What:

Problem Pairs is a tool to support Guided Practice. It refers to the tool whereby teachers provide students with a worked example, followed immediately by a problem in a very similar format.

Problem Pairs is a pair of visual problems provided to students, displayed side by side.  Teachers provide students with a completed worked example followed by a similar problem for them to solve. 

The worked example on the left side of the display shows a completed example which reveals the required steps. This provides a clear model for students when completing their own work. Students can check the strategy in the worked example when solving the next problem (on the right side of the display).

​

See more information on Problem Pairs here: Problem Pairs One-Pager.docx

​

Why:

Research suggests that Problem Pairs is the most effective way of utilising worked examples with students.

The Problem Pairs strategy provides students with a scaffold for independent problem solving.

Builds student independence and confidence as they can independently check the strategy to support them with solving the problem. 

Supports inclusion as the method is available for all, but may only be used by students if they need it.

This reduces cognitive load for students, particularly those who struggle to retain verbal information. 

Teachers can use Problem Pairs as a tool to check for understanding. 

​

How to design a problem pair:

Provide students with a completed worked example on the left hand side of the display. 

Think aloud whilst modelling, using the worked example.

Provide a similar problem on the right hand side of the display.

Design the similar problem to be minimally different. Keep the key features of the question the same. To make the sequence of examples as clear as possible, use the same wording on juxtaposed examples (or wording that is as similar as possible (Englemann and Carnine, 1991). Vary the specifics (e.g. the quantities) to check if students are able to mimic the steps if needed.

​

In summary:

Teachers present a worked example and then immediately follow this example by displaying a similar problem next to the worked example, and asking the learner to solve the problem.

​