1. Collaboration
Setting tasks that get learners working together

2. Session aims By the end of this session you will:
be better able to identify different types of learner interaction
patterns
have considered some task ideas for collaborative learning
be more aware of how to set up a class collaborative learning
be better able to identify and use questions to promote higher
level thinking skills.
Collaboration

3. Group work Whole class Open class Individual Closed pair workMingle
Identifying interaction patterns
Individual
Open pair work
Closed pair workMingle
Group work Whole class
Open class
Collaboration

4. Identifying interaction patterns
Individual work – Learners work alone to complete a task.
Open pair work – A pair of learners demonstrate an activity in front of
the other learners in the class.
Closed pair work – All learners work in pairs to complete a task or activity.
Group work – Learners work in small groups to complete a task or activity.

5. Identifying interaction patterns
Mingle – Learners walk around the class and complete a task by speaking to a number of different people.
Whole class – Teacher and learners work or talk together.
Open class – Teacher nominates learners to answer or elicits answers from individual students.

6. Tasks

7. Tasks for collaborative learning
Individual:
Open pair work:
Closed pair work:
Group work:
Mingle:
Whole class:
Open class:

8. Pair work tasks Solve a problem research
Do an experiment Make a circuit Discussion
Write pros and cons/ comparisons
icity-and-energy.html
nteractives/compcontrast/map.html

9. Group work tasks Brainstorming ideas Project work
nt+Egypt+Webquest
Brainstorming ideas
Project work
Prepare a presentation
Quizzes (doing and making)
Webquest
egypt.html
lives-compare-to-those-of-others-within-the-global-community

10. Setting up the collaborative classroom
Classroom showing desks in groups

11. Effective pair and group work
Teacher helping learners

12. Advantages Learners help each other and learn from each other.
Teachers are able to monitor learners more closely.
Stronger/weaker learners can be paired, or stronger/stronger to aid differentiation.
Learners are more engaged than if working as a whole group, this leads to more
speaking time,
less time to get distracted.
Less intimidating than speaking before the whole group.
Builds confidence, learners are working autonomously.
Gives the learners more chance to speak and communicate freely.
Learners may be more inclined to talk to their friends.

13. Disadvantages
Some learners may be more willing than others to take part.
Learners may go off topic or use L1, especially if the task is long.
Learners may feel it is ‘artificial’.
Learners may not be able to self-correct, which may lead to ‘fossilised’ errors.
It may be difficult for the teacher to monitor all the learners.
The class may be noisy and difficult to control.

14. Ways to diminish disadvantages:
Make sure the topic or activity is interesting, not too long, and fun.
Explain the task carefully and highlight the relevance it has for the learners.
Set up systems of peer correction.
Monitor carefully or ask stronger learners to monitor.
Vary the pairs or groups.
Have additional tasks on hand for early finishers.
Noise related to the task is fine but set standards and time scales for activities.

15. Allocation and management of groups
Ideas for allocation of groups:
Give learners a number (1-5). Then ask all 1s to sit together, all 2s,
etc.
Ideas for management of groups:
Pair or group friends as this is less intimidating for learners.

16. Allocation of groups
Coloured sticks that are kept in the classroom can be handed out to learners and groups formed by colour. These are also good for nominating learners to answer.
Ask learners to form a group with others who take the same shoe size, have the same initial, eye colour, etc. (depending on the group).
Cut up simple pictures into ‘puzzle’ shaped pieces, give a piece to each learner and ask them to find others with the same picture puzzle. They should sit at a table and complete the puzzle before they start the activity.
Prepare pair-changing cards that form a ‘matching’ activity; these can be
related to what has recently been done in class.

17. Management of groups
Have mixed ability pairs or groups so that stronger learners can help those who are less able.
Pair stronger-stronger and weaker-weaker learners. Set the stronger learners more work and/or
monitor or help the weaker learners.
Pair or group learners randomly to make the pairings more interesting.
Ask learners to work with someone they have never worked with
before to improve group cohesion.

18. Does collaborative learning work?

19. The collaborative classroom

20. Developing thinking skills
Knowledge
Practical skills 20

21. Bloom’s taxonomy

22. Bloom’s taxonomy

23. Example
When reading a work of literature, learners will be asked to consider:
Knowledge – What happened in the narrative?
Comprehension – Why did it happen that way?
Application – If you were the protagonist, what would you have done?
Analysis – Why do you think the French government decided not to
invest in coastal defences?
Evaluation – Which aspect of the plot or character moved you the
most?
Creation – Can you think of a different ending?

24. Your test!
Which of the following could be considered as promoting higher order
thinking skills?
1. What colours make up a spectrum?
2. Can you tell me the cube root of 216?
3. Predict what will happen if global warming continues.
4. What is the capital of Egypt?
5. How does the author convey the feeling of isolation?
6. Propose a solution to the problem of local unemployment.
7. Write the balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis.
8. When did World War I start and finish?
9. Draw a ray diagram to explain reflection in a plane mirror.

25. Trying it out – Action plan
Class
Which class will I work with?
Goal
What will I try?
How
What resources or materials will I need?
When
When will I try?

26. Further reading
aries/rscollaborativelearning.asp
Cowley, S The Seven R’s of Great Group Work (Sue Cowley Books, 2013)
de A’Echevarria, A and Patience, I Teaching Thinking (Teachers’ Pocketbooks, 2008)
Gael, L Collaborative Learning (Teachers’ Pocketbooks, 2013)
Levy, M and Murgatroyd, N Pairwork and Groupwork (Cambridge
University Press, 2009)
Scrivener, J Classroom Management Techniques (Cambridge University Press, 2012)

27. https://suzannemordue.wordpress.com/
Thank you!