Looking for simple ways to boost student engagement? I have one word for you: Kagan. I learned about Kagan engagement strategies early on in my career and have been using them regularly ever since. They are easy to incorporate into daily activities and will instantly boost student engagement. Here are a few of my favorites and how I use them in my classroom.
Kagan Engagement Strategies: Sage 'N' Scribe
One of my go-to engagement strategies is Sage ‘n’ Scribe, which requires students to work together to solve problems. Before I learned about this strategy, I would have students pair up and practice solving math problems “together”. However, this would often result in only one of the students doing the work, which meant only one student was engaged. Most of the time, the student who struggled in math was off-task and not doing the work. The Sage ‘n’ Scribe strategy prevents this from happening. Here’s how…
Students pair up and only have one writing utensil between the two of them. I typically have them use whiteboards and dry-erase markers, but it works with paper and pencil as well. One student is the “sage” and tells their partner, the “scribe,” what to do. The scribe then writes for their partner as they work together to solve the problem. If the sage makes an error, the scribe coaches them and helps them fix the error. Students switch roles after each problem.
Here is a video you can show students the first time you implement Sage ‘n’ Scribe.
I do not use Sage ‘n’ Scribe immediately after a new concept has been taught. Instead, I implement it after students have had a chance to practice the skill and feel comfortable with it. In addition, you can easily differentiate the problems for various skill levels. It’s important the sage chooses the problems since he or she will be the one explaining the solution.
Here is an example of differentiated problems I use for Sage ‘n’ Scribe. I display both question sets and allow them to choose which level they feel comfortable with.
Sage ‘n’ Scribe gives students an opportunity to practice the skill in a unique way while building relationships with their peers. As a teacher, I also use this engagement strategy if I’m working with a student who is struggling. By having students explain their thinking, I’m able to get a better sense of exactly where they are struggling. I’ve even shared this with parents to use at home!
Kagan Engagement Strategies: Quiz-Quiz-Trade
This might be my absolute favorite of all the Kagan engagement strategies! With Quiz-Quiz-Trade, students circulate the room in a hand-up, pair-up fashion, and quiz one another. If both answers are correct, they trade cards and repeat with another partner. If not, students coach each other until they get the correct answer.
Flashcards are great to use since most have a question on the front and an answer on the back. In addition, I turn old sets of task cards into Quiz-Quiz-Trade cards by writing the answers on the back.
This strategy works well as a warm-up activity, review activity, or something to do when you see students begin to lose engagement.
Here is a helpful video you can show students before implementing Quiz-Quiz-Trade for the first time.
Make sure the questions aren’t too difficult and can be solved mentally. That’s why flashcards are the best! Students LOVE this strategy and often ask if they can play this “game” again!
Kagan Engagement Strategies: I Have Who Has
This strategy is a class favorite and one I use often in my small group teacher center. Fun fact–I actually remember using this activity for my very first observation back in 2003, way before I knew anything about Kagan!
When incorporating I Have, Who Has, students pass out a set of cards, such as multiplication fact cards. The first person begins by saying, for instance, “I have 48, who has 7 x 4?” All students look through their cards. The person with 28 says, “I have 28! Who has 5 x 9?” Play continues until all students have read their cards.
In this activity, my small group first completed an I Have, Who Has round with the decimal cards. They then had to place their cards on a number line before they were dismissed from my group. Right away I heard how many students struggled with reading decimals, so I made sure to review that in my lesson the next day.
These are super easy to create for your classroom. Just make sure to create an answer key to guide students along. By doing so, they can actually complete this activity without you. My students love doing I Have, Who Has with a group of friends when they finish their work!
Here’s another video you can show students before implementing I Have, Who Has for the first time.
I recently created a set of digital and printable I Have, Who Has cards for U.S. States and Capitals. This would be a fun family activity as well!
Kagan Engagement Strategies: Find Someone Who
This engagement strategy is perfect for a quick review before a test. In Find Someone Who, students circulate the room in a “hand up, pair up” fashion. Once paired up, students exchange papers, answer a question, and sign their initials.
Partners then switch back to their original papers and check their partner’s work. If they agree with the answer, they put a check on that space and go looking to find someone else who can solve another problem. If they disagree, the student pairs work together to solve the problem.
It can also be used as a fun icebreaker for the first week of school. Be sure to make a copy for yourself so you can play right along with your students! Click the button for more info.
If you’re interested in learning more about Kagan engagement strategies, tune in to Episode 20 of Elementary Math Chat. In this episode I share three additional Kagan strategies (Numbered Heads Together, Rally Robin, and Round Robin) and fun ways to implement them with students.
I’d love to hear how you use Kagan’s engagement strategies in your classroom. Do you have a favorite? Which one(s) are you excited to try? Leave a comment!
Until next time,
Happy Teaching!
Thanks for this array of ideas. Lots of ways to be innovative in the classroom.
Thank you SO much for this post! I had never heard of Quiz-Quiz-Trade and I am definitely going to incorporate it into my lessons!
It’s such an easy one to start with. You’ll love it! Good luck!
What wonderful ideas that are both easy to implement and that will no doubt be a hit with my students! Thank you! I’ll be incorporating these into my class!
I love these ideas to engage students. They are so much fun! Thank you for sharing.
I love the Sage and Scribe method! I also feel like there’s always one person in a group of two doing the work so this strategy minimizes that! Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to use it in my classroom!
Exactly! That’s why this strategy is so effective! 🙂
Thank you for sharing these great ideas! I am looking forward to getting my students up and moving with these helpful strategies!
I love sage and scribe! I never heard of this method! Perfect for authentic partner interactions!
There are so many different awesome activities here. I cannot wait to try them. Thank you for your detailed videos.
So many amazing ideas!!! I love them and can’t wait to try them in my classroom!
Great post and ideas. This year’s class is in dire need of engagement and focus, but also cannot stay on track without structure.
I am going to try to incorporate these strategies in hopes of teaching them positive ways to engage and practice effectively.
Thank you! Love the resource ideas as well. It would be great to have a grade level bundle of ideas for each strategy that first timers could use while building a “library”!
Thank you so much! I use Kagan structures in every class except math because I just haven’t had the time to sit down and figure it out with our new adoption. Your post just gave me 12 good new ideas to use! Wow!!
Great page, I’ll keep in mind for my classroom
Getting and maintaining the attention of the learners, having them engaged through out the discussion and maintaining their focus is very difficult to do. But your ideas strategies here are an eye-opener. I would surely apply these ideas in my classroom. Thanks for sharing…