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FOUR CORNERS

Instructions

Materials

• Pictures or texts to post in each corner of the room

Similar Strategies• Take a Stand, Affinity Mapping, Agreement Circles

Ideas for Scaling Up or Down

1. For novice learners, use the Four Corners strategy for students to select multiple choice responses or to choose preferences.

2. For intermediate and advanced students, instruct students to choose a corner based on open-ended prompts or questions. Once they assemble in their corner, students have a discussion to solidify their thinking. After, provide students the option of moving to a different corner if they have changed their minds.

Classroom Background InformationLanguage, Grade, and Proficiency Level

• Mandarin Chinese, 11th and 12th grade AP class • Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High

School Background

• Bayside High School is located in Bayside, Queens, New York. The school has an enrollment of 2852 students.

• 73% of students receive free and reduced lunch, and the student population demographics are 42% Asian, 27% Hispanic, 18% White, and 12% Black.

• The world language department offers six languages (Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Spanish) and the Mandarin program is made up of four teachers. Currently, 570 students are enrolled in the Mandarin program.

Teacher Background

• Ms. Wendy Hsieh has been teaching Mandarin Chinese at Bayside High School for six years. She loves having the opportunity to utilize her passion and knowledge to equip language learners to become global citizens.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. The teacher posts visuals or texts related to any language-learning or curriculum topic in each corner of the classroom and explains what is posted there.

2. The teacher calls out a prompt or a question related to the theme. Students think for 30 seconds and then the teacher asks them to choose a corner that aligns with their response or ideas.

3. Students go to the corner that corresponds to their individual response or ideas. They share ideas with one or more classmates who are at the same corner.

4. When the students have finished talking with their partners, the teacher asks students to share about the information they exchanged in the corner. This can be done when the students are still standing in the corners or after they have returned to their seats. The teacher may ask questions such as: Why did your first partner choose that corner? In what areas did the group in your corner agree or disagree?

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Four Corners

Implementation Guide

Keep the information below in mind as you are implementing this strategy in your classroom.

focus questions

Teacher Role1. How does Ms. Hsieh set up

the activity so that students understand the procedure and expectations?

2. How does Ms. Hsieh support and facilitate, but not lead the activity?

3. What is Ms. Hsieh’s role as students work in their corners?

Student Work1. How does the activity promote

spontaneous conversation and the authentic exchange of ideas?

2. How do students ensure all classmates are included?

Application1. What are your next steps for

implementing this in your classroom?

2. What are some challenges you may encounter, and how can you avoid them?

1) SETTING UP THE ACTIVITYWhen setting up Four Corners, do the following:• Explain the Can-Do Statements, making clear what students will be

able to do with the language as a result of the learning that takes place during the task.

• Give clear directions, explain each corner, and give a time frame for each part of the activity.

• Model with a small group of students.• Provide time for students to get to their preferred corner.• Provide resources such as sentence and question starters, a thematic

word wall, and communication strategies for students as they interact and converse with classmates who choose the same corner.

2) SUPPORTING STUDENT WORK: In order for students to be able to participate fully in the activity, do the following: • Ensure that all students understand their role and the objective(s) of

the activity.• Rotate through class and listen in to conversations to confirm students

are on topic and to gather information for a formative assessment.• Support students by posing clarifying questions and/or comments.

3) WRAPPING UP THE ACTIVITY: When closing Four Corners, do the following:• Refer back to the Can-Do Statements as a summation of the activity.• Bring all the corner groups back together and ask for a spokesperson

for each group. • Allow students to lead the debriefing, and use it as an opportunity for

students to practice spontaneous and authentic interpersonal speaking. • To foster a positive classroom culture, acknowledge students’ work by

congratulating them for their effort and insights.