1) Meaningful and complex tasks - students need to understand a task on which they are working (of course!) otherwise they will lose interest and talk about other things to their peers. It must also be complex enough that it requires frequent discussion in order to figure out the challenge.
2) Joint attention to tasks and materials - modeling, providing videos for students to see other students appropriately working together (they way they speak to each other, their body language, etc) and checklists are good ways to train students in this part of a project. A sample checklist could include: maintained eye contact with the speaker, remained focused on the lesson, regularly leaned into the group rather than backing away, used facial expressions to convey interest, questioning, or agreement.
3) Argumentation, not arguing - this involves students making claims, offering evidence, seeking clarification, offering counterclaims, and reaching consensus or identifying points of disagreement. This has to be taught, modeled, and practiced.
4) Language Support - we need to provide students multiple ways to express their ideas and opinions. This could look like sentence frames, teacher modeling, word walls, audio devices, collaboration with peers, verbal signals, and speaking in respectful tones.
5) Group Size - experts use a combination of whole-class and smaller configurations of two to five students. Match the group size to the task at hand and to the needs of the students.
6) Teacher's Role - teachers should question, prompt, cue student thinking. They need also be aware that their comments can enhance or damage student self-esteem.
2) Joint attention to tasks and materials - modeling, providing videos for students to see other students appropriately working together (they way they speak to each other, their body language, etc) and checklists are good ways to train students in this part of a project. A sample checklist could include: maintained eye contact with the speaker, remained focused on the lesson, regularly leaned into the group rather than backing away, used facial expressions to convey interest, questioning, or agreement.
3) Argumentation, not arguing - this involves students making claims, offering evidence, seeking clarification, offering counterclaims, and reaching consensus or identifying points of disagreement. This has to be taught, modeled, and practiced.
4) Language Support - we need to provide students multiple ways to express their ideas and opinions. This could look like sentence frames, teacher modeling, word walls, audio devices, collaboration with peers, verbal signals, and speaking in respectful tones.
5) Group Size - experts use a combination of whole-class and smaller configurations of two to five students. Match the group size to the task at hand and to the needs of the students.
6) Teacher's Role - teachers should question, prompt, cue student thinking. They need also be aware that their comments can enhance or damage student self-esteem.