Small Group Projects Learning to Speak Speaking to Learn

Teaching Oral Communication

-Establish effective atmosphere

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills -Low risk opportunities to practice

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills -Low risk opportunities to practice -Assignments integrate skills with content

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills -Low risk opportunities to practice -Assignments integrate skills with content -Make assignments and grading criteria explicit

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills -Low risk opportunities to practice -Assignments integrate skills with content -Make assignments and grading criteria explicit -Offer effective, concrete feedback

Teaching Oral Communication -Establish effective atmosphere -Teach specific skills -Low risk opportunities to practice -Assignments integrate skills with content -Make assignments and grading criteria explicit -Offer effective, concrete feedback -Repeat

An Effective Atmosphere

Small Group Communication Skills

Definitions people (depends on function) -Share a common task -Communicate face to face -Interact with and influence one another -Membership may be assigned or self- selected

Small Group Communication Skills Small Groups Are Systems Members play roles in system One member plays many roles Roles overlap

Small Group Communication Skills Small Groups Are Systems Formal/Informal Task/Maintenance/Procedure

Small Group Communications Skills Task Roles Record Report Research Clarify Initiate Coordinate Devil’s Advocate Task Specific Roles

Small Group Communication Skills Maintenance Roles Support/Encourage Relieve tension Expedite communication Monitor and manage conflicts

Small Group Communication Skills Procedural Roles Arrange/Call meetings Communicate with members Provide copies Arrange space Create/Monitor agenda Create/Monitor member and group tasks

Small Group Communication Skills Dysfunctional Roles Controller Distracter Blocker Cynic Ghost

Small Group Communication Skills Inherent Problems Time Conflict Evaluation

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Time In Small Group Discussion of expectations Topic management Use of agendas Final review of time and tasks for next meeting

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Problem-Solving Agendas

Conflict Management

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Procedural Substantive Personal Dysfunctional Roles

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Procedural Usually minor Address it directly in meeting

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Substantive How important is the disagreement? How strongly do members feel?

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Substantive Resolution can be forced Imposed by leader Direct compromise Vote

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Substantive Resolution can come from consensus Make conflict clear Discuss both sides respectfully Focus on specific issue/listen actively Summarize strengths of each argument Look for common ground Take a break

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Interpersonal Encourage individuals to: Sleep on it Check with 3 rd person Define/identify/state specific conflict Identify exactly what outcome he/she wants Work for good outcome and let it go

Small Group Communication Skills Solving Inherent Problems Conflict Management Dysfunctional Members Identify specific role Most common are controller, blocker, ghost

Small Group Communication Skills Controller/Blocker: -Wait for pause then state your opinion or ask for opinion of others -If interrupted – “Wait, let me finish…” -”I’m concerned we’re running out of time and we haven’t heard from everyone.” -”Ok. I think we get it. What does everybody else think?” -”I thought we’d already discussed this. Does anyone else feel the need to talk about it again?”

Small Group Communication Skills Ghost: Identify and address reasons: Anxious or shy – Encourage and support Irresponsible or lazy - Confront without venting “We’re all getting graded on this. We’re all evaluating one another. We all need to do the work.”

Assigning Group Projects

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills -Integrate skills with class content and time limitations

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills -Integrate skills with class content and time limitations -Make product meaningful

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills -Integrate skills with class content and time limitations -Make product meaningful -Ask for focused and coherent product

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills -Integrate skills with class content and time limitations -Make product meaningful -Ask for focused and coherent product -Include substantial written component

Group Assignments -Focus on specific skills -Integrate skills with class content and time limitations -Make product meaningful -Ask for focused and coherent product -Include substantial written component -Ask for student evaluations of themselves and the group experience

Group Assignments Simple Tasks -Generate and support arguments and counter- arguments -Draw up lists of similarities and differences -List items from experience/observation -Respond to writing or reading -Generate list of ideas -Generate list of questions about reading/assignment and identify most important ones -Make categories and populate them -Find evidence for conclusion -Diagnose/Analyze problem

Project Evaluation

-What you don’t evaluate, they don’t see as important

Project Evaluation -What you don’t evaluate, they don’t see as important -Evaluation is strategic communication