GROUP MANAGEMENT

Prepared by:

SHEVA MIRASOL M. DIMAANDAL

OVERVIEW In a classroom with good multigrade

practice, there will be lots of small group happening. It is one of the most useful strategies a multigrade teacher can employ. A multigrade teacher cannot teach the whole class in one group all day and meet the needs of individual students with their different levels of experiences, maturity and abilities

What are the BENEFITS for STUDENTS working in group?

The benefits for students working in small groups enable them to:

1. Talk to each other and clarify their thinking and learning

2. Think of more ideas than they would individually or in a whole class group

3. Learn from each other and teach each other, explain, question and remind each other in their own language in a way in which they are most comfortable4.Share experiences with each other

How can students be grouped? The students can be grouped in a variety of

different ways for different purposes. This will maximize participation by all of the group members.

Students may work in the following groupings: MIXED ABILITY GROUPS

With other students of different ability levels. They could be called by ‘ANIMALS’ names to identify them clearly. SIMILAR ABILITY GROUPS

With other students of same ability levels, who are at a similar stage of development in English, Filipino or Math. Instructions can be efficient and effective to pupils with similar ability levels. They could have color names to identify themselves

TEMPORARY GROUPS

For short times to learn specific skills needed. GENDER GROUPS

With others who have a temporary specific common learning need and the teacher has formed this group for a specific purpose for one lesson. For example, a small group of students may need more instruction about writing a sentence but the remainder of the class have already mastered this skill.

FRIENDSHIP GROUPS This can be motivating, if the students can

concentrate well with their friends. Sometimes students may be encouraged to choose their group members.

Managing groups in the classroom

The teacher’s role in managing groups in the classroom could fit into three broad categories of activities

TEACHER SUPERVISED (guided and checked) – the students work together in their group with some guidance and monitoring by teacher

TEACHER’S ROLE TEACHER INTERACTIVE ( direct teaching)– teacher

is directly teaching or assessing a group and the teacher-student interaction is intensive.

TEACHER INDEPENDENT ( peer group support)– the group works on a revision activity ( e.g. from a learning centre) requiring little teacher assistance. The teacher monitors this group from a distance.

WHOLE CLASS

TEACHER INTERACTIVE

TEACHER SUPERVISED

TEACHER INDEPENDENT

GROUP 2GROUP 1 GROUP 3

Simple group management diagram showing the teacher’s role with each group

Receiving direct teaching from teacher

Receiving guidance and monitoring by teacher

sometimes

Receiving peer group assistance only

A GROUP TASK BOARD( An Elementary English Example)

GROUP TASK BOARD is a helpful organizational tool when working with groups. It would enable the students to become more independent and take responsibility for getting group organized and working quickly while the teacher is working with the group marked T for teacher time.

PEEL OFF GROUPING STRATEGY

It is used when the teacher needs to teach new skills in their ability level group. This allows for slower or faster students to work outside of their grade level with children of the same ability and progress at their own pace of learning.

PEEL OFF GROUPING STRATEGY METHOD1.Teacher introduces a topic or demonstrates a new English or Math topic to the whole class

2. Teacher ‘peels off’ the ‘mice group’ (younger or slower group) to do their related activity.

3. Teacher then teaches some more direct instruction to the two older or faster group.

4. Then the next ‘fish group’ ( or middle group) can be ‘peeled off’ and given their instructions to do their more complex task.

5. The teacher can then introduce more advance skills to the ‘dog group’( faster or more mature group)

6. The ‘dog group’ then ‘peel off’ to start their related activity at higher level

7. Teacher is then free to rate and support the’mice’ then the ‘fish’ and back to the ‘dogs’ to check on their understanding

8. A t the end of the lesson the groups can share their learning with the rest of class

ONE INPUT, MANY ACTIVITIES, SHARED OUTPUT GROUPING STRATEGY METHOD