What teaching strategy alternates roles between teachers and students during discussions?

The concept of reciprocal teaching is a strategy designed to enhance comprehension and dialogue in a learning environment by alternating roles between teachers and students. In this approach, the teacher initially models specific reading strategies such as predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. As students become increasingly familiar with these strategies, they then take on the role of the teacher, guiding their peers through discussions and employing the same strategies themselves. This dynamic interaction fosters deeper understanding and engagement as students actively participate in the learning process, empowering them to take responsibility for their own learning and that of their classmates. It helps develop critical thinking and metacognitive skills, as students reflect on their understanding and articulate their thoughts effectively.

Other strategies like cooperative learning focus on group work but do not necessarily involve an alternating roles structure in discussions. Direct instruction emphasizes teacher-led instruction without significant role-switching. Independent study places the emphasis on students working alone without the collaborative interaction that reciprocal teaching promotes.