1. Five Principles of Cooperative Learning 1. Positive interdependence: the task to be accomplished cannot be accomplished by one person alone. group members support one another’s learning.

2. heterogeneity addresses social skills such as accommodating others a diversity of talent is brought to the task. 2. Small, heterogeneous groups:

3. each student within the group has an individual piece of work that can be assessed; the whole group produces a product that can be assessed. 3. Individual and group accountability:

4. students have the time to talk through ideas; students have the opportunity to explore, clarify, and personalize information and experience. 4. Ample opportunity for purposeful talk

5. co-operative skills are explicitly taught not assumed; reflection by students on their work and role in the group and that of other members of the group is key. 5. Students learn and practise co- operative skills

6. Teaching Cooperative Skills Why Should You Teach Cooperative Skills? to foster a climate of trust and respect; to enable each student to feel valued as a group member; to facilitate productive academic learning.

7. The two categories of cooperative skills are: Task Skills Working Relationship Skills Task skills are used by the group members to complete the academic work assigned to their group. Working relationship skills help build and sustain the ability of the group’s members to work together.

8. Learning Cycle for Cooperatives Skills EXPERIENCE: Working in a group REFLECTION: Thinking about the experience of working together UNDERSTANDING: Developing generalizations about what the skill is and how to use it PRACTICE: Using the skill in the next group experience