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| Group Work |
Not all tasks are suitable for pair- or groupwork. For example, children can be seated in groups reading books but working independently. In this case the task does not require them to work together. Activities may need planning quite carefully to provide a reason for pupils to work together.
- Which of these activities do you find most suitable for groupwork? Why?
- Try to adapt the one which is less suitable so that it provides a clear purpose for collaborative groupwork.
1 Bring me
The teacher sits in the middle of the floor, at an equal distance from each group. Each group chooses a runner and only the runner can take things to the teacher. If anyone else tries to approach the teacher, they will lose points for their group. Children put their bags and other possessions on the table or floor. The rules need to be made clear at the start. The teacher then calls out a command, eg
T Bring me a black shoe
Bring me a watch
Bring me a Mickey Mouse pencil case
Bring me the person with the longest hair
Bring me something square in shape
The group collaborates in trying to find the object and the runner then takes it to the teacher. The teacher accepts the first correct object given to her. The winning group is the one who has given most objects to the teacher.
2 Bingo
Children are seated in groups Each group has a bingo board with pictures. As the teacher holds up cards with various words written on them, eg helicopter, train, etc, pupils have to cover the appropriate pictures on the board with counters .The first group to cover its pictures calls out Bingo!
Both tasks involve children sitting in groups. However the Bring me task involves a reason for pupils to work together. They have to find the objects that the teacher asks for. They can only do this by co operating and working together. In the Bingo task, there is no reason for the pupils to be working together. Each child does not have a specific part to play, and it is likely that the fastest child will dominate the game and give all the answers.
A simple way of making Bingo more collaborative is to number each child in the group. Then each child takes it in turn to put down a counter on the board when the teacher says or shows a word so that each has to contribute to the group outcome.
How to make pair- and groupwork POSSIBLE
- Prepare children carefully for the activity
- Organize them m ways appropriate to the goal of the language-learning activity
- Structure the activity carefully so there are clear working procedures and outcomes
- Show them how to do the activity
- Involve them m your demonstrations
- Be positive about their efforts
- Loosen your control of the activity gradually
- Engage their interest through having a clear and meaningful purpose for the activity