Small Group Development

Protocols for small group work in the classroom are methods, or systems that are put in place before commencing group work, to help people work together and aid small groups to run efficiently. Four protocols that that encourage effective group work are elements in planning, levels of group development, exercises for group work and benefits of group work (Whitton, 2016). The protocol of having elements in planning concerns the type and size of small groups. There are many ways a teacher can form instructional small groups. Students can be grouped according to learning needs or abilities, age or gender, friendships or interests (Sandoval, 2013). It is important the teacher selects the correct protocol of elements when preparing to lead small group instruction. If a teacher was planning to conduct some small group work during a maths lesson for those who are struggling to grasp the concepts needed to progress, it would not be practical to group the students according to friendships …show more content…
As groups work together over time, the groups dynamics will develop so that there will be obvious leaders forming in the group. There may be some disharmony in initial stages of group forming as students struggle to take leadership. This can be alleviated by having the teacher aid the group development, so that these levels are sorted out quickly. This could be done by appointing a leader in a group, or regularly changing who leads the students in small group discussion. This could also be achieved by explaining to the students that everyone in the group has a voice, and that all students need to respect the thoughts and ideas of others. By pre planning and putting group development protocols in place, it aids the teacher and the small group to encourage smooth transition in discussion and respect for each