Pair work

How it is used

Very common in language teaching and active-learning classrooms. Teachers set up or organize pair work and tell students to 'work in pairs' or 'check with your partner'. Lesson plans often mark interaction as T-S, S-S or PW.

Example sentences

1. After the listening, do some pair work: compare your answers with a partner.

2. Pair work gives shy students a chance to speak without the whole class listening.

Common collocations

• set up pair work
• work in pairs
• pair work activity
• think-pair-share

Related terms

• group workLearning activities in which students work together in small groups, usually three to six people, to complete a task, solve a problem or create something.
• cooperative learningA structured form of group work in which students depend on each other to complete a shared task, while each student is still responsible for their own learning.
• active learningLearning in which students do things and think about what they are doing, such as discussing, solving problems or explaining ideas, instead of only listening.
• student-centered learningAn approach in which students take an active role in their learning, for example by discussing, investigating and making choices, while the teacher guides rather than lectures.

More terms: Teaching Methods and Approaches

• differentiation
• pedagogy
• scaffolding
• critical thinking
• project-based learning
• inquiry-based learning
• rote learning