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A video going over some tips to ensure success while working in groups.

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Overview of the importance of accountability in group projects.

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Some ways of encouraging group discussions in small groups.

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It's not always easy to engage with young people and encourage discussion. Here are 10 simple points to help your small group discussions.

1. A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

Try to provide a comfortable and casual atmosphere. Is there adequate and comfortable seating? Is the room warm - but not too warm zzzzzzz! Are there any distractions? Are you building in the right amount of social time and using it effectively to make connections and build relationships?

One of the best icebreakers I know is food! Providing and sharing snacks before your study time is a simple and natural way to break the ice with young people. Or, what about a meal or a barbeque?

Simple icebreakers and games can also get things moving and encourage interaction. They can help provide positive momentum for small group study and discussion by,

Helping new members to integrate into a group.

Helping young people feel comfortable together.

Encouraging cooperation.

Encouraging listening to others.

Creating a good atmosphere for learning and participation.

Use icebreakers which encourage everyone in the group to talk or share non-threatening information about themselves. Download the free eBook
'40 Icebreakers for Small Groups' for lots of simple game ideas.

Perhaps an obvious point, but clearly explain that your study time is meant to be a discussion. Some young people need 'permission' to talk! Encourage every group member to participate.

4. USE OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS

Use open ended questions and non-threatening questions. To find out how to do this check out the Insight article 'That's a good question' Are you designing questions which avoid simple 'yes' and 'no' answers? The best questions allow young people to express their own ideas, views and opinions. Help them to discover and apply what the Bible says for themselves.

5. LISTEN

Avoid answering your own questions! If necessary, rephrase them until they are clearly understood. An eager group quickly becomes passive and silent if they think you will do most of the talking.

Don't expect every answer to be addressed to you. As the group becomes more at ease, they will broaden their interaction with each other. This is a sign of a healthy discussion.

Include everyone in the discussion whenever possible. Don't allow one person to monopolize the conversation. Don't be content with just one answer. Ask what others in the group think, until several people have had an opportunity to give answers to the question.

Instead of starting with a question use a role play or case study to bring about a response. Use a group survey to provide a platform for further discussion.

Acknowledge all contributions. Avoid any put-downs. Affirm young people for what they are saying. Allow young people the right to pass and not share.

Don't be afraid of silence. Young people need time to think about the question, phrase their answer in their own mind first, before expressing their thoughts out loud and in public.

From time to time summarise what the group has said about the question or bible passage. Clarify and add any teaching points. This helps to draw various ideas together, gives continuity to the study and keeps the discussion on track.

What would you add to this list? What have you found to be effective in your group to promote discussion and personal involvement? Your comments are welcome.

Each month I add more youth ministry resources and personal reflections on youth ministry and leadership. May I encourage you to subscribe to INSIGHT and you won't miss a thing.

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10 ways to encourage discussion in your small group

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It's not always easy to engage with young people and encourage discussion. Here are 10 simple points to help your small group discussions. 1. A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT Try to provide a comfortable and casual atmosphere. Is there adequate and comfortable seating? Is the room warm - but not too warm zzzzzzz!

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Theories of change for development, research, and evaluation.

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3 steps to insure support is provided to all class members during an assignment:

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3 steps to insure support is provided to all class members during an assignment:

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1.) Make sure each group member is made aware of their own personal role and responsibilities, as well as the overall expected outcome of the group as a whole. Making sure all group members completely understand what is expected is essential to doing well in a group assignment.
2.) Make sure each group member is aware of the final due date, as well as when each part of of the project should be completed. Making a timeline for when things should be done can be very useful.
3.) Make sure each group member is comfortable with their part of the work. Each member of the group should have an equal amount of work, and if a group member feels confused or unhappy with their share of the work, the group should better explain what is expected. Each member of the group should feel as if the work is evenly distributed amongst the group, and confident that they can complete their fair share.

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Some ways assessment and accountability can improve successin group assignments.

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Read "Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education" at NAP.edu

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Read chapter 6 Assessment and Accountability in the Education System: Since 1989, with the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for Mathema...

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Some ideas to get students more engaged in the classroom.

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Call it "active learning," or "classroom participation" -- every teacher wants to know how to motivate students to particpate, and how to nurture more involved students and fewer apathetic ones. With a little extra planning, that is possible.

Below are four common reasons students don't participate and techniques to solve those problems and spice up your lessons.

Maybe it needs to be repetitive because the students don't really "get it," or maybe you're reviewing for a test. In any case, they're tuning out.

Solution #1: Assess their prior knowledge.

This could be as simple as asking students, "What do you know about (topic)?" and writing their responses on the board. You could also try a pre-test or a graphic organizer like a K-W-L chart . The goal is to find out what they already know (or think they know). You create buy-in for the students because they feel smart, and you can tailor your lesson to the information they don't know or don't remember correctly.

Solution #2: Try skills grouping.

Divide the class into groups based on what skills they need to practice - not forever, but for a class period or two, so they can focus on what they really need help with. So have a group that works on multiplying fractions, one on dividing fractions, and one on converting fractions to decimals. Make a group of "already got 100% on the test" kids and give them an extra credit activity or let them preview the next lesson. Then take time to move between the other groups and help them review. You'll have more students engaged in the lesson and they'll get specific, focused practice time.

Solution #3: Let them teach each other.

Especially good when reviewing before a test: divide the class into groups and give each group a topic. Set some guidelines and then let them teach each other. Encourage them to do interesting activities - write tests for each other, design review games, etc. - and evaluate each group on the accuracy of their content, the creativity of their approach, and how well they work together as a team. This is also a great way to discover how to motivate students.

This is really half the problem. The other half - especially with older students - is their fear of "looking stupid" by asking questions.

Solution #1: Allow anonymous questions.

Put out a "question box" where students can submit questions any time. Give each student an index card and ask them to write something about the reading assignment they did for homework. If they don't have a question, instruct them to write a comment on the reading. Collect the cards and use them to lead a class discussion. You'll easily recognize what parts of the reading confused a lot of students and they won't feel embarrassed.

Solution #2: Allow them to work together.

We can't do this all the time; individual students need to be assessed. Ask yourself: is the goal of this activity for them to learn the content, or for them to be assessed? If you want them to learn the content, why not let them work together? When they bring in their homework, do a quick survey for completeness, then put them in pairs and let them review the homework together. Encourage them to make changes if their partner's answer looks right. When they've finished, review as a class. Students may be less embarrassed to share a group's answer than their own and you may be able to complete the review more quickly.

Solution #3: Try a jigsaw approach.

No, we're not talking about puzzles or scary movies. If you're introducing new, difficult content, divide the class into groups and ask each group to master only one portion of it at a time. If, for example, you're teaching the American Revolution, have one group focus on the Continental Congress, one on Washington's Army, one on French support for the war, and so on.

Ask them to do a reading on their topic - to become the class "experts" on that subject. Then split up the class into new groups that include one "expert" on each topic. Ask these new groups to work together to write an essay or complete a worksheet that requires information about all the topics. They will teach each other in the process. Learn more about the Jigsaw Approach.

Problem: There's too much information to present in too short a time.

Sometimes there's no way around it: you simply have to get a lot of information out there in a short amount of time. So you opt for a lecture and just want your students to absorb the content. Instead, they fall asleep or stare out the window. What can you do?

Solution #1: Keep it "bite-sized."

Remember: research shows the average student's attention span is as long as her age. So even high school kids can only handle about 15 minutes. If you have a lot of information to convey, re-arrange your lesson plans so you never lecture for more than 10-15 minutes.

Break up large concepts into smaller sections - give a brief lecture, then do an activity to help it "sink in." Repeat this process over several days. You'll increase participation - and improve comprehension, too.

Solution #2: Keep them busy.

Don't allow students to stare into space while you talk. Give them something to stay connected. Try "fill in the blank" lecture notes. Delete key words and phrases in your lecture notes to create a "fill in the blank" worksheet. Then ask students to fill in the worksheet while you lecture. Another fun variation - lecture bingo .

Solution #3: Look into the future.

Before a lecture, give students a prediction activity. For example, tell them you will be lecturing on Shakespeare and ask them to predict what you will say, or give them a set of true/false statements and ask them to take their best guess.

As you lecture, instruct students to compare their guesses with what you actually say.

When the lecture is over, have a class discussion and evaluate how accurate student predictions were.

Problem: The lesson emphasizes the teacher, not the students.

Solution #1: Keep them busier than you are.

The traditional classroom of yesteryear had the teacher at the front of the room, droning on while students doze. Re-imagine your classroom as a place where students are busier than you are.

Keep the "sit still and let me talk to you" moments as brief as possible; get those kids working! Give them worksheets, activities, discussions, and projects. That doesn't mean you get to sit around -- you will still be busy, moving from student to student or group to group, correcting, evaluating, or providing feedback. But now everyone is busy and involved.

Homogeneous grouping? Heterogeneous grouping? Tracking? Forget the buzz words: having students work in groups is one of the best ways to increase student participation. Don't keep them in the same groups all the time -give them a chance to be the "smart kid" who can help someone one day and the kid who needs help the next.

Take a traditional worksheet or activity and give it to students in groups. Offer a reward to the group who finishes first with the most answers correct and watch them go! Note: it helps to have additional prizes available to keep groups motivated after the first group "wins." Even high school students enjoy these competitions.

Solution #3: Give them a voice and a choice.

Do students ever get a "say" in your classroom? Of course you need to make most decisions, but there must be some things you could leave up to them - whether it's what color chalk you use today or how long they practice a specific activity.

Kids tune out because they feel like their ideas don't matter. Show them their opinions are important and they'll pay better attention and speak up more in class.

There will always be some unreachable student who won't respond, even with these efforts. But if you give these a try, you may be presently surprised at the previously unreachable students who just might join in!

How do you encourage participation in your class? In what ways did you discover how to motivate students? Share in the comments section!

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top 12 ways to increase student participation

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Top 12 Ways to Increase Student Participation

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Call it "active learning," or "classroom participation" -- every teacher wants to know how to motivate students to particpate, and how to nurture more involved students and fewer apathetic ones. With a little extra planning, that is possible. Below are four common reasons students don't participate and techniques to solve those problems and spice up your lessons.

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A video that explains how group members need to take turns being the leader.

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Julia Parrish - Sharing responsibility as a leader

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Some theories about working together.

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Teamwork plays an important part in successful business operations. Definitions of teamwork include a group of people working together for a common goal with each member contributing to the project or program. Social scientists and group-theory researchers study teams to develop theories to define effective practices. ...

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Ways to improve team performance by using accountability.

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Leaders have a huge challenge when it comes to accountability.

They must both visibly model personal accountability and instill accountability in their team members.

This can be especially challenging when team members have the mentality that they have done enough, or it's not their job, or they can't do anything about the results being produced.

When people don't feel accountable, they drop to the lowest possible level of performance that their leader will accept. The accountable leader assumes responsibility for all associates, vendors, customers, and the organization as a whole. These leaders help team members shift into the "discretionary" performance zone. This zone is where members do their best to take responsibility for their individual success and for the success of the team and the organization.

What Is Accountability?

Accountability is taking ownership and acting in a responsible way, despite personal feelings, potential outcomes, or even possible consequences.

Accountable people demonstrate maximum effort in terms of fulfilling their responsibilities and keeping the promises they have made-and as they fulfill those expectations, they also proactively respond to challenges and obstacles that they encounter.

Sometimes just being an accountable leader and teaching others about accountability isn't enough to reach the level of discretionary performance that you need on your team. Leaders must have a mechanism to ensure accountability in others and a specific process for setting up and executing on agreements. The consistent use of accountability measures will elevate the performance of team members and solidify a culture of accountability.

Being an Accountable Leader

You must also take your own commitments and agreements seriously. When accepting an assignment or responsibility, be clear about what is within your power to complete. When you violate an agreement, admit your mistake, apologize, and repair the situation or relationship as quickly as possible. Always be honest and forthcoming with others and provide information that is clear and accurate.

In some situations, you may be privy to information that cannot be shared with employees. Act with integrity and simply share the information that you can. Always do your best and align your actions with your values. When you face adversity, be constructive in your response.

Leadership is a huge responsibility. You are accountable for bottom-line results, quality, productivity, and the motivation of other people. Thinking about and solidifying the accountability measures you have in place will ensure the lines of communication stay open on your team.

The Benefits of Accountability in Business

It can also greatly improve your team's ability to make decisions and solve problems. Individual team members will be more confident taking action if they know they are empowered to produce quality results without explicit direction and on their own terms.

People in your organization's culture will become more creative and shift into a proactive mindset. Every individual will contribute to the success of the team and organization. They will also strive to do the right thing.

As you enable others to become more accountable for success, you will have the energy and freedom to focus on longer-term strategic plans. As a leader, there is no better way to manage your time than to instill accountability in others.

CMOE has helped many leaders reach new levels of accountability within their organizations. Contact CMOE to learn more about how we can help your team take real ownership for results and accomplish more than ever before.

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How to Improve Team Performance with Accountability | CMOE

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Leaders have a huge challenge when it comes to accountability. They must both visibly model personal accountability and instill accountability in their team members. This can be especially challenging when team members have the mentality that they have done enough, or it's not their job, or they can't do anything about the results being produced.

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Some tips to make working in groups more effective.

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Implementing Group Work in the Classroom | Centre for Teaching Excellence

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Group work can be an effective method to motivate students, encourage active learning, and develop key critical-thinking, communication, and decision-making sk

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A video that takes a different look at group work in classrooms.

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Some methods of maintaining engagement of all participants in a  group.

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Follow-up to the 57th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Implementing agreed conclusions. 57th Commission on the Status of Women agreed conclusions.