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Working with a group

The value of group workCollaborative learning – children work together

Children learn from each other and with each other – not just passive listening

Children may be grouped according to ability and can therefore be helped at their own level

Fewer resources needed

Information in, information out

Is there creative thinking involved?

Types of group workLiteracy and Maths groups according to ability

levels

Projects

Creative work such as art or story writing – the teacher’s aid can supervise a group while the teacher is working with the rest of the class

ProjectsOn topics of interest

Usually Science, Social Studies

Children find out information for themselves by researching

What are research skills?“Finding out” skills

Using written, visual or verbal information

Reporting on the information found

Why should we teach students to research?

When engaged in research student will:

develop skills for life long learning

be able to find out information for themselves

be inspired to learn as they answer their own questions

become independent learners

Inquiry-based learningStudents want to find out about topics of

interest

Teacher finds out what the students want to know. The students present questions.

How do they find out?

How do children find out?Students should be encouraged to ask

questions.

The teacher’s aide can direct the children in finding out the answers to their questions.

How can children find out?Exploring

Observing

Excursions

Science experiments

Speakers

Books and computers

Demonstrations

Primary students can learn research skills by doing

projectsSteps:

Choose a topic – whole class or individual

Make a list of questions – ask who, what, when, where, why, how

These questions can become headings for the project.

Sort the information and organize it under the headings.

Guidelines when helping students with their projects

When supervising students with research, be alert when it comes to the literature the students are using.

Is the material telling the truth?

Is the material presenting humanistic and evolutionary viewpoints?

Are there any references to “millions of years”?

Is there anything that goes against the Bible?

If you find any problems with the material, discuss it with your student and later, inform the teacher.

Skills for students to master Tips for children when doing research:

First draft:

When reading information encourage the student to look for the main ideas. They write these ideas as dot points under headings.

They do not write whole sentences at this stage.

Second draft:

Now they expand the dot points into whole sentences.

They organize the sentences into paragraphs.

They have their work checked for mistakes.

Third draft:

This is the final. They add drawings and coloured headings.

They include references.

What other resources can be used?

Apart from books and texts students use:

maps

charts

posters

photographs

interviews

objects

Group projectsA group leader is chosen to co-ordinate the

project.

Work in pairs. Each pair takes a different aspect of the topic.

Then they share with each other what they have found out.

The leader assigns jobs for the final presentation – headings, written information, illustrations.

What is the supervisor’s role?A supervisor can be a teacher or a teacher’s aide.

The supervisor moves around the groups making sure that all are participating

Helps out where needed

Inspires

Presentation of projectsPosters

3D Models

Hand made books

Class talks

Posters

Charts

Models

Hand-made books

Self-assessment of a project

The following questions can be presented to the students BEFORE doing their project so they know where they should be heading.

The students can use the questions at the END of the project to see how well they have done.

Have I explained how God is involved in this topic?

Have I written in my own words and not just copied slabs of text?

Have I written in full sentences?

Have I used paragraphs?

Have I included any of my own original ideas or opinions?

Have I thought about whether the information is actually true? Or does it include some untruths such as evolution?

Would any part of this information be against what the Bible has to say?

Is the project interesting, neat, clear and well designed?

Does it include pictures / diagrams / graphs?

A summary of what to present in a written research

project Topic title

Questions and answers (who, what, when, where, why, how)

OR main idea headings with information set out under headings

A sentence or paragraph about God and the topic

A Scripture to support this

Diagrams, drawings or photographs

A list of references

DiscussionWhat are some of the challenges you might face

when working with a group, and how can you overcome any problems that might arise?