Elizabeth Gomez #9

Instructional Activities for Cooperative Learning

Groups

Why use Cooperative 1. Inside-Outside Circle - In concentric circles, students

Learning Strategies? rotate to face new partners and then answer or discuss
Cooperative Learning has been teacher questions to come up with possible answers.
proven to be effective for all
types of students, including aca-
demically gifted, mainstream 2. Jigsaw uses teams of five or six. Each group member is
students and English language given a piece of the information and asked to teach it to
learners (ELLs) because it pro- the others. In Jigsaw II, students obtain their own infor-
motes learning and fosters re-
spect and friendships among mation to share. Students are then tested individually
diverse groups of students. In (Kagan, 1992).
fact, the more diversity in a
team, the higher the benefits for
each student. Peers learn to 3. Think-Pair-Share involves three steps: Students first at-
depend on each other in a posi- tempt to answer a question for themselves, then discuss
tive way for a variety of learning
tasks. their thoughts with partners, and finally share the com-
bined effort with a small group or class (Kagan, 1992).
How do the groups
work?
Students typically work in teams 4. We can use Round Robin for Teambuilding, the process
of four. This way, they can break by which students get to know, respect, value and like their
into pairs for some activities,
and then get back together in
teammates. Round Robin is also extremely useful for
teams very quickly for others. It Knowledge building, students interact with each other to
is important, however, to estab- review or memorize stuff to know.
lish classroom norms and proto-
cols that guide students to:
Contribute 5. Group Investigation is a higher level process in which
Stay on task
students accept greater responsibility for their own learn-
ing. Small groups decide what to investigate, what contri-
Help each other
butions each member will make, and how to communicate
Encourage each other what they have learned (Lewis & Doorlag, 1991)
Share

Solve problems
Helpful Websites

Kagan Publishing and Professional Development https://www.kaganonline.com/

The Jigsaw Classroom https://www.jigsaw.org/

References
De Jong, C., & Hawley, J. (1995). Making Cooperative Learning Groups Work. Middle School Journal,26(4), 45-48.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.txstate.edu/stable/23023250

Goor, M. B., & Schwenn, J. O. (1993). Accommodating diversity and disability with cooperative learn-
ing. Intervention In School & Clinic, 296-16. doi:10.1177/105345129302900103
Goor, M. B., Schwenn, J. O., & Eldridge, A. (1996). Using strategy cards to enhance cooperative learning for stu-
dents with learning disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 2966-68.