Group Work Part 4: More Grouping Strategies that Engage all Students
Pat Reis
TEAM’s MHS/FMS Teaching Advisor
H. Circle the Sage: First the teacher polls the class to see which students
have special knowledge to share. For example the teacher may ask who
in the class was able to correctly answer a difficult homework question or
who had actually visited the place they are studying. Those students
become the sages. The teacher assigns each sage to a different area in
the room. It’s helpful to have chart paper taped to the wall for each
sage to use. The teacher then has the rest of the class sit around a sage,
with no two members of the same table team going to the same sage, if
possible. The sage explains what s/he knows about the topic while the
classmates listen, ask questions, and take notes. All students then
return to their table teams. Each in turn, explains what they learned.
Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes.
Disagreements are discussed and resolved.
I. Three-step Interview: This is a diagnostic or formative strategy. Three
steps are involved in this process. In step one, the teacher presents a topic
or an issue about which varying opinions exist. The teacher poses several
questions for the class to address. In step two, the students, in pairs become
the interviewer and the interviewee. Student A interviews student B for a
specified number of minutes, listening attentively to the answers to the
teacher’s questions and asking other probing questions. At a signal, students
reverse roles and B interviews A for the same number of minutes. At another
signal, each pair turns to another pair, forming a group of four. Each member
of the group discusses his or her partner’s ideas. In step 3, the groups share
their interviews with the class, highlighting the most interesting points. As a
follow up, the class can write a summary report of the interview results or
results can be recorded on chart paper and saved for reference later in the
unit of study.
J. Four Box Synectics: Synectics bring together diverse elements. The
teacher and students draw a box with 4 separate squares. Have the students
name four common everyday objects. Depending on what was studied in
class, have them brainstorm 3-5 similes for each word. Example: If you are
studying atoms in science, say to the kids, “work in groups to tell how atoms
are like a tree; tell how atoms are like a car; tell how atoms are like a shoe;
and tell how atoms are like a stamp. The group selects its two favorites to
share with the class.
tree
car
stamp
shoe
K. Jigsaw: This activity is a formative tool that is characterized by participants
within a cooperative group each becoming an expert on one aspect of a topic
of study. Students are assigned to small heterogeneous teams. The task to
be learned and materials are divided into as many sections as there are
members on each team. Example: if there are 4 members on each team,
divide the topic into 4 parts. Members of the cooperative teams who have the
same topic form "expert" groups and study together (all the #1s study
together, all the #2s study together, etc.) and plan effective ways to teach
important information when they return to their cooperative groups. Each
then returns to his/her cooperative group. The task for each “expert” is to
teach the others in their group about the content they have studied. Once all
“experts” on that aspect of the topic have presented, each group member has
learned several new aspects of the topic is ready to take a test/quiz, write an
essay, etc. A variation is that students return to their cooperative groups and
then take their cooperative group on a Gallery Tour (walk around the room) to
each display that was created while in the expert groups where they teach
members of their cooperative group about their topic.
L. Numbered Heads Together. This is a diagnostic or formative tool. Ask
students to count off in their groups from one to four. Ask a question and
give a time limit. Students put their heads together to come up with an
answer. Call a number and ask all students with that number to stand.
Choose one to answer the question. I like to roll a number cube to determine
the table number and student who will give the answer to the question.
M. Three-minute Pause: The teacher stops any time during instruction and
allows groups three minutes to review what has been taught. Students can
compare notes, fill in gaps in notes, ask clarifying questions to other group
members if they are still not clear, or answer the questions asked by others.
It’s a 3-step process: 1) Students summarize key ideas taught thus far to see
if they’re getting the main ideas. 2) Next, the students should consider prior
knowledge connections they can make to the new information. Suggested
questions: What connections can be made? What does this remind you of?
What can you add? 3) Pose clarifying questions. Are there things that are
still not clear? Are there confusing parts? Are you having trouble making
connections or understanding? Can you anticipate where we're headed? Can
you probe for deeper insights?