working in groups

Approach to class instruction that employs collaboration among students in small or large groups

Goals:› Academic achievement› Social-skills development

Teacher’s role: › Giver of the information facilitator in the

learning process

Types (Kagan, 1994):› Heterogeneous Teams

high-achievers, low-achievers, mid-range achievers

offers the greatest potential for peer tutoring

› Random groups

› Interest teams

› Homogeneous language teams

Size: ideal 4 (allow pair work within the group)

Classroom rules› Involve the whole class

Seating arrangement› each student can easily see the front (teacher,

blackboard), see his/her classroom teammates, and have equal and close proximity to each teammate

Giving directions› very clear to avoid student’s interruptions› The teacher should check understanding› Modelling

USE OF THE VOCABULARY INTERACTION USE OF THE TARGET LANGUAGE SPEAKING AND WRITING

SPEAKING USING THE –ING FORM.

INTERACTION WITH DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

USE OF THE COMICS

FREE GROUP FORMATION

USE OF THE TARGET LANGUAGE

FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS

THE TEACHER GIVES EACH GROUP A COMPOSITION OF SEVERAL VIGNETTES OF 13 RUE DEL PERCEBE, A SPANISH COMIC.

40 MINUTES TO FORM IDEAS

Composition with the best descriptions voted by the students

R e v ie w o f t h e v o c a b u la r y

U s e o f t h e t a r g e t la n g u a g e

.C o r r e c t w r it in g p e r f o rm

Use of linguistic knowledge in a comprehensible way to transmit ideas using creativity.

Interaction with classmates.

Work in groups

Learn to respect the other opinions

Teacher distributes a paper with a specific format for the task divided into 6 categories (letters, colour, names, food, animals and cities)

Teacher helps to form groups.

Roles:

Secretary studentRest: provide information

RED

RAYMOND

RICE

RABBIT

ROME

OBJECTIVES: THE STUDENTS TURN INTO A FUN CONTEXT TO REVIEW THEIR VOCABULARY AND COOPERATE WITH THEIR CLASSMATES.

Classroom conditions (fixed furniture) Shared space Time consuming Noise (simultaneous interaction) Freedom (different levels of preparation,

working capacity, interest) Use of mother tongue Rejection from teachers (loss of

authority)

Differences in speed and work capacities

Isolated students Discipline and responsibility of becoming

member of a group work Social interaction (motivation,

personality and mixability) Variety of students, different nationalities

in the class or ethnic minorities

Group: half majority nationality and half ethnic minority from the same country

Half-way through term uncomfortably factions developing.

Partly the teacher’s fault not keeping seating fluid or mixing groups enough.

Group-building activities tensions eased

Inter-class football match› inter-group rivalry the most powerful group-

maintaining feeling.

Thanks!

MARINA CALVENTE GARCÍA CARMEN GUTIÉRREZ SALAS SALVADOR SAN AGUSTÍN KNOWLES JULIA MIGUÉLEZ MORALES ESTHER SEDANO RUIZ