Conclusion References Introduction

Preparing for group work
The teacher’s preparation for independent learning in small groups is very important. Most activities such as games and information gap require some demonstration or modelling by the teacher and rehearsal by the children. This means you must teach the language to perform the activity beforehand. If the children are carrying out a survey by asking questions, make sure that they have had adequate rehearsal of the appropriate question forms before they begin. Try to provide some kind of visual framework, such as a flow chart or set of pictures to help them record the responses to the questions. When carrying out an investigation such as measuring, check that the concepts involved are familiar to the children in their own language. Instructions for tasks should be clearly explained, using the mother tongue if absolutely necessary. It will usually be helpful to have instructions written down or even recorded on to tape for children who have difficulty reading. Written instructions should consist of short, simple sentences that are clearly numbered, possibly with a version in the children’s mother tongue on the reverse. If the task is new, or a little complicated, you may need to check that the children have understood what to do by asking them to explain the task to each other, either in English or the mother tongue. Encourage children to work out the details together. If some children complete an activity before others they should be trained to use their time effectively. For example they could read a book in the book corner, revise vocabulary in their personal dictionary or write a story or quiz.

Free-choice activities
If you decide to allow the children free choice in activities, a careful record needs to be made of the work that has been done. A simple checklist, where children sign their names against the activity chosen, will help you to keep track of the work covered.
The teacher’s role in group work
Group work should be set up so that you are free to monitor the groups and provide support for individuals, where necessary. While moving around the room listening to the children, try not to intervene too much unless you are asked for help or if you notice they need support. You will need to make a note, however, of common language difficulties which you can revise with the whole class afterwards. You will also need to provide some form of feedback about the groups’ activities to your class. Correction of any problem-solving activities or written work can either be done by the children, using answer cards, or by yourself.
You can also, of course, verbally round off or summarise what the children have been doing. Alternatively, the groups can report to the class, if appropriate, showing and describing any products or outcomes of their work; these might be a book, a tape, some masks, pictures, etc.
For further guidelines on creating an inclusive learning experience see Dexter et al. (2012).
It can be very motivating for children to display their work and it often encourages higher standards of output, develops self-esteem and builds the class community. Displays also make the classroom more inspiring and can encourage a purposeful working atmosphere. Displays can take many forms and might include models, pictures, posters, a chart of word families, mobiles, mounted written work or pupil-made books.
When setting up a display keep the following points in mind:
● Try to arrange the work at children’s eye-level to encourage them to look at it.
● Titles and lettering should be large and attractive.
● Always try to stick pictures on to a coloured background or mount.
● Link or co-ordinate work through colours.
● Use boxes covered in brightly coloured cloth (or paper) to create differences in height for models and also cover tables for displays.
● Displays should encourage skills such as reading and listening, as well as simply looking. Try writing some questions about the display for the children to answer.
● Ensure that, as far as possible, all the children have something on display.
● Write children’s names on displayed work.
It is a good idea to link artwork with written work in the form of a display. For example, if children do some writing about witches, mount the work on to a cut-out shape of a witch, a cauldron or a witch’s hat. Ideas for linking artwork with topics in the storybooks include:
● Dinosaurs: large drawings, dinosaur footprints.
● Witches: hats, witches on broomsticks, cauldrons, cut-out silhouettes.
● Skeletons: cut-outs of bones linked together to form a moving skeleton.
● Life cycles: circular flow-chart showing stages in a caterpillar’s development.
● Royalty: castles used as a background, crowns, coats of arms.