The group as a natural framework for learning

The group seems to be a natural framework for the way ideas are worked with in the real world. People, on the whole, enjoy sharing ideas, learning from one another, and cooperating. In the workplace, people have discovered that cooperation is a much better tool than competition. Committees, boards, cohorts, and teams do the work of the world through communication. It seems only natural that the language classroom, which really is a laboratory in communication, should do a great deal of its work in groups.

In large multilevel classes, group work is obviously a key element as it enables students to learn from one another. When working in small groups, students have a greater chance to practice oral fluency. Students are also far less intimidated in a small group, and once they become familiar with the procedure, they usually enjoy sharing ideas and practicing new language structures in this format.

Some difficulties

Group work, however, does not always come easily to the classroom. Many classes are simply not used to working in groups and many even express a preference for the familiar teacher-fronted process. Another problem is that although the group is a place for growth and practice, it can also easily become a hidey-hole for the student who somehow assumes that the group's progress is automatically his/her own progress. It may therefore take some patience, consistent effort, and careful training to form effective group work.