

by Terry Heick
What’s the 3-2-1 technique? The three-2-1 technique is solely a format that may body–effectively, actually something.
Examples Of The three-2-1 Technique
It doesn’t even should be about about educating and studying. You may ask somebody to call…
3 of your favourite genres of music, 2 of your favourite songs, and 1 sample you observed making that checklist of genres and songs
3 cities you’ve visited, 2 of your favourite recollections of these 3 cities, and 1 place you’d wish to go subsequent
3 causes of air pollution, 2 options that would assist tackle these causes, and 1 factor an individual can do each day to assist instantly/have an instantaneous impact
You get the concept. It’s only a easy technique to body a subject or process, making it appear accessible and ‘fast.’ For lecturers, this implies the potential for larger pupil engagement and extra attainable makes use of in your classroom, from journal or dialogue prompts to evaluation kinds or exit slips.
The most typical use of 3-2-1 I’ve seen is in response to a studying or lesson–often 3 belongings you realized, 2 issues that made you curious or confused, and 1 most essential factor you realized or ought to do with what you’ve realized.
Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Essential Pondering
In 15 Reflection Methods To Assist College students Retain What You Simply Taught Them, I wrote, “3-2-1 is a tried-and-true technique to body something from a pair-share or journal entry (e.g., ask college students to put in writing 3 issues they assume they know, 2 issues they know they don’t know, and one factor they’re sure of a few subject) pre-assessment to a post-assessment (e.g., checklist 3 ways your essay mirrored mastery of talent X, two methods talent Y nonetheless wants enhancing, and a technique you can also make your argument stronger within the subsequent 5 minutes) to a mirrored image of the post-assessment.”
In going again and rereading the put up just lately, it occurred to me that the 3-2-1 (or 1-2-3–and even simply 2-1 and 1-2) format is perhaps a easy technique for essential pondering. The ‘3-2-1’ sequence itself doesn’t maintain vital potential aside from its capacity to border the potential of different methods.
Be aware that these are simply tough examples of utilizing the 3-2-1 for studying. Be happy to take any of those and enhance them or create your individual based mostly on an thought you get studying them. : )
Additionally be aware, I exploit generally obscure or imprecise phrases like ‘factor’ and ‘identify’ and ‘may have’ and ‘may need.’ I did this to make it basic sufficient to be plainly helpful to a variety of grade ranges of content material areas. The ‘factor’ might be something from fractions or the water cycle to a dialogue about Shakespearean sonnets. (In that manner, it’s much like the 6 Domains Of Cognition TeachThought Studying Taxonomy.)
The purpose I hope to make is that the 3-2-1 technique is a straightforward technique to body something–which suggests it’s a great tool for educating essential pondering.
Analytical/Conceptual
3 variations between metaphors and symbolism, 2 issues they’ve in frequent, and 1 basic impact on a textual content that they every have
3 underlying assumptions of democracy, 2 frequent misunderstandings of democracy, 1 purpose democracies have endured as a type of fashionable authorities
You may even have requested college students to call 3 strengths of democracy, 2 types of democracy, and 1 manner it may need to evolve to keep up relevance in a altering world (misinformation, deep fakes, propaganda, partisanship, and so forth.)
Write 3 questions on the recall or understanding stage, 2 questions on the ‘apply’ stage, and 1 query on the consider stage
Dialogue/Listening/Debate
3 methods you agree, 2 methods you disagree, and 1 factor you realized (or that shocked you) throughout your dialog
3 issues they stated, 2 factors they made, 1 factor you’d wish to know extra about
3 issues I do know (usually) about mindset, 2 examples of the impact of mindset (usually), 1 factor I’ve observed about my mindset as we speak/earlier than or throughout this lesson/just lately, and so forth. (particularly)
3 methods my pondering happens simply or naturally for me, 2 methods my pondering requires focus or effort on my half, 1 adjustment I could make in response
3 issues I bear in mind pondering in the course of the lesson, 2 issues I bear in mind doing in the course of the lesson, and 1 factor I may’ve finished however didn’t
Time-Primarily based
Spend 3 minutes summarizing, 2 minutes clarifying, and 1 minute writing one sentence that concisely summarizes the ‘factor’
3 issues I may do with what I’ve realized, 2 issues that different individuals do with this sort of information or talent, 1 factor I am going to do with what I’ve realized
3 similarities, 2 variations, 1 question-to-guide-future-learning
3 issues I realized, 2 issues that had been a bit complicated, 1 ‘large thought’ that sums up the relevance of all of it
3 open-ended questions, 2 closed questions, 1 deepening query
3 clarifying questions, 2 probing questions, 1 contextualizing query
Lesson Planning: What are 3 ways I’ve designed with sufficient flexibility to satisfy the wants of a variety of learners? What are two questions or challenges I anticipate? If they’ll solely study one factor from this lesson, what do I would like it to be (ideally in a single sentence)?
Curriculum Planning: What are three most essential ‘large concepts’ on this curriculum? (Clearly, this might be any quantity–six, ten, and so forth.) How can they unify the ‘much less essential’ or much less broad concepts? What are curriculum planning methods I can use to advertise enduring understanding (or essential pondering, switch, and so forth.)? What’s one change I could make to this curriculum to make it extra versatile for all learners?
See 20 Varieties Of Questions For Essential Pondering
Studying Response Immediate Examples
Non-fiction textual content/easy: Title 3 belongings you bear in mind or realized from the studying, 2 issues that made you confused or shocked, and 1 factor you’d wish to study extra about
Non-fiction textual content/much less easy: Title 3 examples of textual content construction, analyze 2 ways in which construction affected its which means, and identify 1 declare that the textual content appeared to make that was or was not well-supported
Fiction: Describe 3 methods the writer developed the protagonist over the course of the e book, describe 2 ways in which improvement affected the plot’s improvement, and determine and clarify 1 change the writer may’ve made in that improvement and the way that change would have affected the which means of the textual content/your enjoyment of the textual content, and so forth.
Utilizing 3-2-1 To Information Inquiry Examples
Establish 3 locations your inquiry may ‘begin,’ determine 2 execs and cons of every, then create 1 driving query to information your inquiry
Write 1 query, 2 solutions, and three follow-up questions
Write 1 query, 2 revisions of the query, and three results of these revisions
Write 3 questions, 2 attainable solutions every, and 1 implicit thought in both
Analysis
2 sources for each (1) declare
3 sources, 2 media kinds, 1 current examine
3 sources revealed inside the final 5 years, 2 sources revealed between 5 and 20 years in the past, 1 supply revealed 20+ years in the past
Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Essential Pondering


by Terry Heick
What’s the 3-2-1 technique? The three-2-1 technique is solely a format that may body–effectively, actually something.
Examples Of The three-2-1 Technique
It doesn’t even should be about about educating and studying. You may ask somebody to call…
3 of your favourite genres of music, 2 of your favourite songs, and 1 sample you observed making that checklist of genres and songs
3 cities you’ve visited, 2 of your favourite recollections of these 3 cities, and 1 place you’d wish to go subsequent
3 causes of air pollution, 2 options that would assist tackle these causes, and 1 factor an individual can do each day to assist instantly/have an instantaneous impact
You get the concept. It’s only a easy technique to body a subject or process, making it appear accessible and ‘fast.’ For lecturers, this implies the potential for larger pupil engagement and extra attainable makes use of in your classroom, from journal or dialogue prompts to evaluation kinds or exit slips.
The most typical use of 3-2-1 I’ve seen is in response to a studying or lesson–often 3 belongings you realized, 2 issues that made you curious or confused, and 1 most essential factor you realized or ought to do with what you’ve realized.
Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Essential Pondering
In 15 Reflection Methods To Assist College students Retain What You Simply Taught Them, I wrote, “3-2-1 is a tried-and-true technique to body something from a pair-share or journal entry (e.g., ask college students to put in writing 3 issues they assume they know, 2 issues they know they don’t know, and one factor they’re sure of a few subject) pre-assessment to a post-assessment (e.g., checklist 3 ways your essay mirrored mastery of talent X, two methods talent Y nonetheless wants enhancing, and a technique you can also make your argument stronger within the subsequent 5 minutes) to a mirrored image of the post-assessment.”
In going again and rereading the put up just lately, it occurred to me that the 3-2-1 (or 1-2-3–and even simply 2-1 and 1-2) format is perhaps a easy technique for essential pondering. The ‘3-2-1’ sequence itself doesn’t maintain vital potential aside from its capacity to border the potential of different methods.
Be aware that these are simply tough examples of utilizing the 3-2-1 for studying. Be happy to take any of those and enhance them or create your individual based mostly on an thought you get studying them. : )
Additionally be aware, I exploit generally obscure or imprecise phrases like ‘factor’ and ‘identify’ and ‘may have’ and ‘may need.’ I did this to make it basic sufficient to be plainly helpful to a variety of grade ranges of content material areas. The ‘factor’ might be something from fractions or the water cycle to a dialogue about Shakespearean sonnets. (In that manner, it’s much like the 6 Domains Of Cognition TeachThought Studying Taxonomy.)
The purpose I hope to make is that the 3-2-1 technique is a straightforward technique to body something–which suggests it’s a great tool for educating essential pondering.
Analytical/Conceptual
3 variations between metaphors and symbolism, 2 issues they’ve in frequent, and 1 basic impact on a textual content that they every have
3 underlying assumptions of democracy, 2 frequent misunderstandings of democracy, 1 purpose democracies have endured as a type of fashionable authorities
You may even have requested college students to call 3 strengths of democracy, 2 types of democracy, and 1 manner it may need to evolve to keep up relevance in a altering world (misinformation, deep fakes, propaganda, partisanship, and so forth.)
Write 3 questions on the recall or understanding stage, 2 questions on the ‘apply’ stage, and 1 query on the consider stage
Dialogue/Listening/Debate
3 methods you agree, 2 methods you disagree, and 1 factor you realized (or that shocked you) throughout your dialog
3 issues they stated, 2 factors they made, 1 factor you’d wish to know extra about
3 issues I do know (usually) about mindset, 2 examples of the impact of mindset (usually), 1 factor I’ve observed about my mindset as we speak/earlier than or throughout this lesson/just lately, and so forth. (particularly)
3 methods my pondering happens simply or naturally for me, 2 methods my pondering requires focus or effort on my half, 1 adjustment I could make in response
3 issues I bear in mind pondering in the course of the lesson, 2 issues I bear in mind doing in the course of the lesson, and 1 factor I may’ve finished however didn’t
Time-Primarily based
Spend 3 minutes summarizing, 2 minutes clarifying, and 1 minute writing one sentence that concisely summarizes the ‘factor’
3 issues I may do with what I’ve realized, 2 issues that different individuals do with this sort of information or talent, 1 factor I am going to do with what I’ve realized
3 similarities, 2 variations, 1 question-to-guide-future-learning
3 issues I realized, 2 issues that had been a bit complicated, 1 ‘large thought’ that sums up the relevance of all of it
3 open-ended questions, 2 closed questions, 1 deepening query
3 clarifying questions, 2 probing questions, 1 contextualizing query
Lesson Planning: What are 3 ways I’ve designed with sufficient flexibility to satisfy the wants of a variety of learners? What are two questions or challenges I anticipate? If they’ll solely study one factor from this lesson, what do I would like it to be (ideally in a single sentence)?
Curriculum Planning: What are three most essential ‘large concepts’ on this curriculum? (Clearly, this might be any quantity–six, ten, and so forth.) How can they unify the ‘much less essential’ or much less broad concepts? What are curriculum planning methods I can use to advertise enduring understanding (or essential pondering, switch, and so forth.)? What’s one change I could make to this curriculum to make it extra versatile for all learners?
See 20 Varieties Of Questions For Essential Pondering
Studying Response Immediate Examples
Non-fiction textual content/easy: Title 3 belongings you bear in mind or realized from the studying, 2 issues that made you confused or shocked, and 1 factor you’d wish to study extra about
Non-fiction textual content/much less easy: Title 3 examples of textual content construction, analyze 2 ways in which construction affected its which means, and identify 1 declare that the textual content appeared to make that was or was not well-supported
Fiction: Describe 3 methods the writer developed the protagonist over the course of the e book, describe 2 ways in which improvement affected the plot’s improvement, and determine and clarify 1 change the writer may’ve made in that improvement and the way that change would have affected the which means of the textual content/your enjoyment of the textual content, and so forth.
Utilizing 3-2-1 To Information Inquiry Examples
Establish 3 locations your inquiry may ‘begin,’ determine 2 execs and cons of every, then create 1 driving query to information your inquiry
Write 1 query, 2 solutions, and three follow-up questions
Write 1 query, 2 revisions of the query, and three results of these revisions
Write 3 questions, 2 attainable solutions every, and 1 implicit thought in both
Analysis
2 sources for each (1) declare
3 sources, 2 media kinds, 1 current examine
3 sources revealed inside the final 5 years, 2 sources revealed between 5 and 20 years in the past, 1 supply revealed 20+ years in the past
Utilizing The three-2-1 Studying Technique For Essential Pondering