Tyler Hickerson

Jigsawing
When to use: This method can be used when educators feel that the readings are either too long
or too complicated for the students to go all the way through with. This is mostly done during the
reading, but it can be altered to have them read beforehand.
Description: This method can be placed in a variety of subjects throughout various grades. For
example, I am having this method used in a college level course with undergraduate students.
This method requires students to split into expert groups who then take a small portion of the
reading and analysis, thereby becoming experts in that particular section. Then, the small groups
of students come together to describe their section to the other students. This method is a great
way to have students collaborates together and discusses the reading in a free thinking, open
discussion.
Debriefing: The primary reason for using this method is to establish a collaborative learning
style in the classroom and steer away from making reading and learning a rinse and repeat
exercise. In Daniels and Zemelmanns book, Subject Matter (2004), they discuss how this
controversial method could be misconstrued from the experts writing by the paraphrasing of the
student, but it is a risk to take to get a better chance for the kids to be actively engaged with the
materials and not imitating the words from the expert. This method of learning is also a research
topic for psychology as well. The APA researches the concept of jigsaw classrooms and how they
affect students. According to the American Psychological Association (2003), the jigsaw
technique can take competitive classrooms, which can hamper a students mental and social wellbeing, and turn them into cooperative classrooms, where students are encouraged to work and
support each other in their learning.
Directions for the strategy:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Have students read the required material for the lesson

Split up students into small groups
Assign each group a designated section to read
Have students discuss their section with their fellow members
Rearrange groups to where a group has members that each individual represents one of
the sections.
6. Have the students discuss their respective section.
7. Bring the class back together for a whole class discussion on the paper.
Differentiation: The biggest modification that can be made is in the groups that the students are
assigned to. If the students who struggled with the readings are paired with those who are also
struggling and the students who have a good understanding are paired with the students who
understand the reading, the whole discussion will be dominated by one group and not all the
students will benefit from this method. It is important to section the students in a way that has
everybody giving their all and being able to fully immerse themselves in the lesson

Tyler Hickerson
Disclaimers & Cautions: As I prepared my lesson plan with this method, I realize that I would
have to sanction my time perfectly. I was prepared to do this activity then present a presentation
on the subject, and finally do a group activity. But as I continued working on my strategy, I
realized I may only have enough time for the paper only. The main problems that I see for any
teacher who uses this strategy are time management and trusting the students to lead the groups.
This strategy is time consuming because you want to give the students enough time to discuss the
reading but you need time to go over it yourself. As for the trust in leadership, it is hard to trust
that the students will present the information that the author had correctly, but it is important that
the students are able to come together and interpret the readings themselves.
References:
Daniels, H., & Zemelmann, S. (2004) Subjects matter: Every teachers guide to content-area
reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
American Psychological Association. (2003). How to build a better education system: Jigsaw
Classrooms.