The Jigsaw Method: Reviving a Powerful Positive Intervention

Abstract

Schools in the United States are becoming more diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality, but many minority students experience disconnection from school for a variety of reasons. Longstanding research on the jigsaw method suggests that it has been an effective intervention for increasing interdependence among students and fostering prosocial behaviors that would increase social connection. More recent research on the jigsaw method has focused on its strong effects on academic learning and has largely overshadowed its original purpose to improve social interactions and increase inclusion. This paper is an attempt to revive the jigsaw method as an effective intervention to increase prosocial behavior while at the same time improving academic performance. Practical implementation information, including an implementation checklist, is offered for teachers and school-based mental health professionals looking to implement the intervention in classroom settings.