Michael Katsandonis

Cooperative Learning

MAT 674: Differentiated Instruction

National University
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In order for students to thrive in a foreign language classroom, group work must be

thought out and planned in detail by the instructor. Groups can have unlimited range and can

vary in size and diversity. For example, groups can be as small as two students, some as large as

the classroom, and others can even have groups that reach across content areas into other

classrooms where collaborative work can be planned by two or more teachers. In a foreign

language classroom such as Spanish, groups will vary depending on the activity provided by the

instructor. For example, there will be instances where students will have to engage in small

writing assignments with a classmate that is nearby or at their table. In other cases, students will

have to group together with at least three people in order to work on handouts, prompts, or

project based learning assignments that are provided by the instructor after the objectives have

been discussed in detail. Larger groups may even consist of the class being divided into two

sections or even involve the whole classroom by engaging in class discussions or Socratic

seminars while taking notes on the topics being discussed. In other words, there are multiple

options for students to engage in group writing activities in a foreign language classroom as long

as the instructor provides clear guidelines and a detailed rubric of the expected outcomes.

An instructor can form groups using a variety of strategies that can help them decide

which students should be placed together in order to maximize their learning experience. For

example, teachers can use a pre-diagnostic assessment in order to gauge where the students have

progressed as well to determine how much they know before a unit even begins. Furthermore,

teachers can conduct surveys as well as engaging in discussions with students in order to achieve

a general understanding of interests that the students may have or share. These interests can be

used to the advantage of the instructor since they can incorporate those interests into lesson

plans, lectures, and group activities. Furthermore, depending on the activity, the instructor should
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try their best to incorporate diversity into each group by placing students with unique

backgrounds and abilities into every group they are creating. Creating heterogenous groups can

benefit students who may have different levels of understanding and placing beginning students

with advanced students can be a great strategy to promote camaraderie inside the classroom.

However, there may also be times when certain students will be placed together in order for them

to connect and collaborate on issues that pertain to specific abilities. For example, there may be

instances where the groups may contain a homogeneous make up. One example of this can be

applied to gifted students, where advanced students may be placed together for a specific activity

and challenged to further push themselves towards a learning goal (Heacox, 2012).

Three group configurations that can be applied to a Spanish language classroom can

consist of an individual approach, peer pairs, and small groups. In the case of the individual, the

student can be assigned journal entries that will allow for an intrapersonal approach to learning.

This student can be given the choice to express themselves through the Spanish language by

free-writing on topics they may find interesting as well as having prompts provided to them by

the instructor that pertain specifically to the unit being covered. Second, peer pairs are perhaps

the most common example found in a foreign language classroom as they utilize a linguistic and

interpersonal approach to learning. For example, students will be engaged in large amounts of

dialogue and vocabulary practice with a partner, especially in the beginning stages of foreign

language learning. Although not limited to dialogue and vocabulary, peer pairs can collaborate

on any assignment provided by the instructor and these activities can also range from working on

handouts as well as longer projects that may take place throughout a semester. Lastly, small

groups will be ideal for assignments that may involve presentations, research, and assigned roles

that can be rotated in order to avoid monotony. These projects can be very effective in a
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language classroom since the roles can be assigned and rotated to suit any intelligence described

by Gardner. In other words, students will have the option of choosing a role that allows for them

to flex their strengths in a group setting while rotating roles will also challenge them to explore

other ways of interpreting information (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2016).

Cooperative learning is a great way for teachers to allow for differentiation inside of

their classrooms. Every student knows how painful it is to sit through long lectures, especially

when they are young students. Cooperative learning is not only a great strategy for students to

stay active during class time, it also gives them the opportunity to learn how to work together

and appreciate the diversity of their classrooms. It also prepares students for the future workplace

as well any social settings that may take place outside of their comfort zone. Furthermore,

students can be grouped together based on their talents and this can help them realize where their

strengths and weaknesses can be improved. Having students working together also allows for

them to research topics and come to their own conclusions with the assistance of a teacher who is

encouraging and helpful. Although creating flexible groups may require some work on behalf of

the teacher at first, the rest of the semester will offer a more engaging and exciting experience for

the students as well as for the teacher (Penn State, 2017).

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Reference:

George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2016). Multiple Intelligences: What Does the Research

Say? Edutopia.org. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-

research

Heacox, D. (2012). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: how to reach and teach

all learners. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.

Penn State University. (2017). Benefits of Cooperative Learning. istudy.edu. Retrieved from

http://tutorials.istudy.psu.edu/cooperativelearning/cooperativelearning6.html