Pat Talshir Elinor Karsagi Etai International Summer Conference Ashkelon July 2016   Presentation on Group Work What is lost and what is gained? Pat Talshir Elinor Karsagi

LOOK before you leap Effective group work does not just happen spontaneously Be sensitive to the diverse needs of the pupils and the development of the group Attainable goals-is this doable? Time span- one session- continuation? Materials to prepare (similar to what I have done in class or totally different) Evidence of learning- how will I know learning has taken place?

WHY? Research says that: Small group work can be used to: Engage students in collaborative problem solving Decision making Critical thinking Creative thinking Develop communication skills Diversity, motivation, dealing with heterogeneity.

The advantages of small group work Greater opportunity - to adapt materials Ability to - focus, practice, master-productivity Make sure they all – ‘get it’-higher achievement Small/ giant steps according to -students’ needs Immediate – feedback Teacher monitored teaching - belonging-caring environment Pupils’ sense of -responsibility, improvement, self esteem, Acknowledging - the individual

Yes! Through group work we Can Involve more pupils Narrow achievement gaps Choose structure homogeneous / heterogeneous Promote pupil- pupil dialogue

Checklist for Evaluation of Group Collaboration How well did the group work together? Did they……   talk to each other politely? listen to each other? encourage each other? involve each group member? relate to the task? work in an orderly fashion?

How to ensure maximum participation? Use rubrics from alternative assessment Measure collaboration Allocation of "roles" to group members Recorder Spokesperson Timekeeper Summarizer Observer Illustrator