Shaping the Way We Teach English: Module 04, Pair and Group Work 

Hello guys, this week we will be analyzing the use of collaborative activities.

Part I (Class work) 

First, as you watch the first segment of the video, observe the following class. Look for answers to the questions...(j

1. How is the class organized (chairs, tables, desks)?

2. How are the pairs and/or groups organized?

3. What kinds of interactions occur between the groups and teacher, and within the groups themselves?

Use the Describe, Interpret, Evaluate (steps 1 through 3) process to analyze the class events.

  
After viewing the first segment of the video reflect on the following (classwork in pairs: hand it in today):  
1. What were your results with the Describe, Interpret, Evaluate process? Was there anything about the class that surprised you or was new for you?
2. In what sequence did the activities occur, and why?
3. What kind of learning do you think took place among students during the small group work? During the contest (game)?

Second,watch the second segment and and discuss the following questions:
1. What is the role of the teacher? The students?
2.  What kind of group management techniques do you notice?
3. What is the purpose of using group work in this case?

After viewing the second segment reflect on the following(classwork in pairs: hand it in today)
1. What kinds of direction did the students give each other? Did you notice any examples of student self-corrections?
2. What kinds of spontaneous communication took place between students?
3. What were some of the pros and cons of an all-class writing event like this one?

Part II (Homework: Individually post the answers on this blog. Due on April 8th, 2016)

Read the the section of Module 4 in Readings

This module showed examples from a class of younger learners and from a university-level class.

1. Which of the activities could work well for both age groups? What kinds of adjustments or adaptations might be necessary?

2. What role does assessment play in the classroom activities that you saw? How might the
students’ performance affect the future lessons that the teacher plans for these classes?

3. The focus in the questions up to this point has mainly been on what you notice happening in
the foreground of the scenes. Watch the classes again and notice what is happening in the background. What do you notice about the teacher? About other student groups? About the classroom
itself?