Thinking Aloud as a Problem is Solved

This idea is from a site that focuses on collaborative learning.

The strategy is this.

Divide the class into pairs. If you have one student left over, add that student to one of the pairs as an extra listener, or listen to him/her yourself.

Present the pairs with the problems they are to solve. The first person in the pair takes the role of Solver for the first problem. He/she reads the problem aloud, and talks through the solution, making notes when necessary. The second person in the pair is the Listener. He/she listens carefully, but does not guide the first person to the solution. Rather, the Listener's role is to catch any errors (pointing out that an error has been made, but not identifying it or providing correction), question the Solver about any gaps or leaps in logic, and ask for clarification when the Solver's explanation becomes unclear.

To read the author's explanation of the theory behind the strategy, go to the Doing CL website.