How it works: The single most common motif in literature that discusses support for English Language Learners in a general education classroom is an emphasis on cooperative learning. Cooperative learning means that students work with peers to achieve learning goals. This can take many forms. Lopes-Murphy (2012) advocates for the use of small-group projects and advises teachers to structure the classroom with pods of desks to foster this collaboration (p. 228). Students organized through flexible grouping for daily tasks and projects provide peer-feedback, work together toward a common goal, and gain from contributions of diverse perspectives. Cooperative learning also includes discussion, in which students pose and answer questions to challenge each other to think critically about content. This category is broad, because cooperative learning can involve heavy structure by the teacher (pre-assigned groups, specific roles for each group member, concrete goal) or informal grouping (student choice, student decision whether to consult peers in assignments.
Supporting English Language Learners: English Language Learners benefit from cooperative learning through accessibility of translations (as needed), immediate peer feedback, and modeling of how to structure responses in academic English. Depending upon the learning objective, they may gain confidence in discussing content in their native languages. In other situations, classmates fluent in English can help improve responses for a higher degree of quality construction than what students may complete on their own. How it addresses Universal Design for Learning: Cooperative learning is also a key tenet of UDL in general, serving as checkpoint 8.3. As Brand, Favazza, and Dalton (2012) note, “Small work groups enable learners to engage more frequently with the materials, to converse among themselves, and to remain focused on the task” (p. 138). Students struggling for any reason benefit from the support of peers, and many students of diverse abilities find interaction with peers to be highly motivating. Whether requiring, encouraging, or allowing collaboration, teachers address numerous needs by shifting from individual efforts to a classroom that bustles with interaction. |
Example of Use in Context: At the beginning of the school year, I can foster cooperative learning by arranging desks in small groups and encouraging opportunities for flexible grouping. Depending upon context, I may assign discussions in which different group members have specific roles or implement a jigsaw activity. As time continues, students should require less support to work and discuss with peers while remaining on task.
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