Parallel Teaching

Summary

Parallel Teaching is an educational strategy where co-teachers instruct smaller groups of students simultaneously, reducing the student-to-teacher ratio. This approach enhances student participation, minimizes behavior issues, and allows for more thoughtful responses. Teachers organize students heterogeneously to ensure a mix of abilities and backgrounds, fostering rich discussions. Attention to noise control and timing is crucial for effectiveness, with sessions typically lasting about 15 minutes. This method is particularly beneficial for deeper learning and early intervention.

Takeaways

• 👥 Parallel Teaching involves dividing a class into smaller groups, each taught by a co-teacher.
• 📚 The strategy aims to teach the same material to both groups simultaneously.
• 🎯 It reduces the student-to-teacher ratio, enhancing individual attention and participation.
• 🤔 Students have more 'air time' to think and provide thoughtful answers.
• 🙈 Smaller groups make it harder for students to avoid participation.
• 🗣️ The method encourages richer discussions and vocabulary development.
• 📊 Students are grouped heterogeneously, mixing different performance levels and English language learners.
• 🔕 Teachers must manage noise levels to prevent distraction between groups.
• ⏱️ Timing is crucial; both teachers should complete their instruction segments in roughly the same time.
• 🔄 Frequent use of this strategy is recommended for maximum student engagement.
• 🕒 For young students like kindergartners, sessions are kept around 15 minutes due to shorter attention spans.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of Parallel Teaching strategy?

The primary goal of Parallel Teaching is to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio, allowing co-teachers to maximize participation and minimize behavior problems while teaching the same material to smaller groups.

How does Parallel Teaching affect the student-teacher interaction?

Parallel Teaching increases student-teacher interaction by providing more 'air time' and attention to students, which draws them closer to the subject area and encourages more thoughtful responses.

What is the typical reduction in student numbers when implementing Parallel Teaching?

In the script, it is mentioned that the class is divided in half, going from 22 students to 11 students in each group.

How does Parallel Teaching help students who tend to hide in larger groups?

Parallel Teaching reduces the size of the group, making it less likely for students to hide and more likely for them to participate actively in discussions.

What is the role of table groupings in the Parallel Teaching strategy?

Table groupings are used to divide the classroom into smaller groups, which helps reduce the student-teacher ratio and increase instructional intensity.

How are students grouped in table groupings during Parallel Teaching?

Students are grouped heterogeneously, meaning the groups consist of a mix of English Learners (EL) and students with varying performance levels, from high to low.

What challenges do teachers face while using the Parallel Teaching strategy?

Teachers need to maintain control over noise levels to prevent distraction between groups and ensure that both teachers take roughly the same amount of time to complete the instructional segment.

How often should Parallel Teaching be used according to the script?

The script suggests using Parallel Teaching more frequently to allow for maximum student participation in the learning process.

What is the typical duration of a Parallel Teaching session for kindergartners?

For kindergartners, the attention span is relatively short, so a Parallel Teaching session should be about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Why is Parallel Teaching considered effective for deeper instruction or learning?

Parallel Teaching is effective for deeper instruction because it allows for closer attention to details, enabling teachers to catch and support students before they fall behind.

How is the division of groups facilitated in the classroom?

The division of groups is facilitated by using familiar groups that students normally work in, which makes the process quick and comfortable for the students.