Traffic Lights
Traffic lights (TheArtist, iStockphoto)
Traffic lights (TheArtist, iStockphoto)
Format
This strategy helps students pause and reflect on how they are feeling about a concept or idea.
Why use it?
- To analyze a situation by focusing on what is going well for them, what might they want to stop doing and what are they unsure about
- To have a structured conversation with peers or with a teacher
- To support reflection and help students take ownership of their learning
Tips for success
- Consider modeling this process or doing it as a class the first time through.
How do I use it?
- Provide each student with the template
- Using a prompt related to the problem they are trying to solve, have each student reflect on
- Green - What is going well and what they should keep doing
- Yellow - What they are unsure about and what they should check with someone else on
- Red - What they should stop doing or change direction on
Variations
- Instead of using the template, students could record their reflections in a notebook and use coloured dots or markers to indicate which ideas they feel they should move ahead, slow down or stop altogether.
- Students could use sketch notes to record their reflections.
- This strategy could be used as a small group or whole class activity.
Using this Strategy
- Traffic Lights Alignment Check Reproducible Template [Google doc] [PDF]
Create Your Own
- Traffic Lights Alignment Check Reproducible Template [Google doc] [PDF]
References
Adapted from: Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (2011). Groups at work: Strategies and structures for professional learning (p. 36). MiraVia.