Valeria Evdash Tyumen State University Group Dynamics Valeria Evdash Tyumen State University

A Jigsaw Puzzle How does the jigsaw puzzle present a metaphor for teamwork?

Metaphors Unique contribution The whole is better than the individual pieces There are boundaries

What is a group? Some definitions of a group: 1. Collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction, mutual influence,common feeling of camaraderie, and who work together to achieve a common set of goals. (www.businessdictionary.com/definition/group.html) 2. A number of individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship. (www.merriam-webster.com/netdict/group)

‘What makes an effective group?’ Group Dynamics Group dynamics refer to the relationships between learners in a group and the impact that this has on the way they work. (www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/knowledge-wiki/group- dynamics) ‘What makes an effective group?’ Purpose Climate Conflict Commu-nication Partici-pation Roles

Group dynamics – FAQ When I notice some group members sidetracked into conversations not related to the task I set up, how do I react? When conflicts appear in my classroom,how do I help resolve them? How can I prevent them? Allow for a little bit of small talk at the beginning; Have a clearly structured task; Appoint someone in the group to be the facilitator. Remind learners that differences of opinion are natural; It’s helpful to group contract.

Remind learners that conflicts are a normal stage in group work; Don’t ignore the problem, talk about it. Appoint someone to be the observer; Re-examine the relevance of the topic/task. Establish what group members have in common. After a conflict, how can I re-establish a positive atmosphere and good dynamics? When I set up group work, how do I ensure equal participation of all group members?

Group Development Stages model of group development, first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965.

Discussion What is your personal experience of going through these stages? What classroom activities do you think best suit these stages? When should there be more focus on the group building and when on language? Who can be in charge of feedback in each of the stages? When is the teacher’s support more necessary, and when is it less required?

Tips for effective group work Group members should have a mix of different skills that complement each other. Discuss the benefits of team work. The group should have clear goals. Set small deadlines along the way and have them decide on that timeline together. It can also be helpful to not just evaluate the final product, but also evaluate the team process.  You can have them do a team evaluation together or self-evaluation.

Roles in Group Work Red: Topic Monitor Orange: Volume monitor Yellow: Language monitor Green: Participation Monitor (Minimizing the Chaos through Cooperative Classroom Management by Gena Rhoades, English Teaching Forum, 4,2013) https://elearning.utmn.ru/mod/forum/view.php?id=1248

Department XYZ Work in groups. Develop a new name for the team using the letters given to you.

Hot seat frenzy Work in groups. You will be given slips of paper with different words. Take turns choosing a word. Describe the word, using synonyms, antonyms, definitions, etc. to your teammate who can’t see the word. The person in the ‘hot seat’ listens to the team and tries to guess the word.

Website Image Management Confidence Success Life Fame Stress Contract

The four walls Choose one of the four photographs you find most appealing and stand in front of that photograph. There needs to be an equal number of participants in front of each photograph.

Dealing with challengers Have a look at the roles and answer the following questions: • In what ways are these roles potentially destructive for the group? • What are our options in reacting to these roles? How would you deal with them? Are there any roles that promote social interaction?

Designing a group contract I agree: to contribute actively

Discussion Does the teacher have the right to decide who should or shouldn't work together? If one learner prefers to work with particular other people, should we respect that? Do teachers have any responsibility to force learners into different working relationships? Should teachers raise learners' awareness of the rationale for pair work and group work?

One thing that is useful for you. Reflection One thing that is useful for you.

Happy Group Working!