1) Rainbowing
Students work in groups of 4 and discuss a problem or task. Each group member has a colour or number (could use coloured laminated cards). Only four colours or numbers are used. After discussion new groups are formed getting together students with the same colour or number. This means that in a class of 28, new groups of 7 members are formed and the findings or ideas from each group of 4 can be shared. Pupils can then return to their original groups of 4 armed with new ideas. You could of course begin with 4 groups of 7, each with a colour of the rainbow and then form smaller groups of 4 in the same way.
2) Jigsawing
A class is split into jigsaw groups of 5/6. Assign each student in a group to learn one segment of the task, making sure students have direct access only to their own segment. Give students time to read over their segment at least twice and become familiar with it. Form temporary 'expert groups' by having one student from each jigsaw group join other students assigned to the same segment. Give students in these expert groups time to discuss and summarise the main points of their segments. Students return to their jigsaw groups to present their segment.
3) Snowballing
Paired work combines, after initial discussion, to become work in groups of 4. The groups of 4 then share ideas with other groups of 4 or become a group of 8.
4) Envoying/Experting
Start with groups of 4/5. Each group works together to become 'expert' in a particular area of the task (Each group has a different area to work on). One person (an envoy) from a group moves to another group to share their expertise and teach the new group. Notes or jottings should be taken with the envoy.
5) Listening Quads
In groups of four, one student takes the role of speaker and explains a key idea from the lesson, without interruption. Afterwards the listeners can ask for clarification or correct misconceptions. This is a good pre-plenary activity to allow students to clarify their understanding before you ask them probing questions.
6) Rotating Trios
Students start in trios, with the groups arranged in a large circle or square formation. Give the students a question and suggest that each person take a turn answering. After a suitable time period, ask the trios to assign a 0, 1, or 2 to each of its members. Then direct the #1s to rotate one trio clockwise, the #2s to rotate two trios clockwise, and the #0s to remain in the same place; the result will be completely new trios. Now introduce a new, slightly more difficult question. Rotate trios and introduce new questions as many times as you would like.
7) Think, pair, share
The teacher asks a question and then gives students the opportunity to think about the answer. Then the student discusses their answers with another student. The student has then had the chance to think about their answer, discuss it with another student for reassurance, preparing them to share their answer with the rest of the class.
8) Fishbowl
This method involves one group observing another group. The first group forms a circle and either discusses an issue or topic, does a role play, or performs a brief drama. The second group forms a circle around the inner group. Depending on the inner group’s task and the context of your course, the outer group can look for themes, patterns, soundness of argument, etc., in the inner group’s discussion, analyze the inner group’s functioning as a group, or simply watch and comment on the role play. Debrief with both groups at the end in a plenary to capture their experiences.
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