Jigsaw

Engaging Strategy
An engaging strategy guides participants to explain or apply ideas, elaborate on their thought processes, listen to each other and build upon the ideas of others, and reflect on and process what they are learning.
Description

Individuals read, listen to or view a selected text, audio clip or video and then join a small group where they discuss the excerpt of an article, audio, or video. Groups then reorganize so that each new group contains one member from each of the original groups. The members of the new group now “teach” their excerpt to the members of their new group and listen as others present their excerpt.

When and Why

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This is useful when there is a lot of content to be presented; when the content is dense with ideas and concepts; when there is a wide range of prior understanding of the topic or when some participants may experience disequilibrium as they process the content. The experience of making sense of the information individually and then in a small group can help give confidence to those new to the material and also welcome divergent thinking. Teaching others is a highly effective strategy that enables individuals to deeply learn and synthesize information. Jigsaw also supports a less hierarchical approach to teaching and learning.

How to Facilitate

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  1. Reflect on the current context, the demographics of participants, and the purpose of this engagement.
  2. Select an appropriate text and divide it into numbered sections so that each group gets a piece that’s readable within the amount of time you’ll be providing. Pre-plan for participants who will need a particularly accessible section, or who will benefit from receiving their reading ahead of time.
  3. Divide participants into same-sized small groups, and assign one section of the article to the members of each group.
  4. Provide silent reading time for everyone to read their section.
  5. Encourage groups to discuss their section or topic for the time you have allotted (ideally 5 to 10 minutes), with everyone in the group supporting one another to fully understand their piece.
  6. Number off within each group, counting up to the number of new small groups you are forming. Then ask all the “1s,” “2s,” “3s,” etc., to find each other and form new groups.
  7. The new group members then take turns teaching their piece to their new group in the sequenced order of the article. Designate a “timer” within each group who ensures that each person has equal time to do their teaching, answer questions from the group, etc.

How does Jigsaw support SEL?

Social Awareness/Belonging:
Participants are encouraged to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. Facilitators create an experience of acceptance, respect, and inclusion within a group or community.

Responsible Decision-Making/Curiosity:
Participants have an opportunity to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. Facilitators design an activity that leads to the pursuit of knowledge and different perspectives and contributes to attention, engagement, and learning.
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