ENGAGEMENT DURING SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION Annette Brinkman Tim

ENGAGEMENT DURING SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION Annette Brinkman & Tim Frost

Goals for today How do I know students are ACTIVELY ENGAGED when I do my small group work? How can I let my students know what I want them to be doing to stay ACTIVELY ENGAGED?

Ready … Set … Go … Think of a time that you were a student and you were not doing what the teacher wanted you to do? Were you bored or confused… Why? What was the situation?

Kids Succeed When… They clearly understand what they are expected to know do They know how well they are doing

So, what is ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT When you ask questions, you ASK AND DIRECT all students to think and respond. When one student is working, the other students have a task to keep focus high. When a student is finished, he/she knows what to do next.

When you ask questions, you ASK AND DIRECT all students think and respond. [Question] “Stop … think … turn to your neighbor and tell him the answer. ” [Question] “Stop … think… when you think you have the correct answer, touch your nose. ” [Question] “Write your answer on your white board and show me when I ask. ” [Question] “

When you give directions, all students demonstrate their understanding. [You need to …] “Point to the place on the board where our directions are located. ” [You need to …] “When you have your worksheet in front of you, please put your pencil on #1. [You need to …] “If you can hear my voice, give me a thumbs up!”

When one student is working, the others have a task to keep focus high. [You are reading with a single student] … other students have been directed to follow along with their finger where this student is reading. [You are assisting a single student with a math problem they have difficulty completing] … other students are working in pairs to check their work.

When a student is finished, he/she knows what to do next. “When you are done, you will be able to …”: Complete a “special activity” Work on a “bonus” assignment

Let’s watch! Video of Annette teaching a small group. Stop and discuss.

Tips for you! When you ask a question … phrase your questions so ALL students are thinking and responding. Make sure all students heard your directions and KNOW what to do. If you are assisting one student … have meaningful tasks in place for all other students. Plan ahead for tasks students can complete when they are finished.