Instructional strategies:
1. Direct teaching - talk & chalk; can be useful at times (ex. computer applications)

2. Discovery learning & thinking - teaching thinking inquiry and problem-solving/reasoning

•  teach for meaning not memorization
•  ask thought-provoking questions
•  explain thought processes
•  have students explain their thought processes - promote metacognition - knowledge of when and where to use thinking strategies
•  encourage and accept all ideas and viewpoints
•  summarize main ideas

4. Cooperative learning steps

• Determine group size
• Assign students to groups
• Establish classroom arrangement
• Select a pattern or structure
•  Turn to your partner
              1. compose individual response
              2. reveal their idea to partner
              3. listen to partner’s idea
              4. together develop new response based on both ideas
•  Think-pair-share
              1. students presented with question
              2. given time to think individually
              3. asked to talk about question with partner
              4. invited to share responses with class
            ** hand cues: listen (cup ear); think (point to head); pair (cross index and
            middle fingers); share (open hand)
•  Numbered heads together
              1. teacher has students count-off within groups (1,2,3, or 4)
              2. teacher asks a question
              3. students put heads together to make sure everyone in the group knows the answer
              4. teacher calls a number and that student responds
•  Jigsaw
              1. divide class in to 5 home groups with 4 members in each
              2. distribute colored dots to signify membership in expert group
              3. expert groups are formed - students leave home groups and go to section
                designated by colored sheets that match dots (example: aspects of Helen Keller’s
                life - (1) childhood; (2) first accomplishments; (3) adult life; (4) influence on
                history)
              4. while in expert groups students focus on reading and discussing tasks designed to
                help them understood their sections; finally summarize the information to be
                used to teach other group members
              5. every expert shared information on his/her section with others in the home group
              6. each home group plans a special presentation to share its collective learning
                (example: about Helen Keller's life)
•  Jigsaw II
              1. same 4 member home groups as above but instead of each being assigned unique
                section - all students have “common learning experience” (example: read the same
                biography)
              2. students receive subtopic to be experts
              3. finally take individual quizzes which result in group scores
•  Pick-your spot
              1. helps students identify and declare beliefs and opinions, and share them with
                classmates
              2. ask students a question to answer from among alternatives (example: what is the
                one national symbol that best reminds us we are a nation of free people)
              3. identify spots in room for alternatives - word cards can identify options: flag;
                eagle; Liberty bell; Statue of Liberty; etc.; ask students to pick a spot and
                congregate there
              4. tell students at each spot to discuss to see how many good reasons they can
                generate for their position
              5. allow sufficient time to build a strong case - then call on one student from each
                group to share - after each group has reported ask if any students would like to
                convert; if so, ask which argument persuaded them; can be expanded by including
                challenges or questions from other groups

The results from 35 out of 40 studies favor cooperative learning strategies over more conventional methods of instruction (Slavin, 1987)

Cooperative learning (done well) improves students in nearly all areas of concern to elementary teachers especially when compared to other alternatives

May not use cooperative learning because:
     •    teachers more comfortable with whole group instruction; how most of them were taught
     •    most classes crowded and whole group instruction may seem more efficient
     •    with so many subjects, teachers have little time to plan specialized social studies
           instruction for small groups and individuals

Must understand that students need a variety of instructional strategies; must be an experimenter - be sensitive to diversity present in every classroom

WE MUST GIVE STUDENTS EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS!!
 

In-Class Cooperative Group Activity