Sarah Lynn
Making Groupwork Work
Please welcome our new contributor, Sarah Lynn.
Sarah currently teaches at a learning and literacy program in
Cambridge, MA. …
She has trained volunteers and led workshops on many aspects of teaching the adult ed students. Sarah has taught ESL and EFL for 20 years in the United States and abroad. She holds a Master’s degree in TESOL from Columbia University. Sarah is also a series author and a featured instructor on the Future Teacher Training DVD.
Sarah will be contributing Adult Ed articles and teaching tips, but you
can also ask her teaching questions in “Ask Sarah Lynn – Our Teacher’s Helper,” part of the Future website.
Groupwork
is a valuable practice in the language learning classroom. It builds
community; it lowers students’ affective filter; and it ensures
students more talk time. However, in my low-level classes I have sometimes found
it to be a logistical and pedagogical challenge. Here are some examples.
Challenge:
Students resist groupwork. They believe a proper class is teacher
centered.
Response:
I always make sure to address this question early in the year. I ask my
students to think about why I have them work in groups. They often come
up with good reasons. I write their ideas on the board and briefly
elaborate on more. I find students are more responsive to groupwork
once they understand the pedagogical rationale.
Challenge:
Students have difficulty understanding one another.
Response:
Part of living in our nation of immigrants is learning to understand a
common language spoken with many accents. Speaking with non-native
speakers is a realistic exercise for our ESL students. I don’t try to
change that dynamic, but I do try to minimize the noise of the
classroom. I also keep the groups small. It’s easier to
understand one another when people are sitting close together. When
possible, I have one or two groups move into other spaces such as
the hallway or the “teacher space” up by the board.
Challenge:
Students often break into cliques.
Response:
I assign students to groups, instead of letting the social cliques
perpetuate exclusions. I also like to work with my students’ diversity
in age, personality, language, schooling, and work experience to enrich
the groupings.
Challenge:
It takes too long to get into groups.
Response:
Getting into groups is a logistical challenge. Students wonder: Where do I go?
Who am I working with? Do I move or does my partner move over here? Do
I need to bring my book? Do I bring my bag or leave it here?
I try to answer their questions when I assign the groups. For example,
I say, “Take your book and a pencil. Group #1 meets here. Group #2
meets there . . .,” etc.
Also, I break it down into steps. If you tell students the task and
then assign groups they may get so distracted by the logistical
challenges of getting into their groups that they lose their focus on
the task. I get everyone in groups and then assign the task.
Challenge:
The students model poor language usage to one another.
Response:
Groupwork is not about modeling language; it is about practicing language. In group work, students try new language and make errors. That’s the process of language learning. I have found, however, that students benefit from a language focus in their groupwork activity. As I set up the activity, I remind students of the target language (for example: simple present tense). As I circulate, I focus my corrections on their usage of the target language only.
Challenge:
One student takes over.
Response:
I establish specific tasks so one student doesn’t do it all. For
example, if the activity is to “ask and answer the questions,” I tell
students how many questions each person in the group asks and answers.
Also I provide an outcome for every activity so students have a sense
of responsibility. My most common outcome is to have the groups briefly
report back. For example, if it was a discussion activity, I ask for
one idea from each group. If it was a role play activity, I request a
performance.
Challenge:
Some students finish quickly and others take a long time.
Response:
I always give a time limit and I stick with it. Some students will not be
finished but if my time limits are appropriate they will have done the
bulk of the activity.
Some students may need an added challenge to the groupwork task. I
always have one ready so I can tell the individual pairs/groups “OK.
Now that you have finished that, write . . .” I have found that good
extension activities often include students’ writing their
answers/ideas/new conversation down.
Do you have questions about Adult Ed teaching or Future
for Sarah Lynn? Contact her through the Future website.
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