PALS work simultaneously and productively on different activities that address the problems they are experiencing. Pairs are changed regularly and all students have the opportunity to be “coaches” and “players” over a period of time as students work on a variety of skills.
PALS creates pairs in a classroom, each of which is geared to the individual student’s needs, instead of a single, teacher-directed activity that may end up addressing the problems of only a few children. The strategy also creates opportunities for a teacher to circulate in the class, observe students, and provide individual remedial lessons.