cooperative groups in the english classroom

COOPERATIVE COOPERATIVE GROUPS IN THE GROUPS IN THE

ENGLISH CLASSROOMENGLISH CLASSROOM

Mª Goretti Blanch LlosaMª Goretti Blanch Llosa

mblanch3@xtec.catmblanch3@xtec.cat

Learning cooperating:Learning cooperating:

A classroom that accepts everybody and A classroom that accepts everybody and considers everybody as an important considers everybody as an important community member.community member.

The “philosophy” of a The “philosophy” of a cooperative classroom:cooperative classroom:

An inclusive classroom An inclusive classroom Where everybody helps Where everybody helps and gives help.and gives help.

A place to think about the A place to think about the behavior rules that help the behavior rules that help the children build their children build their interpersonal relationships.interpersonal relationships.

Importance of dialog, Importance of dialog, cooperation, respect and cooperation, respect and solidarity.solidarity.

Why use cooperative Why use cooperative learning?learning?

Promote student learning and academic Promote student learning and academic achievement.achievement.

Increase student retention.Increase student retention. Enhance student satisfaction with their learning Enhance student satisfaction with their learning

experience. experience. Help students develop skills in oral Help students develop skills in oral

communication.communication. Develop students' social skills. Develop students' social skills. Promote student self-esteem.Promote student self-esteem. Help to promote positive race relations. Help to promote positive race relations.

Cooperative learning Cooperative learning main points:main points:

Each team member has to be in charge Each team member has to be in charge of a task.of a task.

It is important to make a good classroom It is important to make a good classroom distribution: sitting in groups.distribution: sitting in groups.

Each team member has got a Each team member has got a responsibility: material monitor, responsibility: material monitor, spokesperson, secretary, …spokesperson, secretary, …

Classroom distribution:Classroom distribution:

BASE TEAM:BASE TEAM: Permanent groups.Permanent groups. 4-6 children per group.4-6 children per group. Heterogeneous groups (1-2-1).Heterogeneous groups (1-2-1).

Classroom distribution:Classroom distribution:

JIGSAW TEAMS:JIGSAW TEAMS:

Advantages for the Advantages for the students:students:

Learning increase in valueLearning increase in value Helping motivationHelping motivation Immediate individual attentionImmediate individual attention No learning reductionNo learning reduction

Advantages for the Advantages for the teachers:teachers:

Better individual attentionBetter individual attention Good methodology for any Good methodology for any

age or levelage or level A good resource for A good resource for

heterogeneous heterogeneous classroomsclassrooms

Sharing responsibility in Sharing responsibility in the learning process.the learning process.