What does "reciprocal teaching" involve?

Reciprocal teaching is a collaborative instructional approach that emphasizes the interaction between students as they engage in discussing a text. In this method, students take on specific teaching roles that facilitate active learning and comprehension. They might rotate through roles such as summarizer, questioner, clarifier, and predictor, sharing the responsibility of guiding the discussion. This peer-to-peer teaching dynamic allows students to articulate their understanding, ask questions, and clarify concepts for one another, leading to a deeper grasp of the material. This collaborative interaction is crucial as it fosters critical thinking and enhances comprehension skills.

In contrast, simply taking notes individually lacks the interactive component that is central to reciprocal teaching. Teacher-led instruction is characterized by a more traditional, one-sided approach that does not involve students taking active roles in teaching others. Additionally, assessment of reading without collaboration does not promote the shared learning experience that is intrinsic to the reciprocal teaching method.