1. Yvette R. Lopez California State University, San Bernardino
Station Rotation: An Active Participation Strategy for the ESL/EFL Classroom
Yvette R. Lopez
California State University, San Bernardino

2. What Is an Active Participation Strategy?
Students participate in an active way.
In active participation strategies, students often work together in groups.
Active participation actively involves students in learning.
Students are consistently engaged in learning during activities that utilize this strategy.

3. Active Participation Learning Strategies

4. Today’s Focus: Station Rotation
Station Rotation is an active learning participation strategy that works especially well in ESOL classes.

5. What Is Station Rotation?
Each corner of the classroom is used as a station.
Students visit each station in groups and discuss the station’s contents.
Each group visits each station for a certain amount of time.
When the teacher calls time, the groups rotate.
When all students have visited all stations, they return to their seats for an assessment.

6. What Is at Each Station?

7. Each Station Has an Activity. More Ideas:

8. More Ideas for Your Corners/Stations
Worksheets
Speaking activities
Watching a short video
Reading an article
Writing a short text
Listening to audio clips

9. Hints for Cooperative Learning
To make your lesson cooperative learning, make sure the groups have to work together!
Examples:
at a station with worksheets, just have one worksheet for each group
give instructions at each station for students to ask each other questions
make the assessment at the end of the lesson a group assessment

10. Stations and Blended Learning
Stations are associated with cooperative learning (students learning together and helping each other). It is also associated with blended learning, which incorporates technology with traditional learning. Click on the video or here: Blended Learning: Station Rotation Model

11. Station Rotation Example
In the following example, the instructor has 3 stations. The first is dedicated to direct instruction with the teacher. The second is for collaboration (working in groups) and the last station is for independent work. Click on the video or here: Station Rotation Model.

12. Ideas for the ESL/EFL Class
Dedicate each station to a language skill for your lesson:
Station #1 for reading
Station #2 for writing
Station #3 for listening
Station #4 for speaking

13. More Ideas for the ESL/EFL Class
Make sure each table has a communicative activity (role plays/practicing dialog/dice board games with squares that have questions, etc.)
Use station rotation to prepare for a test, with each station dedicated to vocabulary or grammar or listening exercises.
Choose mixed-level groups and give each person in a group a role (note- taker, spokesperson, time-keeper, etc.)

14. A Rotation Center Classroom

15. Quick and Easy Lesson Plan
Warm-up: Ask the class questions about the topic with a K/W/L chart
Direct instruction: Explain each of the stations (have instructions printed at each station, as well). Don’t forget to concept check.
Start a timer and write how much time students have on the board.
Start the rotation! Monitor the stations.
At the end, have students complete an assessment.

16. Station Rotation Assessment Ideas
Self-assessment
Summative worksheet that tests knowledge learned at the stations
Group assessment (how well did your group work together?)

17. Resource
Pima County JTED: Active Participation Strategies. Retrieved from:

18. The End!