Peer Connection and Support

Example Strategies:

Set up time in class for informal discussions among students.⁵

Incorporate activities such as “Think, Pair, Share” (students think about a question or discussion topic, discuss it with a peer, and report back to the larger group) that enable students to ask and learn about one another.^{5 - 6}

In virtual settings, consider setting up message boards that enable students to connect with one another more informally during class at a dedicated time, or asynchronously (outside of class time).⁵

Example Strategies:

Keep whole-group lessons or teacher-led instruction short (e.g., between 10-20 minutes at a time) and use the time to prepare students for more hands-on activities.⁷

For virtual learning settings, create an online space for students to come together socially. For example, consider opening synchronous sessions 10 minutes early for students to connect informally, or create an online “student lounge” discussion board.⁸

Example Strategies:

Assign a collaborative class project to be completed either in-person or virtually. Assign different sections of the project to small groups of students to collaborate and complete together.⁹

In virtual classrooms, use virtual learning platforms to set up smaller group lessons or “break-out rooms” so students can collaborate together in small groups.¹⁰ Consider assigning students or asking for volunteers to be leaders in each breakout room to keep the group on task. Circulate among breakout groups to monitor and provide support.¹¹

Consider using technology platforms that enable students to collaborate on assignments and activities with students outside of their immediate community. Providing students with the opportunity to collaborate with “e-pals” on assignments can help expand their social networks and expose them to voices and perspectives they would not otherwise encounter.¹²

Example Strategies:

Ask students to write down an answer to a question (submitted as an “exit ticket” via white boards or paper during face-to-face instruction, or through “chat” features during virtual instruction). Then, group students in teams to discuss their answers (each team should have at least one student with a firm understanding of the solution or answer). This empowers students to help each other and gives them varied perspectives on possible alternative answers.¹³

Example Strategies:

Set clear and explicit expectations that all students’ backgrounds (e.g., racial/ ethnic, cultural, national), identities (e.g., sexual orientation, gender identity), and abilities and interests are respected and honored in the classroom. These expectations can be integrated into class guidelines, rules, or agreements.¹⁴

Model respect for students’ backgrounds and identities and consider seeking out resources and professional development opportunities for strengthening your own skills around promoting diversity and inclusion in the classroom.¹⁵

Consider classroom activities that provide students with opportunities to practice and improve listening and communication skills. For example, using the spider web discussion model (see Tools & Templates below), all students in the class respond to a teacher-guided question at the start of class. After students listen to all responses, they then engage in a broader discussion. The teacher listens and draws lines on a sheet of paper tracking the flow of the conversation from student to student, resulting in a web of lines that reflect the conversation pattern. At the end of the discussion, the teacher shares the drawing, and encourages students to reflect on the experience and how to have collaborative, inclusive conversations (e.g., asking students what they learned about who talked, who listened, and who built on the ideas of others).¹⁶