The Collaboration strategy requires teachers to intentionally design learning experiences using a variety of flexible and fluid grouping structures following direct instruction to provide opportunities for students to collaborate with partners and small groups.

When using Collaboration, the teacher designs collaborative and partner work to ensure student discussion and interdependence is required for consolidation of learning. The teacher embeds high-level questioning with student explanations to guide discussion of cognitively challenging tasks or texts. Students engage with peers to apply and consolidate learning through tasks, problem solving, instructional conversations, and relevant real-world challenges. Students engage with collaborative partners to discuss and apply new skills and knowledge as a part of making sense of and consolidating learning.

Collaboration is not done absent of purpose and intention. It is not groups of students practicing similar skills in proximity of one another. It is most effective when paired with high-level questions that require student reasoning where students are making sense of and consolidating their learning because of the collaborative peer interaction.