OER4Schools/Mixed pace groupwork with and without ICT/review of follow up
Review of homework
Last time:
- Try out your groupwork with ICT. Video some of the groupwork if you can (ideally a colleague can do this for you so they can capture you as well as the pupils) and upload it to the server.
- Remember to think about your own role in the classroom; it is not just to monitor progress but also to interact with pupils, assess their understanding, offer support and help move their thinking forward. Sometimes a group will even need you to sit with them and offer intensive support to progress. Think about how you can identify this need?
Review of the last session: Reflection followed by discussion in pairs
Initially participants reflect on their own (for a short period of time), making notes if they like.
Then participants reflect and discuss in groups.
As before, if this has already been covered in the last session, then just review the key issues.
Same-task group work (10 min): Discuss in pairs. Consider the following statements and associated questions for reflection on Judith’s clips:
In this interview Judith informed us that there were 9 slow learners in her class and only 4 formed a slow pace group; these 4 scored 0 but the other 5 were dispersed in other groups who got correct answers to the same problems. This indicates that not only is participation higher in mixed pace groups but achievement can be too (and research with bigger samples backs this up). Nevertheless, the 4 who achieved poorly were also regularly absent so their prior knowledge base was probably lower. Discuss: Do you think this means that the absentees are even more likely to benefit from peer interaction in a mixed group?
Judith was quick and effective at discouraging pupils from laughing at the low achieving group. Discuss: What other things could a teacher do during the lesson to prevent this situation?
Same-task group work (10 min): Discuss in small groups. Suggested questions for reflection on both examples (on the audio and video clips from Agness and Judith):
- What in your opinion is the effect of labelling groups as low, middle or high ability of the pupils?
- How would you like to form groups supportive of everyone’s learning? Why?
Additional things to consider:
- helping low achieving group while everybody else is working in their groups
- peer support within a mixed pace group
- assigning roles within group
