Instructional Goal: Hear Every Voice in a Group (for both a large and small groups)
Print: Domino Discover General Directions
Domino Discover with Step by Step Implementation Guide
Introduction
Instead of calling on hands to check for understanding and gather questions, try Domino Discover to gather ideas from every student. Use student table or small group reporters to gather responses representing the thinking of every student in the room. As responses are collected from reporters, challenge students to listen for patterns and surprises or differences in responses from their peers. After Domino Discover, call on individual student hands for additional responses. Students use the responses to monitor learning their own learning and teachers use the responses to tailor instruction. This routine methods of gathering student responses to questions builds a culture of equity and expectations of engagement in lessons by routinely using Domino Discover instead of calling on hands.
Starting Position
Ask learners to jot down their initial thinking; could be an answer to a question, the vocabulary words they remember, or the solution to a math problem. This should result in data the teacher needs to tailor instruction and that will clarify, further or review student learning.
Actions
- Decide who will go first in the group (small or large).
- Point to the person that will go second – establishing the direction for the circle.
- Take turns completing the task until everyone has gone, one after the other, like dominoes falling.
Return and Reflect
- Take a few minutes to notice patterns and surprises that learners noticed as well as pose questions.
How to Begin
Consider teaching rounds as a whole class in a large circle, then dividing the class into halves with the teacher monitoring both circles from a central location, and then using rounds in small groups such as triads or four students. Students can share a word or phrase written on a post it note.
Use Domino Share when brainstorming or gathering questions and ideas from the class to ensure that every student’s ideas are heard.
- Begin by asking students to generate questions or ideas in small groups. Ask students to do this in a round and then use open exchange to gather additional ideas from group members. A recorder jots down the ideas.
- Then the group prepares one or more reporters to share out ideas generated in the group. The reporters share out from each group around in a domino fashion, one reporter after another without interruption.
- The teacher or a student records ideas from all groups. When reporters are sharing everyone else is in the “listener” role noting patterns and surprises that emerge as each group shares.
- After the domino share the teacher invites anyone to add something that came up in the group and was not captured yet in our notes. This is much more efficient and inclusive then calling on students randomly and requires students to listen to each other.