A Guide to Small Group Teaching (SGT)
What is Small Group Teaching?
Small Group Teaching (SGT) is a widespread form of student-centred teaching which promotes a deep approach to learning including conceptual development and change (Marton and Saljo 1976). McCrorie states that “the purist view of small group teaching is that it must be learner-centred, with all students joining in free discussion of a particular topic” (2006, p. 5).
For the purposes of this guide, small group teaching refers to any process or method of tutor-student interaction that involves a group of 2-20 students, however, as McCrorie notes, “group size is probably less important than what the group actually does” (2006, p.5). What is valued significantly in SGT is the learning and teaching framework. In SGT, students are actively interacting with each other and / or a tutor, and are actively engage in a dialogue for analysis or critical thinking and practical activities for developing certain skills. Jacques (1989) argues that at its best, SGT can cultivate deep learning. Various studies suggest that SGT is especially suited to develop a range of skills that are transferable and essential for various careers, such as analytical, presentation, communication and social skills (McKimm and Morris, 2012). However, to guarantee the effectiveness of SGT, it is essential to provide targeted guidance and assistance to the students involved.
Small groups provide opportunities for learning that are impossible or challenging to apply in large group settings (McKimm and Morris, 2012). In SGT, the focus is on the group development as well as on the achievement of learning goals of individuals. The teacher has the vital role of ensuring that the teaching and learning methods are appropriate for the group as well as creating a stimulating learning environment for the students, so they can achieve their objectives. Effective teachers are indispensable elements in a successful SGT.
Benefits and Risks of SGT
Various studies highlight the following benefits and risks of small groups:
Benefits
Developing the students’ abilities to interact effectively with other students as well as teachers
Empowering students with creativity and methods of expression
Encouraging students’ active involvement in learning sessions
Providing more opportunities for peer learning and group problem solving
Improving students’ self confidence
Risks
Challenging student behaviour
Unprepared and ill-equipped teacher
More time required to prepare for the learning sessions
Lack of resources
Factors affecting SGT
The effectiveness of SGT relies on various factors such as group climate, group structure and the teacher. “Group climate is the general psychological or emotional state of the group” (Di Corpo 2009, p. 3). If the group climate is good, that is, students are comfortable in sharing their ideas and are not afraid to express them, small group can be really effective. It is best to avoid the group from being confused and hostile. Jaques (1991) argues that uncertainty about the rules in a group causes many difficulties for students when expressing themselves. In this case, it is best to establish ground rules at the start of the session, so students know what they are allowed and not allowed to do. Group structure on the other hand, refers to the makeup of the group, for instance, what kind of students are in the group and what skills they can bring to the table (Di Corpo, 2009). A good group structure involves students who are clear on what their roles are in the group so they can build and maintain good and effective relationships with others. Finally, an effective SGT could not exist without a good teacher. A teacher’s role in a small group teaching situation is essentially a manager. The teacher manages the group, activities and the learning (McKimm and Morris, 2012).
Teaching Methods
Planning comes before doing and time spent on planning, is time well spent if you plan thoroughly first. Before starting your session, it is important that you identify what you want to achieve in your small group teaching session. If this is your first time to meet your students; some background information about them will be helpful in establishing the initial group climate and structure. It is always useful to develop a scheme of work or lesson plan for your session. In your lesson plan, write down the aim, as well as the objectives of that particular session.
You want to be clear on what you want to achieve and what you want your students to achieve, and setting your objectives will enable you to stay on track. Think about the topic that you will be discussing and the activities that you think are relevant to the topic and will stimulate your learners, write down what yours and your learners input are, including the resources (and time) that you may need as well as evidence of the students’ learning. Sometimes it is helpful to have ice breakers before the start of any activity and it is also ideal that you leave time at the end of your session for feedback, no matter how informal or formal it may be. A sample feedback form is given in Appendix 3. Essentially, your lesson plan is the document that will guide you through your small group teaching session. It should help you deliver an effective and successful session.
Like most processes, SGT has a start, centre and finish. The activities in all these phases should be included in the lesson plan. The running order for your session should look like this:
Start: Perform ice breaker activity, state ground rules, state aims and objectives of the session, explain activities of the session, help assume roles (if applicable).
Centre: Perform main activities specified in the lesson plan. Students should be aware of what they need to do and achieve at this point.
Finish: Summarise the activity, answer questions and provide clarification, re-examine objectives and check if they have been achieved, encourage students to give feedback about the session.
A sample running order is given in Appendix 2.
There are several techniques you can utilize to accomplish the different purposes of small group learning. One teaching style is the open discussion group. A good discussion provides opportunities for students to express their opinions and compare their ideas with other students. It also helps in developing the speaking and listening skills of a student. However, to have a successful open discussion, it takes a lot of preparatory work for both the teacher and the students. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this particular method:
Advantages: encourages critical thinking, develops self confidence and listening and speaking skills, encourages understanding and instils discipline.
Disadvantages: the tendency of the dominant personalities to take over the discussion, lack of preparation can cause exclusion, various personalities surfacing which can have negative effect on the discussion.
Another method that is used in small group teaching is group round. Group round is an exercise whereby you go round the group, giving each member the opportunity to respond to an instruction or a question. Group round can be used at any point in SGT. It can be used as an ice-breaker so students can get to know each other, it can quickly gather opinions of the group about a particular topic or it can also show how a particular group felt about the session. One important note about group round is that the instructions should be clear for all students involved. An instruction guide for the group round method can be found in Appendix 1.
Advantages: provides opportunity for everyone to speak and express opinion, relatively quick to do, develops discipline, gives the teacher and other students an insight as to how each other think and what their thoughts are.
Disadvantages: some students have the tendency to become ‘freeloaders’ and take others’ ideas as theirs and it can cause confusion and loss of interest in students if instructions are not clear.
When using the group round, it is essential that you give clear instructions to your students. It is also important that you have a good group climate to ensure the active participation of all your students.
You will find different guidance for small group teaching. During your practice you will eventually find what methods work and what don’t for you. The important thing to remember is that in any teaching method you use, preparation is the key. Also bear in mind that as teachers, it is our duty to impart learning, whatever form it may take.
References
Di Corpo, S., 2009, Small Group Teaching – key theories and methods. [online] Available at <http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/medweb.nsf/resources/Induction09/$file/Session+5_Small+group+teaching_July+09.pdf> [Accessed 7 June 2012].
Jacques, D., 1991, Learning in Groups, 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page.
Jacques, D.,1989, Small Group Teaching. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff Development.
Marton, F. and Säljö, R., 1976, ‘On qualitative differences in learning. I – Outcome and Process’ British Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 46, pp. 4-11.
McCrorie, P., 2006, Teaching and Leading Small Groups. Edinburgh: Association for the Study of Medical Education.
McKimm, J. and Morris, C., 2012, Small Group Teaching. [online] London: LondonDeanery. Available at: <http://www.faculty.londondeanery.ac.uk/e-learning/small-group-teaching/what-is-a-small-group> [Accessed 7 June 2012].
Appendix 1: Instructions for Group Round
Gather your class in a group. You may ask them to form a circle, for example.
Explain what group round is and give the students some guidance on what is expected of them. For instance, if you are using it as an ice breaker, you can ask them, when it’s their turn, to say their first name and their favourite colour. When using group round as a main activity, for instance, getting the opinion of your students about a certain topic, it’s a good practice to reassure them that it’s okay to pass and if people at the beginning, have made your point, that concurrence is sufficient, to make the process less daunting for them.
Make sure that you have some way of capturing what your students are saying, so you can summarize and present the information later on. You can write down what they say, or record the audio, but do let them know what you will be doing.
When everyone has the chance to speak, it will be helpful if you explain that everyone has finished and you will be presenting the summary of the activity. After which, you can present the summary and ask if any member of the group has got any questions or clarification.
If there are no questions or if all questions have been answered, proceed by ending the activity and giving credit to the group for a job well done.
Appendix 2: Running Order / Time Plan Sample
Time
Topic
Teacher Activity
Learner Activity
Resources
9:00
Welcome
Welcome the group. Introduce yourself and give some information about the session, if this is the first time you have met your group.
Ice-breaker activity
Explain the ice breaker activity to the group
Students perform the activity
Depends on the activity
9:30
Ground rules
State the ground rules for the group afterwards, ask if they need clarification
Explain the session
Explain what the session is about, including the session’s objectives and activities of the session. If applicable, help assume roles for the students.
Main activity
Start the main activity, according to your lesson plan.
Students perform main activity.
Depends on the activity
10:35
Conclude
Conclude the main activity. Summarize what the group has done. Re-examine the objectives of the session and ask students if they need clarification on some issues.
Ask students to complete an evaluation form or give feedback about the session.
Evaluation / Feedback forms
11:00
End of session
Bid farewell.
Appendix 3: Feedback / Evaluation Form Sample
Name (optional)
What did you like most about the session?
What did you like least about the session?
If we do this session again, what other things would you like to do and what things would you not like to do?
