Using the Think Pair Share Strategy to Teach Decimals

Think, Pair, Share: Making Real-World Decimal Connections

Every teacher knows the “spotlight” struggle: the same three students have their hands up before you’ve even finished the question, while the rest of the class disengages. This isn’t usually because the other students don’t know the answer—it’s because they need more time to process their thoughts.

The Think, Pair, Share strategy is a powerful differentiation tool that provides the structure and “wait time” necessary for every student to participate confidently.

Why Think, Pair, Share Works for Math Differentiation

By slowing down the pace of a discussion, you provide an “equity of voice” in your classroom. This strategy works particularly well in math because:

It lowers anxiety: Students test their ideas with one peer before speaking to the whole group.
It builds vocabulary: Students practice using math terms (like “tenths” or “place value”) in a low-stakes conversation.
It provides processing time: It allows students who process at different speeds to actually form an opinion rather than being “scooped” by the faster participants.

Classroom Example: Decimals are Everywhere!

I recently used this strategy to help my students make real-life connections with decimals. Here is the step-by-step breakdown:

The Prompt: I asked students: “Where do you see or use decimals in your everyday life?”
Think (1 Minute): I set a timer. Students had to think silently. No talking, just independent brainstorming.
Pair (2 Minutes): Students turned to their neighbors. They shared their lists and noticed similarities. I listened in to gauge their understanding.
Share: We gathered as a class and I recorded their examples on the board.

Bringing the Real World into the Classroom

You don’t need a fancy slideshow or expensive posters to make decimals “real” for your students. In fact, some of the best decimal discussions start with the “junk mail” sitting on your kitchen bench or the receipt in your handbag.

To get this discussion started in your classroom, try these “Zero-Prep” prompts:

The Grocery Docket Challenge: Ask students to bring in a grocery receipt from home. Have them use the Think, Pair, Share strategy to find the most expensive item and the cheapest item. Extension: What happens to the total if the decimal point in the most expensive item moves one place to the left?
The Catalogue Scavenger Hunt: Hand out supermarket catalogues and ask students to find three items that cost less than $5.00 but more than $2.50.
The Petrol Station Observation: Next time you’re driving, snap a quick photo of the local petrol station sign (e.g., 195.9 cents per litre). Ask students why we use three decimal places for petrol but only two for the milk they buy at the shops.

By using these everyday objects, you’re showing students that decimals aren’t just “math problems” in a textbook—they are a critical part of how we navigate the world every single day.

If you’d like to see a real-world demonstration of this technique in action, this video shows a fantastic example of a teacher using Think-Pair-Share to navigate a class discussion.