Thinking about Thinking about Group WorkGroup Work

Gordon LewisGordon Lewis

Beijing, October 18-20, 2008Beijing, October 18-20, 2008

STUDENT

Care Community

CoherenceContext

ConnectionsChallenge

Curiosity Creativity

Methodolo

gy Materials

Educational &

Cultural ContextTeacherTeacher

Curriculu

m

Why bother with group Why bother with group work?work?

Break into pairsBreak into pairs list three reasonslist three reasonsshare your answers with share your answers with

another pairanother pair

Why bother with group Why bother with group work?work?

Most obvious reason is increased Most obvious reason is increased practicepractice

Increased motivation (maybe)Increased motivation (maybe) Promotes responsibility and autonomy Promotes responsibility and autonomy

(if teacher allows)(if teacher allows) Promotes noticingPromotes noticing

Learning from peers by listening and Learning from peers by listening and watchingwatching

Digital World is collaborativeDigital World is collaborative

Create

Connect

Participate

Share

Reorganize

Why bother with group Why bother with group work (2)work (2)

What is your learning goal and how What is your learning goal and how will group work contribute to it?will group work contribute to it?

Ask yourself:Ask yourself: Does collaboration flow naturally from the Does collaboration flow naturally from the

task?task? Is collaboration a prerequisite fof task Is collaboration a prerequisite fof task

accomplishment?accomplishment? Are there other alternatives to increase Are there other alternatives to increase

exposure to the target language?exposure to the target language?

How do we know if group How do we know if group work is useful? What work is useful? What

criteria?criteria? Group work is simply generally Group work is simply generally

accepted- but what really happens?accepted- but what really happens? How do we know group work How do we know group work

improves learning?improves learning? Understand group work will take Understand group work will take

away time from your learning goals away time from your learning goals you could achieve in presentation-if you could achieve in presentation-if you measure goals in this way. Is it you measure goals in this way. Is it worth it?worth it?

The Primacy of ProductThe Primacy of Product

Even among YL, the reasons to learn Even among YL, the reasons to learn English are instrumental.English are instrumental.

Group work as a process is not Group work as a process is not understood as a goal in itself.understood as a goal in itself.

Need to link group work to a Need to link group work to a product- (with a grade?) to help product- (with a grade?) to help students perceive its importance and students perceive its importance and help demonstrate improvement. help demonstrate improvement.

Primary EFL in ChinaPrimary EFL in China

Learner-centerednessLearner-centeredness Positive attitudesPositive attitudes Develop thinking skillsDevelop thinking skills Autonomous learningAutonomous learning

Group work has the potential to Group work has the potential to contribute to achieving these goals, contribute to achieving these goals, but…but…

Skeptical TeachersSkeptical Teachers Fear lack of controlFear lack of control Prefer teacher-guided instructionPrefer teacher-guided instruction

Teachers make decisions for studentsTeachers make decisions for students Feel comfortable in the PPP modelFeel comfortable in the PPP model Teachers are products of their own Teachers are products of their own

education- teaching ghosts.education- teaching ghosts.

Teachers need to pay more than lip Teachers need to pay more than lip service to group-work. It must become service to group-work. It must become

a core course component, linked to a core course component, linked to overall objectives and assessedoverall objectives and assessed

ReflectReflect

Do you use group work in your Do you use group work in your class?class?

Share some examples with a Share some examples with a partner.partner. Does your activity include a task?Does your activity include a task? Does your group work require true Does your group work require true

collaboration?collaboration?

Is collaborative learning Is collaborative learning the same as group work?the same as group work?

Is the goal challenging or complex Is the goal challenging or complex enough to warrant group work?enough to warrant group work?

Social aspect in group work. Is there Social aspect in group work. Is there real communication or simply drill?real communication or simply drill?

Challenges of Group Challenges of Group WorkWork

students in groups often do not do what students in groups often do not do what the teacher expects.the teacher expects.

difficult to generalize about student difficult to generalize about student behavior in group workbehavior in group work

To what extent students learn about how To what extent students learn about how to behave in groups is based on their to behave in groups is based on their earlier experiences of group workearlier experiences of group work

If the task is too stimulating- students will If the task is too stimulating- students will be compelled to resort to their L1 to be compelled to resort to their L1 to express themselves.express themselves.

Setting Up Groups:Setting Up Groups:

Explain the task clearlyExplain the task clearly Relate big picture firstRelate big picture first Final product or goalFinal product or goal

Share your rationale for using group workShare your rationale for using group work

Have students form groups before you Have students form groups before you give them instructions. give them instructions.

Specific steps (with time estimates)Specific steps (with time estimates) Keep track of time and announce it. Students will Keep track of time and announce it. Students will

work more effectively.work more effectively.

Use visualsUse visuals Written instructions (ppt,OHP, or handout)Written instructions (ppt,OHP, or handout)

Setting Up Groups (2)Setting Up Groups (2)

How to divide up studentsHow to divide up students by proximity? birthday, height, hair colourby proximity? birthday, height, hair colour Let students choose?Let students choose? By learning style?By learning style?

Group size- how large is your class?Group size- how large is your class? Give each learner a role- this role makes Give each learner a role- this role makes

the learner an important contributor to the learner an important contributor to the overall group successthe overall group success By sub-taskBy sub-task (., recorder, spokesperson, (., recorder, spokesperson,

summarizer, checker, skeptic, organizer, summarizer, checker, skeptic, organizer, observer, timekeeper, conflict resolver, liaison observer, timekeeper, conflict resolver, liaison to other groups) to other groups)

By informationBy information (information gap-jigsaw) (information gap-jigsaw)

Managing Group Managing Group ActivitiesActivities

Start with an ice-breaker taskStart with an ice-breaker task Provide strong modeling of target Provide strong modeling of target

languagelanguage Modeling amongst peers in group as Modeling amongst peers in group as

wellwell Monitor the groups Monitor the groups

Provide assistance but resist impulse to Provide assistance but resist impulse to get too involved.get too involved.

Assessing Group WorkAssessing Group Work

Students should be made aware of assessment before starting the project assessment method criteria (product and/or process)

Product vs. Process assessing the product - measuring the

quantity and quality of individual work in a group

assessing the process - evaluating individual teamwork skills and interaction

Assessing Group WorkAssessing Group Work

Ask students to reflect on the group Ask students to reflect on the group work process work process

Recognize that groups might not Recognize that groups might not come up with the ideas you intended come up with the ideas you intended them to them to

Encourage student reflectionEncourage student reflection

How to evaluate group How to evaluate group workwork

Communicative goalsCommunicative goals

Cognitive goals (thinking skills)Cognitive goals (thinking skills)

Social/affective goals (learning Social/affective goals (learning community)community)