Group Work Jobs Assignments

Many teachers, including myself, have had trouble with students who do not pull their weight during group work sessions. In these instances, it is very important for the teacher to be a part of the groups' lessons and educate using a team approach. In a team approach, the students are all assigned specific jobs while working in their group. Since they each have a job, they are all graded on their individual job as well as their final group product. It is much easier as a teacher to see which students are pulling their weight and which students need more guidance using this type of team building approach.

The specific jobs assigned to students can differ depending on the tasks/lessons. The ones I use most often are: the facilitator, the recorder, the time keeper, the supply manager, and the motivator. The facilitator is responsible for guiding the group. They are the leader of the group and ensure all students are working together on the specific assignment. The recorder is the student who is in charge of writing down what the group has discussed and figured out while carrying out the tasks of the assignment. The time keeper makes sure that the group is moving at the appropriate pace. They are responsible for moving from one topic to the next so that they complete the assignment during the scheduled time. The supply manager is responsible for getting all of the materials needed to complete the assignment. The motivator is like the peace keeper. This student ensures that everyone is on topic and provides positive insight to what the students are saying. The motivator keeps the team's spirits high.

As you can tell, many of the job descriptions overlap one another, so that they all can work together on a common goal: learning. It really keeps the team focused on the assignment, and everyone keeps one another in check. The students know that they are graded on their individual tasks as well as their final product, so they work toward achieving these goals. The teacher is able to observe each group and how each student is carrying out their specific job. Throughout the year, the students are introduced to all of these various positions. The teacher can assign the students to roles that best suit them, or the teacher can assign students to roles that are more challenging, which enable students to use their brains in various ways. By the end of the school year, the groups work like clock work. This really assists students who struggle with group work to know what their role is and apply it to the learning of the group.

Language and Group Work

Dr. Eugene Garcia stated that language needs to be used in order for students to develop the necessary skills of the language. In the classrooms at my current elementary school, I have seen a change in the way the teachers teach their students, especially compared to my experience in grade school. There is a lot of action and discussion in the classrooms. I remember a college professor's words of wisdom when she spoke of conversational classrooms. She stated that a silent classroom should worry the teacher, while an active and social classroom guides learning. This is true for all students who are learning to interact, speak, and learn the language. This applies to all grade levels and all learners.

I feel that it is beneficial for students to work in small groups of no more than 5 students. This helps to divide the work evenly so all members can contribute. (Although, whole group discussions can be beneficial as well.) In small groups, the students can easily discuss the material and feel that their voices are heard while in a safe and comforting environment. The students who are learning English can practice the language in these small non-threatening situations. Practicing and experiencing the language is essential to learning it. The students and teacher work together to guide one another to the main idea of the lesson, while discussing the similarities and differences in opinions. This also allows students to interact with other students who they may not otherwise interact with on a daily basis. The idea of group learning has a multitude of benefits for the learning in the classroom.

CREDE Standards

What strategies really work for English Language Learners? According to Dr. Roland Tharp, from the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE), he expresses that there are five strategies that teachers should use to become more successful at reaching their students, particularly students who are learning English. I feel that the most important standard to focus on as a teacher is Dr. Tharp's first standard, teachers and students working together. It is imperative that teachers form good relationships with their students. Furthermore, students and teachers should work together to enhance their learning. Students cannot learn everything on their own; teachers cannot teach everything on their own and expect students to just get it. There has to be a team approach to learning. In my classroom, I have many students who are very dependent on adults; they seek adult attention constantly.

I have been reading about various strategies to help students work toward helping themselves while still working with them to achieve this independence. One strategy I found useful while reading 50 Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners by Herrell & Jordan was to have the students brainstorm ideas as a group of how to seek help from others appropriately. After the group brainstorming session, the students and teacher work together to achieve these goals. The students tally each time they use a strategy discussed in the brainstorming session and each time they do not. Then the group reconvenes and discusses their progress. The teacher and student collaborative learning is extremely beneficial with this lesson.