Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning, which may occur face-to-face or virtually, involves two or more students
working together toward a shared academic goal. Each student contributes to the other students’
learning. Many models of collaborative learning exist. Some collaborations take place over the course
of a few minutes; others occur over days or weeks. For example, students meet with a peer to
discuss their interpretation of a poem. Or, they work for several days in pairs to develop a multimedia
presentation about the poem and its historical and literary relevance.
Reciprocal teaching (Palinscar and Brown 1984) is a more structured type of collaborative learning.
In small groups, students discuss a text with the focus on making meaning and comprehension
monitoring. They employ four comprehension strategies: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and
predicting. Using a gradual release of responsibility approach (see elsewhere in this chapter), teachers
initially direct the discussion. They lead the group, model the strategies, scaffold students’ efforts
to contribute to the discussion, and provide feedback. Increasingly, the responsibility for directing
the discussion is handed over to the students, and each student has a turn leading the discussion
and directing the use of the comprehension strategies, thereby ensuring equitable participation.
Sometimes, students each take on only one of the roles (i.e., one student summarizes the text, a
different student poses questions, and so forth) each contributing to the group discussion. Reciprocal
teaching has been implemented effectively at all grade levels and with a range of readers and text
types (Stahl 2013); it also has been successfully applied in recent years to meet the needs of ELs and
students with disabilities (Klingner, and others 2004; Vaughn, and others 2011).
Many of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards
require collaboration. For example, Speaking and Listening
Standard 1 demands that students engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions; Writing Standards 5 and 6 explicitly call
for collaboration as well. Although collaboration is not named in
the research-related standards in the Writing strand, it is likely to
be a prominent feature of learning experiences that address these
standards. Collaborative learning promotes communication among
students; it is particularly beneficial for ELs because peer interaction
contributes to the development of language. Beyond the benefits of
increased learning and comprehension, collaborative learning also
results in the following:
- Students interact with diverse peers, thus building relationships and coming to understand
diverse perspectives. - Students share their knowledge with one another.
- Students’ thinking becomes transparent.
- Students use academic language to convey their understandings of content.
Direct Instruction
Although there are variations of direct instruction, what different models have in common is the
straightforward, systematic presentation of information by the teacher. Direct instruction generally
involves the following:
- The teacher states the lesson objective and its importance.
- The teacher provides input, which may include explanations, definitions, and modeling,
connects the new skill or learning with previously learned concepts, and checks for students’
understanding.
Collaborative learning
promotes communication
among students; it is
particularly beneficial
for ELs because peer
interaction contributes
to the development of
language.Essential Considerations Chapter 2 | 93