1. Supporting young adolescents through cooperative group work
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2. Key issues addressed by the study
This study explored:
The need to understand the diversity of young adolescents in terms of their social, cognitive, physical, emotional and academic development
How teachers can harness a desire for social interaction as a means of engaging students, through effective use of cooperative group work

3. Different methods of grouping students
Group work: learning in which “students are working together in a group small enough so that everyone can participate in a clearly assigned learning task”. (Cohen & Lotan, 2014)

4. Mixed ability grouping
Mixed ability grouping can be a useful strategy for promoting observational learning.
This is where students learn from one another without direct teacher involvement.
For example, in a science lesson where students are learning about plant and animal cells:
lower ability students can concentrate on literal recall activities e.g. learning about the nucleus or mitochondria; and
higher ability students can focus on application activities, such as determining the differences between the types of cells.

5. Same ability grouping
The impact of same ability grouping may be different for different students.
Students performing at average ability levels can benefit from this.
However, for higher and lower ability students, this can have a detrimental impact on their learning.
It can also lead to competition, and a mindset of ability as a “fixed state”.

6. Key considerations
Some of the key practical arrangements to consider when implementing group activities in a classroom setting might include:
Timing
Group size
Group membership
Group structure and roles
Classroom management: setting clear expectations
Strategies for differentiation

7. Timing
The length of time allotted to group tasks can affect the quality of students’ learning.
Teachers may wish to think about ‘chunking’ tasks, to prevent students from losing focus.
This is particularly important for higher ability students, who may find themselves in the position of finishing tasks before the rest of the group.
Research suggests beginning with shorter tasks (5-7 minutes) to gradually build on students’ focus levels.

8. Group size
Effective cooperative learning requires the active participation of all group members.
Marzano, Pickering & Pollock (2001) suggest that group sizes of 3-4 students are most for enabling all students to get the most out of group activities.

9. Group memberships
When grouping students, it is important for teachers to pay attention to the individual personalities of and relationships between their learners.
For mixed ability groups, it is also important to balance the strengths and weaknesses of learners of different abilities.

10. Group structure and roles
Although effective cooperative learning involves students learning inter-dependently, it is important that there are both group goals and individual accountability.
Giving each student a specific role within their group during group tasks supports this within their learning.
Each group member should be assigned both an ‘academic’ and a ‘managerial’ role, to develop multiple aspects of their learning.

11. Group structure and roles
Examples of ‘academic’ group roles might include:
“Yes man” – agrees with the argument presented and convinces others to follow suit
“Disagree-er” – disagrees with the argument presented and convinces others to follow suit
“Questioner” – reminds others about questions which still need to be answered
“Researcher” – tasked with ‘fact-finding’ and supporting others

12. Group structure and roles
Examples of ‘managerial’ group roles might include:
Group facilitator/leader
Time keeper
Recorder
Presenter
Materials manager
Data collector

13. Setting clear expectations
Many of the traditional expectations for good classroom behaviour (e.g. minimal talking) are less conducive for effective group work.
So it is important for teachers to set clear expectations for their students prior to group work tasks, and to represent these visually in the classroom e.g. a chart indicating strategies for effective discussion.
It is also worth considering the physical classroom environment e.g. leaving space between tables to give each group its own ‘territory’.

14. Differentiation
Learners of all abilities need to feel they can both build on and demonstrate their learning in cooperative group work.
Teachers may wish to try:
Supporting access to text through age-appropriate pictorial representations for new vocabulary
Using performance-based tasks rather than relying on written activities such as filling out a worksheet – to prevent writing being a barrier to learning in other areas for students who struggle with literacy skills
Offering students a choice of activities in their work – this will also allow them to demonstrate autonomy and ownership of their learning

15. The four-clue group task
Group work is more effective when it relies on group activity and open-ended problem solving.
The four-clue group task is one way to promote this.
In this activity, students in groups of 4 are each provided with a clue, which they cannot share with each other.
They must then use these clues to solve a common problem.
Additional support & enrichment clues may also be provided in place of teacher intervention – an example is shown on the following slide:

17. How can teachers use the evidence in this study?
For young adolescents, the researchers suggest it can be beneficial for their learning to allow them to assert a degree of authority in how they are working.
How might you offer students a choice in the activities they take part in when doing group work, in a way which promotes their engagement?
How can you make sure they are getting the most out of these activities, in ways that don’t pull you in to taking over?

18. How can school leaders use the evidence in this study?
Research shows that mixed ability grouping can be more conducive for the learning of both higher and lower ability students.
How might you develop guidelines or policies in your school which encourage teachers to think about the most effective ways of grouping their students for cooperative learning?
Is there an opportunity for teachers to practice cooperation between themselves as support for the development of guidelines?

19. Find out more: Original article
Authors: Miller, Nicole C. McKissick, Bethany R. Ivy, Jessica T. Moser, Kelly.
Published in: The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas. 90:3, 2017, pp86-92.
[Original title: Supporting Diverse Young Adolescents – Cooperative Grouping in Inclusive Middle School Settings]