Designing Groupwork Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom Third Edition A New Edition by Elizabeth G. Cohen & Rachel A. Lotan Forewords by Linda Darling-Hammond and John I. Goodlad Teachers College, Columbia University New York and London
Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 Copyright 2014 by Teachers College, Columbia University All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cohen, Elizabeth G., 1931 2005 Designing groupwork : strategies for the heterogeneous classroom / Elizabeth G. Cohen & Rachel A. Lotan ; foreword by Linda Darling-Hammond. Third edition. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8077-5566-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8077-7320-8 (ebook) 1. Group work in education. 2. Interaction analysis in education. I. Title. LB1032.C56 2014 371.3 95 dc23 2014009977 ISBN 978-0-8077-5566-2 (paper) ISBN 978-0-8077-7320-8 (ebook) Printed on acid-free paper Manufactured in the United States of America 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents Foreword to the Third Edition by Linda Darling-Hammond Foreword to the Second Edition by John I. Goodlad Acknowledgments Preface to the Third Edition ix xii xv xvi 1. Groupwork as a Pedagogical Strategy 1 What Is Groupwork? 1 The Power of Principles 3 Use of Research 4 How True Are the Principles? 5 2. Why Groupwork? 6 Intellectual Goals 6 Social Goals 18 Improving Classroom Management 20 Promoting Equity in Heterogeneous Classrooms 22 3. The Dilemma of Groupwork 24 Behavior of Task-Oriented Groups 28 Expectations and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 34 Educational Disadvantages of Dominance and Inequality 38 v
vi Contents 4. Preparing Students for Cooperation 41 Getting Students Ready for Groupwork 42 Cooperation and Antisocial Behavior 57 Norms as a Practical Classroom Tool 60 5. Planning Groupwork in Stages 62 Structures for Working Together 62 Designing the Task 68 Setting the Stage 70 Assessment of Learning and for Learning 79 A Note About Time 84 6. Crafting Groupworthy Learning Tasks 85 Rachel A. Lotan Open-Ended, Uncertain Tasks 86 Multiple Entry Points and Demonstrations of Competence 88 Discipline-Based, Intellectually Important Content 91 Positive Interdependence and Individual Accountability 92 Evaluation Criteria for Group Product and Individual Report 93 Instructions to the Group Task 94 A Note About Time 96 7. Groupwork and Language Development 98 Rachel A. Lotan Perspectives on Language in Equitable Classrooms 98 Language Demands and Affordances in Groupwork 102 8. Group Roles and Responsibilities 113 Efficient and Effective Groups 115 How Roles 116
Contents vii Dividing the Labor 121 Assigning Roles 123 Developing Roles 125 Long-Term Projects 127 9. The Teacher s Role: Letting Go and Teaming Up 130 Delegating Authority 131 Working as a Team 140 10. Treating Expectations for Competence 143 From Low Status to Intellectual Resource 144 Expectation Training: Evidence from Research 146 The Multiple-Ability Strategy 148 Assigning Competence to Low-Status Students 156 11. Evaluating Groupwork in Your Classroom 161 Tools for Evaluation 164 Reflecting on Groupwork 177 12. Groupwork in the Bilingual Classroom 179 Elizabeth Cohen Oral Proficiency 180 Grade-Level Curriculum in Heterogeneous Settings 184 Finding Out 185 Conclusion 191 Appendix A: Cooperative Training Exercises 193 Making Students Sensitive to Needs of Others in a Group 193 Broken Circles 193 Jigsaw Puzzles 197
viii Contents Master Designer 198 Guess My Rule 200 Rainbow Logic 203 Preparing Students for Groupwork That Features Group Discussion 206 Epstein s Four-Stage Rocket 206 Improving Group Process Skills 208 Sample Discussion Tasks 209 Spaceship 209 Alligator River 210 Teacher-Led Discussion and Student Practice 211 Communication Worksheet 213 Appendix B: Tools for Groupwork Evaluation 215 Sample Student Questionnaire 215 Guide to Analyzing the Student Questionnaire 217 References 220 Index 231 About the Authors 238