Speed dating

The mechanics

• Students work in pairs to prepare and become equally proficient at talking about allocated topic. (This can be partially done for homework, in a previous lesson or on the day depending, on time)

• Place chairs down middle of room, in two rows, facing each other. • The pairs sit opposite each other. They have 3 minutes to discuss the information

each of them has prepared on the topic and share notes.• After this, the pair is working independently.• Everyone in row A moves one place to the right to meet a new partner, who has

different information. • The non-movers in row B have 3 minutes to give their information to the new

row A person and then row A people move again and so on until back to the beginning.

• Row A then become the speakers and B move.

Hazards

• Students trying to ‘shortcut’ process• Quality of content• Space• Time• Focus

Benefits

• Speed! • Cover lots of material• Different perspectives• Oral focus• Independent• Covers wide range of learning aptitudes.

Refinements

• Reduce time depending on task• Reduce time as task proceeds• Questions prepared• Presentations linked to essay questions

Quality Control

• Pairings• Materials• Set targets• Hover and listen

Applications

• Revision of large amount of work/text• Setting a question and exploring different

solutions• Covering large number of debate/discussion

topics