 |  Interactions 1 Reading, 4e Elaine Kirn,
West Los Angeles College
Pamela Hartmann,
Los Angeles Unified School District
Group Work and Pair WorkA. Deciding When to Use Pair Work and Group Work
Pairs are easier to manage and set up than groups. Use pairs for all kinds of feedback and evaluation. This is particularly helpful in writing classes where students can give each other comments and suggestions for improving drafts. Pair work is also a useful way of having students compare answers before they hand in papers or answer out loud. Pairs also work well for completing exercises in class and drilling each other on vocabulary, verb forms, spelling, and so on.
Use groups for discussions, games, role-plays, and so on. Groups should probably not be used for accuracy work. Group work is much better for fluency practice where correction comes up only if there is a comprehension problem. Before you begin group work, make sure that you have enough time. Allow at least five minutes to explain the activity and divide into groups.
B. Setting Up Seating Arrangements for Group Work
Below are a couple of possible seating arrangements for group work.
Groups of six if desks can be moved
Teacher's desk Board
[ART]
(Replicated four times all squares should be equal)
Groups of four if desks cannot be moved
Students a and b turn around to face students c and d.
[ART]
C. Deciding Group Size
Groups should have from three to eight members. Groups of more than eight are usually too difficult to handle. Activities where students need to share ideas are often better with more students. Games are often best done in smaller groups so that everyone has more opportunity to play. It is not necessary that all groups be the same size.
D. Working with Mixed-Ability Groups
In general, mixed-ability groups work best. Over-reliance on same-ability groups tends to increase the difference in ability among the more and less capable students. Same-ability grouping works well when you want to give one group of students more guidance or a task more suited to their level.
If possible, divide the activity into different tasks and make sure that each student has a task to perform. Some possible tasks are the moderator (the person who keeps everything going), the time-keeper (the person who makes sure that the work is being completed in a specified time and who also makes sure that everyone participates), and the reporter (the person who reports back to the class).
Students are usually more engaged in group work, so even unmotivated students tend to work harder.
E. Coordinating Group Work
You have an important role to play in pair and group work. Circulate as unobtrusively as possible. Try not to interrupt the flow of conversation unless students are confused, not doing the task, or not doing the activity correctly. If students need vocabulary help, give it to them. Do not let the activity founder for lack of one or two crucial words. Carry a small notebook in which to note errors. However, do not hover writing furiously. Make notes as unobtrusively as possible, then use this information to plan future lessons.
F. Picking Up a Few Pair Work and Group Work Tips
- Explain the activity carefully, making sure that students understand what they are to do. It is usually better to do this before the class breaks into groups so that you will have everyone's attention.
- Remember to appoint or have the group choose a recorder so that the results of the group work can be reported to you or to the class. This will also help group members to take the activity seriously.
- Moving people is easier than moving desks. Don't spend so much time rearranging the furniture that there's no time for the activity.
- Use two or three methods of grouping consistently so that students learn the routine and can easily get themselves organized.
- Give students an approximate time to finish the task. However, be flexible if you've estimated incorrectly.
- Make sure that the activity does not go on for too long. Groups may lose steam after 15 or 20 minutes.
- Have extra work available for groups that finish early.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education