Using The 3-2-1 Learning Strategy For Critical Thinking – TeachThought

by Terry Heick

What’s the 3-2-1 technique? The three-2-1 technique is just a format that may body–properly, actually something.

Examples Of The three-2-1 Technique

It doesn’t even must be about about educating and studying. You may ask somebody to call…

3 of your favourite genres of music, 2 of your favourite songs, and 1 sample you observed making that record of genres and songs

3 cities you’ve visited, 2 of your favourite reminiscences of these 3 cities, and 1 place you’d prefer to go subsequent

3 causes of air pollution, 2 options that might assist tackle these causes, and 1 factor an individual can do daily to assist instantly/have a right away impact

You get the concept. It’s only a easy method to body a subject or process, making it appear accessible and ‘fast.’ For lecturers, this implies the potential for greater scholar engagement and extra attainable makes use of in your classroom, from journal or dialogue prompts to evaluation types or exit slips.

The most typical use of 3-2-1 I’ve seen is in response to a studying or lesson–normally 3 stuff you discovered, 2 issues that made you curious or confused, and 1 most essential factor you discovered or ought to do with what you’ve discovered.

Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Important Considering

In 15 Reflection Methods To Assist College students Retain What You Simply Taught Them, I wrote, “3-2-1 is a tried-and-true method to body something from a pair-share or journal entry (e.g., ask college students to write down 3 issues they assume they know, 2 issues they know they don’t know, and one factor they’re sure of a couple of matter) pre-assessment to a post-assessment (e.g., record 3 ways your essay mirrored mastery of talent X, two methods talent Y nonetheless wants enhancing, and a technique you can also make your argument stronger within the subsequent 5 minutes) to a mirrored image of the post-assessment.”

In going again and rereading the publish just lately, it occurred to me that the 3-2-1 (or 1-2-3–and even simply 2-1 and 1-2) format could be a easy technique for crucial considering. The ‘3-2-1’ sequence itself doesn’t maintain vital potential aside from its capability to border the potential of different methods.

Be aware that these are simply tough examples of utilizing the 3-2-1 for studying. Be at liberty to take any of those and enhance them or create your personal based mostly on an concept you get studying them. : )

Additionally be aware, I exploit generally obscure or imprecise phrases like ‘factor’ and ‘title’ and ‘might have’ and ‘might need.’ I did this to make it common sufficient to be plainly helpful to a variety of grade ranges of content material areas. The ‘factor’ might be something from fractions or the water cycle to a dialogue about Shakespearean sonnets. (In that method, it’s much like the 6 Domains Of Cognition TeachThought Studying Taxonomy.)

The purpose I hope to make is that the 3-2-1 technique is an easy method to body something–which suggests it’s a useful gizmo for educating crucial considering.

Analytical/Conceptual

3 variations between metaphors and symbolism, 2 issues they’ve in widespread, and 1 common impact on a textual content that they every have

3 underlying assumptions of democracy, 2 widespread misunderstandings of democracy, 1 purpose democracies have endured as a type of trendy authorities

You can even have requested college students to call 3 strengths of democracy, 2 types of democracy, and 1 method it might need to evolve to keep up relevance in a altering world (misinformation, deep fakes, propaganda, partisanship, and many others.)

Write 3 questions on the recall or understanding degree, 2 questions on the ‘apply’ degree, and 1 query on the consider degree

Dialogue/Listening/Debate

3 methods you agree, 2 methods you disagree, and 1 factor you discovered (or that shocked you) throughout your dialog

3 issues they mentioned, 2 factors they made, 1 factor you’d prefer to know extra about

3 issues I do know (usually) about mindset, 2 examples of the impact of mindset (usually), 1 factor I’ve observed about my mindset in the present day/earlier than or throughout this lesson/just lately, and many others. (particularly)

3 methods my considering happens simply or naturally for me, 2 methods my considering requires focus or effort on my half, 1 adjustment I could make in response

3 issues I bear in mind considering in the course of the lesson, 2 issues I bear in mind doing in the course of the lesson, and 1 factor I might’ve executed however didn’t

Time-Based mostly

Spend 3 minutes summarizing, 2 minutes clarifying, and 1 minute writing one sentence that concisely summarizes the ‘factor’

3 issues I might do with what I’ve discovered, 2 issues that different individuals do with this type of information or talent, 1 factor I am going to do with what I’ve discovered

3 similarities, 2 variations, 1 question-to-guide-future-learning

3 issues I discovered, 2 issues that have been a bit complicated, 1 ‘large concept’ that sums up the relevance of all of it

3 open-ended questions, 2 closed questions, 1 deepening query

3 clarifying questions, 2 probing questions, 1 contextualizing query

Lesson Planning: What are 3 ways I’ve designed with sufficient flexibility to fulfill the wants of a variety of learners? What are two questions or challenges I anticipate? If they’ll solely study one factor from this lesson, what do I would like it to be (ideally in a single sentence)?

Curriculum Planning: What are three most essential ‘large concepts’ on this curriculum? (Clearly, this could possibly be any quantity–six, ten, and many others.) How can they unify the ‘much less essential’ or much less broad concepts? What are curriculum planning methods I can use to advertise enduring understanding (or crucial considering, switch, and many others.)? What’s one change I could make to this curriculum to make it extra versatile for all learners?

See 20 Varieties Of Questions For Important Considering

Studying Response Immediate Examples

Non-fiction textual content/easy: Identify 3 stuff you bear in mind or discovered from the studying, 2 issues that made you confused or shocked, and 1 factor you’d prefer to study extra about

Non-fiction textual content/much less easy: Identify 3 examples of textual content construction, analyze 2 ways in which construction affected its that means, and title 1 declare that the textual content appeared to make that was or was not well-supported

Fiction: Describe 3 methods the creator developed the protagonist over the course of the guide, describe 2 ways in which growth affected the plot’s growth, and determine and clarify 1 change the creator might’ve made in that growth and the way that change would have affected the that means of the textual content/your enjoyment of the textual content, and many others.

Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Important Considering