teaching. The students are clearly taking ownership of leading the discussion in this 5th grade classroom. They are engaged with the material, asking the questions, predicting, summarizing, clarifying unclear words. The students are helping one another and at the same time taking ownership of their roles.
Writing Component: Common Core English Language Arts Standards » Science & Technical Subjects » Grade 9-10 (http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RST/9-10/):
By using Reciprocal teaching with my students, we will be addressing the following common core standards for 9th and 10th grade science writing. In order to clarify or summarize a part of the text given, students will need to cite specific evidence from text and also be able to determine the central ideas or conclusions of the text. The clarifier will be responsible for clarifying to the group the meaning of key words and other science terminology. In order to give a summary of the text, students will need to analyze the structure of relationship among concepts and terms in the text. To make a prediction or ask questions, students will be analyzing the author's purpose in providing an explanation. All of the comprehension strategies used in my classroom are so the students will be able to read and comprehend their science text both independently and proficiently.
- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
- Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
- Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g., force, friction, reaction force, energy).
- Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address
- By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9-10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.