Speaking & Listening >

Peer Collaboration & Working Together

During class, students will offer key points and textual evidence to contribute to a discussion with individuals, small groups, or the whole class.

Collaboration is Working Together Equally

Class Timer
Turn to a neighbor and share something you learned.

Collaboartion is Working Together Equally

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORKING TOGETHER
Dos Do Nots

In a student-centered class, students don’t depend on their teacher all the time, waiting for instructions, words of approval, correction, advice, or praise. They don’t ignore each other, but look at each other and communicate with each other. They value each other’s contributions; they cooperate, learn from each other, and help each other. When in difficulty or in doubt, they do ask the teacher for help or advice but only after they have tried to solve the problem among themselves. The emphasis is on working together, in pairs, in groups, and as a whole class. Their teacher helps them to develop their language skills. A student-centered classroom isn’t a place where the students decide what they want to learn and what they want to do. It’s a place where we consider the needs of the students, as a group and as individuals, and encourage them to participate in the learning process all the time. The teacher’s role is more that of a facilitator (see Chapter 6) than instructor; the students are active participants in the learning process. The teacher (and the textbook) help to guide the students, manage their activities, and direct their learning. Being a teacher means helping people to learn – and, in a student-centered class, the teacher is a member of the class as a participant in the learning process. In a student-centered class, at different times, students may be working alone, in pairs, or in groups: J Working alone, preparing ideas or making notes before a discussion, doing a listening task, doing a short written assignment, or doing grammar or vocabulary exercises J Working together in pairs or groups, comparing and discussing their answers, or reading and reacting to one another’s written work and suggesting improvements J Working together in discussions or in role-plays, sharing ideas, opinions, and experiences J Interacting with the teacher and the whole class, asking questions or brainstorming ideas

Also in a student-centered class, students may be teacher-led: J Before students work together, their teacher will help them prepare to work together with explanations and pronunciation practice

While students are working together, their teacher will be available to give advice and encouragement. J After they’ve finished working together, and the class is reassembled, their teacher will give them feedback, offer suggestions and advice, make corrections, and answer questions. When students are working together in English, they J Talk more J Share their ideas J Learn from each other J Are more involved J Feel more secure and less anxious J Use English in a meaningful, realistic way J Enjoy using English to communicate But some of them may J Feel nervous, embarrassed, or tongue-tied J Speak English and make a lot of mistakes J Speak in their native language, not in English J Not enjoy working together

 

 

In a student-centered class, students don’t depend on their teacher all the time, waiting for instructions, words of approval, correction, advice, or praise. They don’t ignore each other, but look at each other and communicate with each other. They value each other’s contributions; they cooperate, learn from each other, and help each other. When in difficulty or in doubt, they do ask the teacher for help or advice but only after they have tried to solve the problem among themselves. The emphasis is on working together, in pairs, in groups, and as a whole class. Their teacher helps them to develop their language skills. A student-centered classroom isn’t a place where the students decide what they want to learn and what they want to do. It’s a place where we consider the needs of the students, as a group and as individuals, and encourage them to participate in the learning process all the time. The teacher’s role is more that of a facilitator (see Chapter 6) than instructor; the students are active participants in the learning process. The teacher (and the textbook) help to guide the students, manage their activities, and direct their learning. Being a teacher means helping people to learn – and, in a student-centered class, the teacher is a member of the class as a participant in the learning process. In a student-centered class, at different times, students may be working alone, in pairs, or in groups: J Working alone, preparing ideas or making notes before a discussion, doing a listening task, doing a short written assignment, or doing grammar or vocabulary exercises J Working together in pairs or groups, comparing and discussing their answers, or reading and reacting to one another’s written work and suggesting improvements J Working together in discussions or in role-plays, sharing ideas, opinions, and experiences J Interacting with the teacher and the whole class, asking questions or brainstorming ideas

Also in a student-centered class, students may be teacher-led: J Before students work together, their teacher will help them prepare to work together with explanations and pronunciation practice

While students are working together, their teacher will be available to give advice and encouragement. J After they’ve finished working together, and the class is reassembled, their teacher will give them feedback, offer suggestions and advice, make corrections, and answer questions. When students are working together in English, they J Talk more J Share their ideas J Learn from each other J Are more involved J Feel more secure and less anxious J Use English in a meaningful, realistic way J Enjoy using English to communicate But some of them may J Feel nervous, embarrassed, or tongue-tied J Speak English and make a lot of mistakes J Speak in their native language, not in English J Not enjoy working together

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Forms for Student Use