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Page last updated on: April 15, 2011		 Interaction makes learning powerful. Small group work, sometimes called cooperative learning, requires students to work together to exchange ideas, make plans and propose solutions.Teachers must give careful thought to how to manage the classroom during small group activities to ensure success. 

 

advantages of small groups

When students work in small groups, they think through an idea, present it to others so that they can understand, and often exchange alternative ideas and viewpoints. This:

  • Encourages positive attitudes toward sexual health
  • Increases students' self-confidence
  • Promotes intellectual growth, and
  • Enhances social and personal development.

procedure

There is no one "right way" to approach small group activities.  Teachers must choose models and methods that match their particular teaching styles, their students and lesson content. Following some basic steps at the beginning will help all small group activities be more effective.
 

1. Set up guidelines for group behavior that promote equal exchanges among members:

  • Contribute your ideas
  • Listen to others' ideas
  • Give everyone a chance to speak
  • Ask all group members for help before asking the teacher
  • Use consensus to settle disputes - everyone must agree with the solution

2. Introduce students to the interpersonal skills needed to work in a group:

  • Eye contact and positive body language
  • Encouragement and respect
  • Speaking quietly and without hostility

 3. Select groups using care and consideration

  • Try to mix students with different abilities, ethnic backgrounds, learning styles and personal interests.
  • Keep group size small (2-6 students)
  • Create groupings ahead of time, or use grouping techniques that ensure no one feels left out.
     
    • Have a set of cards that are distinguishable by different colors, numbers and shapes. (UNO cards work well.)  Randomly pass out cards, and direct students to form groups with students who have the same number, shape or color.  This allows the teacher some control in ensuring efficient groupings.
    • Use a "values continuum" line, having students choose to stand at stations marked strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree when presented with an issue. Form groups by pulling students from different stations of the continuum.

types of cooperative learning activities

Think-Pair-Share:  Students work independently to write down thoughts or ideas about a topic, and then share these ideas with a partner.  Partners probe one another to ensure complete understanding.

 

Jigsaw:  Divide class into groups. Assign each group a separate topic. Everyone in each group must be become an expert on the topic by the end of a given time.  Form new groups made up of one member of each original group. "Experts" share findings from various topics from their original groups with the new group members.

 

Round Table: Students brainstorm a variety of ideas or responses to a topic for a limited time period without critiquing the value of the ideas.  Once groups have completed this activity, these lists can be used to facilitate group and class discussion.

 

Group Investigations: Students work to produce a group project, which they may have a hand in selecting.

 

STAD (Student Teams-Achievement Divisions): Groups study what has been taught by the teacher to help each member reach his or her highest level of achievement. Students are then tested individually. Teams earn certificates or other recognition based on the degree to which all team members have progressed over their past records. 

 

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ASSESSMENT

If work accomplished within a group is to be used as part of the student's mark, it is important to remember to use two levels of accountability. The group must be accountable for achieving its goals, and each member must be accountable for contributing his or her share of the work. 

 

tips FOR USING SMALL GROUPS

  • Work must be directed towards a clear goal or set of goals.
  • Tasks should be specific and outlined in detail.
  • Give each group member a specific task (leader, recorder reporter, monitor, etc.)
  • A time limit of 5 to 20 minutes should be observed.
  • Groups need to be interdependent - relying on all group members to accomplish a goal. 
  • Provide groups with appropriate workspace where they can work face-to-face without disruption.
  • Keep close observation during group activities to ensure students remain on task and on track.


REFERENCES:

1.   *Classroom Compass – Cooperative Learning. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n02/cl.html

2.      Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice. Regina, SK; Saskatchewan Education.

3.       Sexuality: An Education Resource Book. Judith Campbell, Jill Golick; Globe Modern Curriculum Press, 1988.

4.    Cooperative Learning. David and Roger Johnson; University of Minnesota. http://www.clcrc.com/