1. Thinking about Group Work Gordon Lewis Beijing, October 18-20, 2008

2. STUDENT CareCommunity CoherenceContext ConnectionsChallenge CuriosityCreativity Methodology Materials Educational & Cultural Context Teacher Curriculum

3. Why bother with group work? Break into pairs Break into pairs list three reasons list three reasons share your answers with another pair share your answers with another pair

4. Why bother with group work? Most obvious reason is increased practice Most obvious reason is increased practice Increased motivation (maybe) Increased motivation (maybe) Promotes responsibility and autonomy (if teacher allows) Promotes responsibility and autonomy (if teacher allows) Promotes noticing Promotes noticing Learning from peers by listening and watching Learning from peers by listening and watching Digital World is collaborative Digital World is collaborative

5. Create Connect Share Reorganize Participate

6. Why bother with group work (2) What is your learning goal and how will group work contribute to it? What is your learning goal and how will group work contribute to it? Ask yourself: Ask yourself: Does collaboration flow naturally from the task? Does collaboration flow naturally from the task? Is collaboration a prerequisite fof task accomplishment? Is collaboration a prerequisite fof task accomplishment? Are there other alternatives to increase exposure to the target language? Are there other alternatives to increase exposure to the target language?

7. How do we know if group work is useful? What criteria? Group work is simply generally accepted- but what really happens? Group work is simply generally accepted- but what really happens? How do we know group work improves learning? How do we know group work improves learning? Understand group work will take away time from your learning goals you could achieve in presentation-if you measure goals in this way. Is it worth it? Understand group work will take away time from your learning goals you could achieve in presentation-if you measure goals in this way. Is it worth it?

8. The Primacy of Product Even among YL, the reasons to learn English are instrumental. Even among YL, the reasons to learn English are instrumental. Group work as a process is not understood as a goal in itself. Group work as a process is not understood as a goal in itself. Need to link group work to a product- (with a grade?) to help students perceive its importance and help demonstrate improvement. Need to link group work to a product- (with a grade?) to help students perceive its importance and help demonstrate improvement.

9. Primary EFL in China Learner-centeredness Learner-centeredness Positive attitudes Positive attitudes Develop thinking skills Develop thinking skills Autonomous learning Autonomous learning Group work has the potential to contribute to achieving these goals, but…

10. Skeptical Teachers Fear lack of control Fear lack of control Prefer teacher-guided instruction Prefer teacher-guided instruction Teachers make decisions for students Teachers make decisions for students Feel comfortable in the PPP model Feel comfortable in the PPP model Teachers are products of their own education- teaching ghosts. Teachers are products of their own education- teaching ghosts. Teachers need to pay more than lip service to group- work. It must become a core course component, linked to overall objectives and assessed

11. Reflect Do you use group work in your class? Do you use group work in your class? Share some examples with a partner. Share some examples with a partner. Does your activity include a task? Does your activity include a task? Does your group work require true collaboration? Does your group work require true collaboration?

12. Is collaborative learning the same as group work? Is the goal challenging or complex enough to warrant group work? Is the goal challenging or complex enough to warrant group work? Social aspect in group work. Is there real communication or simply drill? Social aspect in group work. Is there real communication or simply drill?

13. Challenges of Group Work students in groups often do not do what the teacher expects. students in groups often do not do what the teacher expects. difficult to generalize about student behavior in group work difficult to generalize about student behavior in group work To what extent students learn about how to behave in groups is based on their earlier experiences of group work To what extent students learn about how to behave in groups is based on their earlier experiences of group work If the task is too stimulating- students will be compelled to resort to their L1 to express themselves. If the task is too stimulating- students will be compelled to resort to their L1 to express themselves.

14. Setting Up Groups: Explain the task clearly Explain the task clearly Relate big picture first Relate big picture first Final product or goal Final product or goal Share your rationale for using group work Share your rationale for using group work Have students form groups before you give them instructions. Have students form groups before you give them instructions. Specific steps (with time estimates) Specific steps (with time estimates) Keep track of time and announce it. Students will work more effectively. Keep track of time and announce it. Students will work more effectively. Use visuals Use visuals Written instructions (ppt,OHP, or handout) Written instructions (ppt,OHP, or handout)

15. Setting Up Groups (2) How to divide up students How to divide up students by proximity? birthday, height, hair colour by proximity? birthday, height, hair colour Let students choose? Let students choose? By learning style? By learning style? Group size- how large is your class? Group size- how large is your class? Give each learner a role- this role makes the learner an important contributor to the overall group success Give each learner a role- this role makes the learner an important contributor to the overall group success By sub-task (., recorder, spokesperson, summarizer, checker, skeptic, organizer, observer, timekeeper, conflict resolver, liaison to other groups) By sub-task (., recorder, spokesperson, summarizer, checker, skeptic, organizer, observer, timekeeper, conflict resolver, liaison to other groups) By information (information gap-jigsaw) By information (information gap-jigsaw)

16. Managing Group Activities Start with an ice-breaker task Start with an ice-breaker task Provide strong modeling of target language Provide strong modeling of target language Modeling amongst peers in group as well Modeling amongst peers in group as well Monitor the groups Monitor the groups Provide assistance but resist impulse to get too involved. Provide assistance but resist impulse to get too involved.

17. Assessing Group Work Students should be made aware of assessment before starting the project assessment method criteria (product and/or process) Product vs. Process assessing the product - measuring the quantity and quality of individual work in a group assessing the process - evaluating individual teamwork skills and interaction

18. Assessing Group Work Ask students to reflect on the group work process Ask students to reflect on the group work process Recognize that groups might not come up with the ideas you intended them to Recognize that groups might not come up with the ideas you intended them to Encourage student reflection Encourage student reflection

19. How to evaluate group work Communicative goals Communicative goals Cognitive goals (thinking skills) Cognitive goals (thinking skills) Social/affective goals (learning community) Social/affective goals (learning community)