Creating An Atmosphere Of Achievement[1]

Adctivating Prior KnowledgeAdctivating Prior Knowledge

Creating an Atmosphere of Creating an Atmosphere of AchievementAchievement

ByBy

Ma. Lucy Castañón Ma. Lucy Castañón RalphRalphMACMILLAN

COOPERATIVE LEARNINGCOOPERATIVE LEARNING

According to Anna Uhl Chamot:According to Anna Uhl Chamot:

In Cooperative Learning students In Cooperative Learning students work in heterogeneous groups on work in heterogeneous groups on learning tasks that are structured learning tasks that are structured so that all students share in the so that all students share in the responsibility for completing the responsibility for completing the task. task.

There are a number of models of There are a number of models of Cooperative Learning, all provide multiple Cooperative Learning, all provide multiple opportunities for students to engage in opportunities for students to engage in active practice of language and content.active practice of language and content.

In Cooperative Learning, students of In Cooperative Learning, students of varying degrees of linguistic proficiency varying degrees of linguistic proficiency and content knowledge work in a group and content knowledge work in a group setting that fosters mutual learning rather setting that fosters mutual learning rather than competitiveness.than competitiveness.

Benefits of Cooperative LearningBenefits of Cooperative Learning

Additional practice with academic English.Additional practice with academic English. The use of the native language to draw on The use of the native language to draw on

prior knowledge.prior knowledge. The incorporation of content into ESL The incorporation of content into ESL

classesclasses The opportunity for students to become The opportunity for students to become

more independent learners. more independent learners. Teachers who set up cooperative activities Teachers who set up cooperative activities

in which group members have differing in which group members have differing levels of English proficiency make it levels of English proficiency make it possible for students to help each other possible for students to help each other understand and complete the task.understand and complete the task.

Guidelines for OrganizingGuidelines for Organizing Cooperative Cooperative LearningLearning

Explain to students why cooperation Explain to students why cooperation as a learning strategy is effective in as a learning strategy is effective in developing a better understanding of developing a better understanding of new concepts and skills, and in new concepts and skills, and in providing opportunities to practice providing opportunities to practice academic English.academic English.

Teach the social skills students Teach the social skills students need to work effectively together need to work effectively together through team-building cooperative through team-building cooperative activities in which students learn activities in which students learn how to work cooperatively and how to work cooperatively and how to value the talents of their how to value the talents of their heterogeneously-chosen team heterogeneously-chosen team members.members.

Organize heterogeneous Organize heterogeneous teams consisting of students teams consisting of students with a high and low amount of with a high and low amount of relevant background relevant background knowledge, and students with knowledge, and students with greater and lesser proficiency greater and lesser proficiency in English.in English.

Structure cooperative learning Structure cooperative learning activities so that the task can only activities so that the task can only be accomplished through group be accomplished through group interaction. For example, students interaction. For example, students might have to pool individual might have to pool individual information to develop a project information to develop a project or report, or students could have or report, or students could have different responsibilities for different responsibilities for completing a science experiment.completing a science experiment.

Assign a role to each group member. Assign a role to each group member. Give students role cards that describe Give students role cards that describe their responsibilities, or make a poster their responsibilities, or make a poster of this information.of this information.

Allow cooperative groups the freedom Allow cooperative groups the freedom to develop their ideas and solve the to develop their ideas and solve the problem(s) assigned. Act as a problem(s) assigned. Act as a facilitator rather than as a teacher.facilitator rather than as a teacher.

For cooperative learning For cooperative learning activities, give group recognition activities, give group recognition (or grades, depending on task) as (or grades, depending on task) as well as individual recognition.well as individual recognition.

Conduct debriefing discussions in Conduct debriefing discussions in which students evaluate how which students evaluate how successful they were in working successful they were in working together.together.

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Jigsaw TechniqueJigsaw Technique

The cooperative The cooperative learning learning strategy known strategy known as the "jigsaw" as the "jigsaw" technique helps technique helps students create students create their own their own learning. learning.

How it worksHow it works

Jigsaw is a group structure that can Jigsaw is a group structure that can be used across all content areas. be used across all content areas.

Teachers arrange students in groups. Teachers arrange students in groups. Each group member is assigned a Each group member is assigned a

different piece of information. different piece of information. Group members then join with Group members then join with

members of other groups assigned members of other groups assigned the same piece of information, and the same piece of information, and research and/or share ideas about the research and/or share ideas about the information. information.

Students start with a home group. Students start with a home group. That group is responsible for learning an That group is responsible for learning an

assigned portion of a task that is prescribed by assigned portion of a task that is prescribed by the teacher. the teacher.

Then the teacher separates students into new Then the teacher separates students into new groups -- jigsaw groups -- by assigning one groups -- jigsaw groups -- by assigning one member from each home group to a new group.member from each home group to a new group.

If an activity begins with groups A, B, C, and D, If an activity begins with groups A, B, C, and D, the jigsaw groups have a member from A, B, C, the jigsaw groups have a member from A, B, C, and D. and D.

In the jigsaw groups, students share In the jigsaw groups, students share information and complete some sort of project information and complete some sort of project or product. or product.

FAIRY TALE FUN - JIGSAW STYLE! FAIRY TALE FUN - JIGSAW STYLE!

Divide the class into five equal Divide the class into five equal groups.groups.

Each group got one fairy tale to Each group got one fairy tale to read. The stories are:read. The stories are:

1.1. "The Ugly Duckling,"The Ugly Duckling,2.2. " "Snow White," " "Snow White," 3.3. "Hansel and Gretel," "Hansel and Gretel," 4.4. "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Jack and the Beanstalk," 5.5. "The Three Little Pigs." "The Three Little Pigs."

Each group is responsible for collecting Each group is responsible for collecting

the following informationthe following information: :

Who are the characters in the story? Who are the characters in the story? Where does the story take place? Where does the story take place? What are the major events of the What are the major events of the

story? story? Are there any magical or supernatural Are there any magical or supernatural

events? If so, what are they? events? If so, what are they?

After the students read, discussed, After the students read, discussed, and recorded the above and recorded the above information,split them into jigsaw information,split them into jigsaw groups. groups.

One person from each fairy tale One person from each fairy tale assembled in a new group. assembled in a new group.

In their new groups, students are In their new groups, students are each given three minutes to tell the each given three minutes to tell the other group members about the other group members about the story they have read as well as the story they have read as well as the information they have collected.information they have collected.

After that, the group has to create a poster After that, the group has to create a poster and give a presentation that addresses two and give a presentation that addresses two points: points:

What do all five stories have in What do all five stories have in common? common?

Using what you found in common, Using what you found in common, write your own definition for a fairy write your own definition for a fairy tale. tale.

Benefits of the Jigsaw TechniqueBenefits of the Jigsaw Technique The students are the ones doing the The students are the ones doing the

work; they are making the meaning, work; they are making the meaning, so they are doing the learning," so they are doing the learning,"

Since they know they are moving Since they know they are moving on to a new group where they are on to a new group where they are the only one with that piece of the the only one with that piece of the information, they rarely sit back and information, they rarely sit back and let other group members do all the let other group members do all the work work

Encourages listening, engagement, Encourages listening, engagement, and empathy by giving each member and empathy by giving each member of the group an essential part to play of the group an essential part to play in the academic activity. in the academic activity.

No student can succeed completely No student can succeed completely unless everyone works well together unless everyone works well together as a team. as a team.

This "cooperation by design" This "cooperation by design" facilitates interaction among all facilitates interaction among all students in the class, leading them to students in the class, leading them to value each other as contributors to value each other as contributors to their common task.their common task.