Teach Swap

See how it works

At a glance

Time in class

20–30 minutes

Prep

5 minutes: split a reading into 3–4 parts and label them A, B, C, D.

Materials

A text split into parts

Grouping

Home groups of 3–4, then expert groups

Use it when

A text or topic is too long for everyone to read all of it

Why it works

Explaining something to others is one of the best ways to learn it, and each student holds a piece no one else in their group has, so everyone’s contribution matters. (This structure is often called a jigsaw.)

1. Form home groups1 minuteGroups of 3–4. Each member gets a different part: A, B, C or D.
2. Expert groups8–10 minutes“All the A’s meet by the window, B’s by the door…”Read the part together and agree on the 3 most important points.
3. Plan the teach2 minutes“Write your 3 points on a card. You’ll have 2 minutes to teach them.”
4. Return and teach2 minutes eachEach expert teaches their home group. Listeners take notes.
5. Check3 minutesA short quiz or question covering every part.

See it in action

Watch out for

• Experts who read aloud instead of teaching: notes on one card only.
• Uneven parts: balance the length and difficulty.
• Absent experts: have a spare copy so the group can read that part together.

Level up

• Finish with a quiz only the experts could prep them for.
• Experts create one question their group must answer.

Make it work for everyone

• Multilingual learners: give a shorter or illustrated part; pair with a supportive expert.
• IEP and 504 supports: offer audio of their part and a note frame.
• Early finishers: connect their part to another expert’s.

Tech option

Each part as its own linked doc or video clip.

Resources