Managing Small Groups


General Guidelines for Teaching with Groups:

  1. Small-group activities typically consist of two stages. In the first stage students are divided into groups and given a task to perform and time to perform that task. In the second stage, the groups come back together in a plenary session of the whole class in order to report on the outcomes of their task or to discuss the task. In the first stage, students learn by doing; in the second stage, students learn by hearing what others have done and by participating in a discussion of the task guided by the teacher.
  2. Tasks should be designed so that groups produce something. That "something" could be a group product (which the group recorder or leader presents to the whole class during the plenary session) or individual products (such as peer critiques of other students' draft reports). By making groups responsible for a product, the teacher encourages groups to stay on task. Tasks that simply ask groups to "discuss" something often lead to diffuse, unproductive sessions.
  3. Tasks should focus on specific learning objectives. Be sure that students know the purpose of the task in terms of the broader learning objective.
  4. Tasks should be manageable within a set time period. Set aside enough class time so that students are able to perform the activity and have sufficient time left for full discussion in plenary session with the teacher as moderator. A time limit should be placed on the board (for example, "Report in 20 minutes" or "Report at 1:50").
  5. Directions for the task should be put in writing (overhead projector, handout, PowerPoint slide, on a blackboard) and should specify clearly what the students are to do and what the outcome should be.

The Teacher's Role in Small-Group Activities:

  1. To intervene or leave the groups alone? Some people say that teachers should stay completely out of the groups' work because teachers alter the group dynamics, even by listening in. Others say that intervention provides a great opportunity for individual and small-group teaching at the point where it is most needed. A good rule of thumb is to apply a judicious combination of both. Signs that suggest intervention:
    • a quiet group (they either don't know what they are supposed to do or they have not found a dynamic that would allow them to do it),
    • a particularly loud group (they may have a disagreement that is getting out of hand), and
    • a chatty group (they are often off task).

    If you don't detect any of these signs, wait until someone asks for your attention. Two important points to remember: resist the temptation to dominate the groups and don't spend too much time with one group.
  2. What should the teacher do in the plenary session? The plenary session is not the time for the teacher to dominate the class. The authority at this time still rests in the hands of the students; it is the teacher's job simply to moderate the groups' reports and guide class discussion. Allow the students to have the authority they have earned in their collaborative efforts. If the groups come up with a product that seems to run counter to what you anticipated (and hoped for), then ask them to explain their position and encourage students in other groups to offer alternatives. Or you can present the "right" answer as an alternative. Remember: the point of group work is not just to find the "right" answer but also to encourage students to think scientifically.

 

 

 
 
 

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