1. HOW DO YOU FORM GROUPS OF STUDENTS FOR GROUP WORK AND WHY DO YOU TAKE THIS APPROACH?

BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WHAT STRATEGIES OF FORMING GROUPS WORK AND WHICH DO NOT WORK?

WHY?

• Forming groups in pre-primary education depends on the kind ofactivities you want to run.

• Students are separated in groups of 4-5 during the week in order toaccomplish certain tasks or work in the different areas of thekindergarten school.

• These groups change during the year to allow collaboration amongdifferent students

• When we work in a specific project, groups are formed according tostudents’ interests. We have a class discussion to talk about the topic,brainstorm altogether and then discuss how we will accomplish thedifferent tasks and who is going to do what.

• It is better to let students decide what they want to do and in whichgroup they would like to work. If you choose for them, in most cases itwon’t work. It is important to respect their likes and let them takeinitiatives.

2. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR STUDENTS FOCUSED AND ON TRACK DURING COLLABORATIVE

PROJECTS? HOW DO YOU ENSURE ALL STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE TASK?

• Set easy rules that all my young students can follow

• When they work into groups, as they are very young, I work with them

as well. While we are working in one group, the other children are

playing in the different areas quietly, respecting the fact that their

friends are working on the project

• The objectives set are achievable

• The instructions and deadlines are clear.

• Working with them as a group member, gives me the opportunity to

watch who is working and try to help more shy students to contribute

as well.

• All students know since the beginning: “ we all need to work, we are all

important in order to come up with an excellent common product”

3. WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE YOU USED TO ASSESS GROUP WORK? WHAT ARE THE MAIN

CHALLENGES FOR YOU WHEN IT COMES TO ASSESSING GROUP WORK?

Assessing a group of pre-primary students can be done in various ways:

• Discuss with all students and ask them to present to the other groups

what they have done during their project work

• Present what they did to their parents or another class of students

• Ask them to present in a drawing what they have done and then explain

it to all

• Watch/see the final outcome and discuss how we came up with that,

what difficulties we faced, what each group did.