Cooperative Learning for Mild, Moderate and Intensive Students Group vs. One on One Instruction

Cooperative or constructivist learning is grouping or teaming students of varying abilities

together to steer the student learner to find their ideas and solutions via group participation,

comprehension and self discovery. Although utilized for many decades in standard classrooms, it has only fairly recently been introduced in inclusion classes, resource rooms and MH units.

Cooperative Learning is a valid and proven strategy in mainstream classrooms, however,

produces varying results with students of mild to moderate disability.

In a recent study of third graders of mild to moderate disability, results showed that 50% of the students produced significant comprehension and learning

benefits from cooperative learning. Several researchers in the study concluded that teachers must refine and disseminate their student grouping wisely.

Cooperative Learning among students with disabilities (in groups with their non-disabled peers) tends to reinforce and draw negative attention towards students with individual differences and social status.

A researcher observed that students of lower academic achievement were often singled out in their groups as the “dummies” or kids that the higher achieving group members were “stuck with” , further reinforcing the negative image that lower achieving students had towards themselves and school.

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Activities such as “ build a box” and “guess the lie” tend to foster inter-Gardnerian talents (academic vs. kinesthetic ) as well as improve intergroup relations.

Cooperative Learning has shown positive results in encouraging relationships among diverse student racial and ethnic groups.

Cooperative Learning is virtual kryptonite to the student with severe disabilities such as classic

autism or severe cognitive delay.

Methods designed to encourage students to self-experiment, reflect and problem solve would not be prudent for the child with a severe disability. Personal contribution is not usually offered without an adult prompt or model.

Slavin, Robert E. (1999). Improving intergroup relations from cooperative learning programs. Review of Educational Research. Vol. 50 (2). Pages 315-342.

Onyango, Daniel (2010). Is cooperative learning in the best interest of the special education student? Journal of Special Education. Vol. 27 (4).Pages 234-247.

Johnson, DW; Johnson, R.T. (2002). Cooperative learning-does it increase achievement

in special education and non-special education students? Journal of Social Issues. Vol. 64(3). Pages 156-168.

Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008). “Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences” The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved from:http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

Thirteen/edonline (2004). “What is constructivism?’Retrieved from:http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructvism/index/html

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