Prepare the list of activities for the group work of cooperating
Elbow Buddies
Children sitting next to each other in the classroom can conveniently talk to “the person sitting next to your elbow.” These brief interactions provide multiple opportunities to practice language, check comprehension and provide time for processing new information.
Think - Pair – Share
Pose a question or a topic to the class. Ask students to think about the answer to this question or their reactions to the topic. Wait for 5-7 seconds or longer while students “think.” Next, ask each student to turn to a Buddy (pair) and talk about their answers or reactions. Finally, after several minutes of sharing, ask students to share their responses with the entire class.
Stand and Deliver
This interactional routine is the same as Think – Pair – Share except that students stand while pairing up with Buddies. The brief opportunity to stand allows students some freedom of movement after sitting for long periods and provides more opportunities for Buddy pairing.
Learning (Clock) Buddies
Learning Buddies provides opportunities for students to summarize learning content during class for brief 2-3 minute pairings. The key to Learning Buddies is that students already know in advance who their Buddies are. Students sign up with eleven other students for Clock Buddy partners (see the Clock Buddy sample). Other variations include Map Buddies (Japan, China, USA, etc.), Shape Buddies (circle, square, triangle, rectangle), Color Buddies, Number Buddies, etc. Students do not buddy up with the children sitting near them and so this activity requires standing and movement – another opportunity for helping students remain mentally alert throughout the lesson.
Stir the Class
Pose a topic (animals of Africa, family members, types of foods, etc.). Ask students to write at least three examples of the topic on a sheet of paper. Next, ask students to move around the room asking other students for further examples. Each student must create a list of examples. Numbered Heads together
This versatile can be used effectively for both memory-level and higher-order thinking activities. Instead of answering questions, learners can brainstorm ideas, solve a problem, draw a diagram, invent a product, etc. Have students in groups of about four number off from 1 to 4. (If groups have 5, two students take turns as one number; if groups have 3, one student has two numbers). The teacher (or a student, after students have learned the strategy well) asks a question about the reading and gives a time limit. Students take a few minutes to “put their heads together” to find and agree on an answer. (This may include looking up the page citation in the text.) Teacher calls a number to designate which student will answer for the team. Students with that number give their groups’ answers (verbally, on paper, or on the board). Teacher gives feedback as appropriate: teams may receive points for orrect answers, creative answers, correct spelling, etc.
Round Robin/Roundtable
This activity is useful for brainstorming, writing, and reviewing concepts and vocabulary learned. Oral version: divide the students into groups of 3 or 4. Write the topic on the board (e.g. “Religions of the World”). The first student names a religion. The next student names another religion but he/she cannot repeat something already said. Students continue to add responses until the teacher calls time (3 to 5 minutes). The teacher asks one student from each group to name as many answers as he/she can remember. Students are asked not to repeat an answer already stated by another group. The teacher charts each group’s answers on the board or chart paper. In Roundtable (the written version), students pass around a sheet of paper and each students adds his/her contributions. Alternatively, place papers with questions on desks and have groups of students rotate from station to station answering the questions/prompts. Create a class list as above.
Peer Tutoring
Research has demonstrated that peer tutoring is an effective way to promote language learning (Labbo & Teale, 1990; Samway, Whang & Pippitt, 1995). Peers help one another by providing comprehensible input and purpose for conversations. Identify students who need help in specific academic areas. Identify students with strengths in these areas to be peer tutors. Give the tutors training in how to ask questions to support thinking; how to break learning tasks into smaller, more manageable sections; how to determine when first language support is helpful; and how to support vocabulary development. Match the students, considering such factors as gender, home language, and personality. When possible and appropriate, match tutors and tutees by language background so that the pair can use both languages to negotiate