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                                               Grouping Strategies

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                                               Grouping Strategies

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-Heterogeneous Grouping (Mixed Skill Level)
-Homogeneous Grouping (Same Skill Level)
-Random Grouping
-Interest Grouping

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          Heterogeneous (Mixed Skill Level) Grouping Strategy

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          Heterogeneous (Mixed Skill Level) Grouping Strategy

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This grouping strategy is a mixed skill level strategy. It is designed to bring students of different skill levels and diverse backgrounds together into a group. The more intellectual and socially matured students will take on a mentor type role while the less intellectual and socially matured students are exposed to activities that stimulate higher thinking and learning. When grouping, there is more success in mentoring if your groups are not mixed with students on both ends of the spectrum (Findley, 2016). This strategy works best at least four to six weeks into school once the teacher has identified students who are below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. Once students have been evaluated, you can color code your students so that they remain unaware of what level they are. This strategy works best when reviewing already learned topics. This strategy gives lower level students the ability to use peer learning to review concepts and help with understanding.

Findley, J. (2016, January 10). Math Groups (Two Ways I Use Math Groups in my     Classroom [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://teachingtoinspire.com/2016/01/math-groups-two-ways-i-use-math-groups-in-my-classroom.html

Image source: cooperative learning [photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.scilt.org.uk/Portals/24/Library/BLC/job%20profiles/groupandflagspeechbubbles.png

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           Homogeneous (Same Skill Level) Grouping Strategy

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           Homogeneous (Same Skill Level) Grouping Strategy

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This grouping strategy is a same skill level grouping strategy. This strategy works well for struggling students as well as the advanced students. In homogeneous groups, students can feel less pressure to perform at a certain level as well as the advanced students who do not get slowed down due to the lower level students who work slow (Lewis, 2017). This strategy works well when the teacher is introducing a new skill or topic. Working in centers would give the different groups of students to work on their own doing the assigned tasks while the teacher can work directly with the lower level students and give the extra instruction needed. Like heterogeneous groups, you must have done an assessment on the class beforehand so that you can have your groups in place. Having a mixture of homogeneous groups and heterogeneous groups gives students a chance to work with different students in their class as well as at different levels.

Lewis, B. (2017, June 18). Homogeneous Groups. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/homogeneous-groups-in-educational-settings-2081647

Image Source: homogeneous grouping. Retrieved from https://teamperkins11.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/industry-groups-product-groups.jpg?w=833

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                                               Random Grouping

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                                               Random Grouping

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Randomly mixed (pre-assigned) grouping works well for time-management in the classroom when the selection of students is not as important. This strategy is the simplest and most efficient approach to grouping. A creative way of grouping students in the math classroom would be to use fact family flash cards and distribute them to the students desk before they enter the room. This way the teacher has the ability to designate cards to certain students to help create more balanced groups. An example of fact family cards that would go together is shown below.
9+1=10
1+9=10
10-1=9
10-9=1

Baepler, P., Walker, J.D., Brooks, D.C., Saichaie, K., Peterson, C.I., & Cohen, B.A. (1996). A guide to teaching in the active learning classroom: History, research, and practice. Retrieved from https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1532

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                                                Interest Grouping 

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                                                Interest Grouping 

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This grouping strategy works well when grouping students for group projects. The teacher can give a survey to the students to learn what interests all of your students in the classroom have. Once the teacher has established the categories of interest, students can be grouped base on those interests. Grouping students with similar interests will help to get a group together that thinks alike, has interest in the same types of things, and will likely develop friendships, allowing the group to work well together.

Catapano, J. (n.d.) 30 ways to arrange students for group work. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/30-ways-arrange-students-group-work

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                                             Collaboration Strategies

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                                             Collaboration Strategies

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-Numbered Heads Together
-Jigsaw Technique
-Build Trust and Promote Open Communication
-Learning Process a Part of Assessment

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                                           Numbered Heads Together

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                                           Numbered Heads Together

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When students are in groups and the teacher is teaching, students will be numbered off, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. This collaboration strategy helps to create teamwork and makes all members of the group to become actively involved in the discussion. The teacher will number off the members of each group at the beginning of the lesson and then does not name what group number will be the speaker until the very end. This strategy pushes each student to become invested in the understanding of the discussion question (Srinivas, n.d.)

Srinivas, H. (n.d.) Four collaborative learning strategies. Retrieved from  https://www.gdrc.org/kmgmt/c-learn/strategies.html

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                                              Jigsaw Technique

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                                              Jigsaw Technique

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The jigsaw technique is a collaboration strategy that promotes social interactions in the process of learning as well as supports diversity. The technique is started by dividing an assignment into sub-parts, so that each person will become a master in their topic. Students are pulled from their groups into new groups of students who have the same topic. Students  become masters of their part, then come back together afterward to teach or inform the members of their small group about their topic (Clifford, 2011).

Clifford, M. (2011). 20 collaborative learning tips and strategies for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/20-collaborative-learning-tips-and-strategies/

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                  Build Trust and Promote Open Communication

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                  Build Trust and Promote Open Communication

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Building trust with teacher and student relationships is vital early on in the school year as well as the student to student relationships (Clifford, 2011). In order to learn, there must be interpersonal communication in the classroom. Open communication is key to having students successfully give intricate and knowledgeable explanations during small groups. Teachers must have the ability to stop emotional issues that might come up in the classroom, along with the encouraging team work.

Clifford, M. (2011). 20 collaborative learning tips and strategies for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/20-collaborative-learning-tips-and-strategies/

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                            Learning Process a part of Assessment 

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                            Learning Process a part of Assessment 

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Especially when dealing with a very diverse classroom, teachers will deal with every type of learner. This strategy helps to develop social skills. Making students aware of the importance of the learning process, and grading them based on their quality of discussions, engagement in the groups, as well as attendance will help to show the value of grouping and teaches them to learn how to behave in the groups and what  is expected while each student is in the group. Assessing students in a non-traditional way can also help with students who get test anxiety.

Clifford, M. (2011). 20 collaborative learning tips and strategies for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/20-collaborative-learning-tips-and-strategies/