 group members the same grade?
How might I involve students in assessing themselves and each other?
What about assessing how cooperative students are?
Part II: Frequently Asked Questions About Cooperative Learning
10. Preparing Our Classes for Cooperative Learning
What size should groups be?
What if there is an uneven number of students?
How long should CL groups stay together?
What if students want to choose their own partners?
How can CL work when students don't believe they can learn from their peers?
Should anything special be done when groups end?
11. Managing Cooperative Learning Classes
Isn't CL a recipe for behavioral chaos?
Should I use time limits with group tasks?
Won't there be a lot of disruption and wasted time while students are moving into groups?
How can I quickly get students' attention when they are working in groups?
How do you deal with groups that are too noisy?
What if some groups are not carrying out the task or activity properly?
Is it a problem when groups finish at different times?
How can group reporting be a learning experience for everyone in the class?
How can I listen in as students are working together in their groups?
12. Creating CL Tasks
How often should I use CL?
How can I find the time necessary to prepare structured CL activities?
How are CL lessons different from teacher-fronted lessons?
Won't group activities take too long?
Won't students complain about using the same CL technique, or even using CL, again and again?
What if CL tasks are too difficult for students of different ability levels?
13. Enhancing Thinking When Using CL
How can I encourage students working in groups to show creativity or other evidence of higher-order thinking?
How can I ensure that group members avoid reaching quick consensus and have richer discussions?
14. Using CL in Special Situations
How do I use CL with preschool and lower elementary school students?
How do I use CL with students learning in a second language?
How should we respond when students use their first language in CL groups using another language?
How do I use CL with large classes?
15. Helping Groups That Aren't Functioning Well
What can I do when students don't get along with their groupmates?
My students argue with one another. How can I turn arguing into productive disagreement?
What can I do about students who don't participate much in CL activities?
What about students who really want to work alone?
What about students who dominate the group?
What can I do when less able students hurt their group's performance?
What can I do when students give each other the wrong information?
What can I do when there is cooperation within groups but not between groups?
16. Collaborating With Other Teachers
Most other teachers at my school don't seem interested in CL. Should I give up on them?
A few other teachers I know are using CL. How can we help each other?
What goals should my teacher support groups strive for?
With what other changes in teaching does CL fit well? Why?
17. Working With Administrators and Parents
How can I respond to administrators and parents who worry that CL won't prepare students for multiple-choice tests such as the SAT?
Will CL give me enough time to cover the syllabus and finish the textbook?
How can I work with administrators who do not support CL?
Part III: Resources for Cooperative Learning
CL Print Resources