Making Group Work Work

1. Students in groups need to be close enough to maintain eye contact, talk quietly, and share resources.

2. Groups of 4 seem to work best in most cases. Sometimes, odd numbered groups of 3 or 5 are required.

3. Maximize student commitment towards achieving the best possible outcome. Awarding points to groups competitively or based on other criteria work well for this.

4. Make each group member accountable.

5. Teachers may need to train and monitor students in skills for effective collaboration.

6. Groups need to maintain some continuity in membership. The ability to work together effectively is a skill that takes time to develop.