Module 2

SMALL GROUP TEACHING

The aims of this session are to:
consider the pros and cons of the small group teaching setting
explore ways of establishing effective learning environments in small
group teaching
explore the skills involved in facilitating effective small group teaching.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this module participants should be able to:
use appropriate strategies to establish an effective small group teaching
environment
acknowledge and identify the skills needed to facilitate effective small
group teaching.
For this module you will find:
tutor script (pp. 35-40)
OHTs (pp. 41-51)
handouts (pp. 52-59).

MODULE 2

You will need:

flipchart and pens
overhead projector.
Content
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Research into small group teaching
2.3 Group exercises
2.4 Skills in small group teaching
2.5 Suggested reading
Approach
Following initial input in sections 2.1-2.2, participants work briefly in small,
non-language specific groups on a group familiarisation task and share ideas
with the whole class. Further tutor input then focuses on issues such as
questioning, responding and correcting.

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

33

Time required
Tutor input
Group work

55 minutes
20 minutes

Total

1 hours

MODULE 2
34

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

Small Group Teaching

2.1

Introduction

This module stands back from immediate concerns with language teaching, to think about
general issues of teaching strategy. The most favoured teaching setting in the UK is that of
the small group, largely because of the emphasis our teaching culture puts on supporting,
encouraging and developing students individually. Although student numbers have increased
greatly in UK universities so that group numbers can be as high as 20, university teachers still
favour this method of teaching and want to retain it.

OHT 2.1 Likes and dislikes p 41

However, both groups report some problems with small group teaching. Tutors find it hard to
keep quiet: apart from their natural tendency to talk, they find it hard to deal with a situation in
which students will not answer questions or volunteer information. There is also the problem
of the student who talks too much and does not let the others have a say (and often the others
are only too happy to let that student do the work for them!). Students also say they do not like
one person to dominate the discussion (even though they often let them do so). However, as
stated above, they like the opportunity to express their views, but they also find the small
group teaching setting quite threatening, because if they have not done the homework or do
not know how to do something, they cannot hide in the way they can in a large lecture group.
Overall then, there are problems in achieving a harmonious situation where everybody is
contributing.

2.2

Research into small group teaching

OHT 2.2 Research on small group teaching 1 p 42

Looking at research on the effectiveness of different learning settings, small group teaching
is better at developing intellectual skills, changing attitudes and encouraging the taking of
DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

35

MODULE 2

Tutors and students give various reasons for liking or disliking the small group teaching setting.
Tutors like the atmosphere of the group, the stimulating ideas they hear from students, and
the opportunity to work with them on an immediate, one-to-one basis, making corrections
and carrying good learning forward. They like to see how and when students are developing
their understanding. (Teachers cannot do this in the very large, anonymous lecture, where it is
impossible to know what everyone is doing or to check on individual learning.) Students
enjoy small group teaching because they can share ideas, there are opportunities for individual
attention and they can bring their particular problems to be solved.

responsibility for learning. That comes as no surprise in view of the four elements of effective
teaching discussed in Module 1 - How Students Learn (motivational context, learner activity,
learner interaction and the well-structured knowledge base). Successful small group teaching
depends on strategies that use these elements, and relies on co-operation between tutors
and students to achieve the best possible learning.

OHT 2.3 Research on small group teaching 2 p 43

To encourage maximum activity on the part of learners, teachers have to be careful not to
speak too much. Research into how much teachers talk in small group teaching shows variation
between 7 70%. If teachers are talking for 70% of the time, then they are talking too much.
There are not enough opportunities for learners to talk, work and learn. Again, though Module
1 emphasised the importance of deep learning, research suggests that most teachers
requests for information involves students in simple recall of information, that is to say
successful answers depend on memory, which is associated more with surface approaches
to learning.

MODULE 2

Small group teaching is a skilled business. It is not just about choosing appropriate content
for lessons, but about devising appropriate activities and developing the skills needed to
manage the learning environment in such a way that the students learn effectively. For that to
happen teachers also need to get the students to co-operate in the enterprise, and here the
importance of the pastoral tradition in the UK teaching system has to be appreciated. This is
explored at greater length in Module 8 - Understanding the British Education System, so it is
enough to say here that there is a strong tradition in the UK of seeing teaching as both an
educating and a nurturing process. It is felt to be important to establish a distinctive rapport
with each student, and to encourage the student to see the teacher as a mentor and guide. It
is also considered crucial to establish a learning environment in which students feel safe,
confident and able to trust the teacher not to embarrass them or allow them to be embarrassed
by other members of the group. Fear of embarrassment runs very deep in British culture. For
example, a frequent complaint of all teachers is that students are silent and do not contribute
in class. While this may be because they are asleep, lazy or ignorant, it can equally be because
they are afraid to speak out in case they give the wrong answer, and thus lose face in front of
the teacher and their peers.
It falls initially to the teacher to establish an environment that is comfortable and secure enough
for students to feel able to speak out, even when they are not sure if they are going to give the
right answer. This involves the teacher first thinking about the information that teachers and
students need to have about each other if they are to be comfortable working together. It then
involves a consideration of the responsibilities that the teacher has to the students, and that
the students have to the teacher and to each other. The following exercises allow exploration
and discussion of these issues.
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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

2.3

Group exercises

Group exercise 1 in threes, non-language specific groups, five minutes.

Very soon you will be facing some of your classes for the first time. What I would like you to do
in your groups is to think about what you need to know about the students when you start
working with them, and what you would like them to know about you.

Put results onto the flipchart and discuss.

Group exercise 2 in threes, non-language specific groups, five minutes.
Now discuss the ground rules that you will set the responsibilities that both they and you
have.

Put results onto the flipchart and discuss.

2.4

Skills in small group teaching

Once a teaching situation has been devised that is motivating, involves activity, and is based
on students existing knowledge, the teacher needs to consider the skills required to make
the lesson effective.

These can be divided into four elements:

you have to listen to the students
you have to question the students
you have to respond to what they offer you
sometimes you have to explain things to students.
Listening
The skill of listening involves listening respectfully to the speaker but also listening as a teacher
to evaluate understanding.

OHT 2.5 Listening skills p 45

These are different ways of listening, some of which are more analytical than others. Listening
for particular content is appropriate if the focus is very particular, say on the use of verb, tense
or structure. Listening for significance beyond immediate content will happen when the teacher
wants to move the student on to the next step. Teachers often have to listen very carefully to
extract meaning from what students are saying, and this can be very tiring, because students
do not always express themselves particularly well or clearly. However, it is important to build
DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

37

MODULE 2

OHT 2.4 Skills for effective small group teaching p 44

on what students actually say (not what you think they might have said), so good listening
skills are necessary.

OHT 2.6 Strategies for questioning p 46

Questioning
There are many different ways to ask questions. They can be particular, focussed questions,
or they can be reflective questions that ask learners to think back over something they have
done or to come up with an idea. Sometimes questions need to give a hint in order to help
students arrive at the answer. Questions should always be pitched at the appropriate level for
the student.

OHT 2.7 Why questions may not produce answers p 47

OHT 2.8 How questions may produce answers: some suggestions p 48
This issue of giving students time to think is important. Because the teacher usually knows
the answer, he/she cannot understand why the student is taking so long. The danger is then
that the teacher jumps in and gives the answer, or moves away too quickly and asks another
student. The original student then feels demoralised and stupid because he/she has not come
up with the answer fast enough; this inhibits future attempts.

MODULE 2

Teachers also overestimate the amount of time they are giving students, because the subjective
appreciation of time is very different from its objective passage, and they are tempted again
to jump in too quickly.
When there is no answer to the question it is possible that the teacher has not phrased it well,
and that the students cannot make sense of it. This happens very often and it is always worth
rephrasing the question, or asking the students if they understand what is being asked of
them, especially when a question is complex or requires extended thought. In such cases it is
often a good tactic to ask pairs or small groups to consider a question. This removes individual
embarrassment and students will not feel bad if things go wrong because they will feel that
they have all made the same mistake.

OHT 2.9 Hints on explaining p 49

Explaining
Teachers have to do a lot of explaining. Often this is to an individual student, but when a
number of students are making the same mistake the teacher will usually stop and explore
the problem. Here it is important to establish the nature of the difficulty, e.g. whether new
knowledge is needed, or whether old knowledge has to be revised. Important questions here
are:
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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

How much needs to be explained?

You explain however much needs to be explained for that particular point and for these
particular students, then get back to the main exercise. You do not go into scholarly detail
for the advanced linguist, because that would be too much in that particular setting. You
simply do what is necessary and appropriate at that point, making sure that students
understand it.

How should it be paced? Should it be written down?

People learn in different ways and it is probably fair to say that language students learn a
lot by listening; but it often helps to reinforce that with a visual representation of the point.
If you can appeal to more than one sense, then you provide additional reinforcing points.
So you may find that it helps to set it out on a sheet, or to draw a diagram of the operation
of the rule.

OHT 2.10 Aspects of responding p 50

OHT 2.11 Responding - some pitfalls p 51

Building on the answer obtained to provide an explanation.

Taking what is offered, elaborating on it and perhaps building around it, before you
feed it back.
Asking further questions that consolidate the learning or move it on.
Summarising or checking that students have understood.
Asking further questions to see if they have really understood.
Discussing flaws in a given answer. Do not embarrass the individual but use mistakes
and errors as a learning opportunity for everyone.

Error correction
This issue is explored in other modules as it relates specifically to language learning; the
points here are general ones. Teachers like correct answers but they also need errors,
because this is the only sure way of knowing that someone has NOT got their thinking
absolutely accurate. After all, correct answers may have been arrived at by accident or by
faulty thought processes. But until the teacher knows what these thought processes are,
there is no way of correcting them. So teachers do need wrong answers to progress
learning. But this means that students have to feel secure enough to try out ideas and
answers even when they are not sure that they will be correct, and for that a comfortable
classroom atmosphere is necessary. Correction needs to be done sensitively and
constructively, but it does need to be done, otherwise the individual student, and the class as
DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

39

MODULE 2

Responding
Teaching is about progressing learning, and is thus developmental. Responding to what
students say therefore involves consideration of the following:

a whole, will not know which answers are correct/acceptable and which are not. Teachers
therefore have to find ways of acknowledging students contributions (thus showing respect)
but also correcting them if necessary.
Finally, there is the interface between support and admonition. Students are all too human:
they may not do what is asked of them; the teacher may put in a great deal of effort and
get back nothing; and students may on occasion fail to engage with tasks as the teacher
would wish them to do. The classroom relationship needs to be such that the teacher and
students recognise the teachers right to admonish them when this is deserved, without
losing the overall collaborative and supportive learning environment.

2.5

Suggested reading

Baume D. and Baume C. (1996): Learning to Teach: Running Tutorials and Seminars.
Oxford Centre for Staff Development, Oxford.
Gibbs G. (1992): Discussion with More Students (Part 3, Teaching More Students Project).
PCFC, London.
Griffiths S. (1999): Teaching and learning in small groups. In A Handbook for Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education. Eds. Heather Fry, Steve Ketteridge and Stephanie Marshall.
Kogan Page, London.

MODULE 2

Habeshaw S., Habeshaw T. and Gibbs G (1988): 53 Interesting Things to do in your Seminars

and Tutorials. Technical and Educational Services, Bristol.

Jacques D. (1990): Small Group Teaching. (SCED paper 57) SCED Publications,
Birmingham.
Macdonald R. (1997): Teaching and Learning in Small Groups. SEDA, Birmingham.

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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.1

Likes and dislikes

Tutors

Informal atmosphere, stimulated by student

ideas, providing instant feedback, developing
understanding
Keeping my mouth shut, getting a discussion
going, dealing with the vociferous, meek and
irrelevant.

Developing understanding, sharing ideas,

individual attention, flexibility, problem solving
and analysis.
Domination by one person, silences, you cant
hide, being asked vague questions.

From: Luker P.A. (1987): Some Case Studies of Small Group Teaching.
Unpublished PhD, University of Nottingham.

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

41

MODULE 2

Students

OHT 2.2

Research on small group teaching 1

Comparisons of SGT and other methods

Small group teaching better than other methods

at developing intellectual skills, changing attitudes
and encouraging responsibility for learning
BUT
Its success depends on the tutor AND the students

MODULE 2

From: Luker P.A. (1987): Some Case Studies of Small Group Teaching.
Unpublished PhD, University of Nottingham.

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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.3

Research on small group teaching 2

Skills of SGT

Lecture talk varied from 7% to 70% in one study

Questions varied from 1 to over 100 in one study.
Mean = 67

From: Luker P.A. (1987): Some Case Studies of Small Group Teaching.
Unpublished PhD, University of Nottingham.

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

43

MODULE 2

Most statements and questions were recall

OHT 2.4

Skills for effective small group

teaching
Listening

Questioning

Responding
MODULE 2

Explaining

44

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.5

Listening skills
DO
Pay attention
Gather information
Allow silences
DONT
Respond too quickly

MODULE 2

Jump to conclusions
TRY
To keep an open mind
To recognise your own prejudices
To be responsive more than initiating
To reflect back what has been said to
check you understand

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

45

OHT 2.6

Strategies for questioning

Use probing questions
Use reflective questions
Use questions which contain hints
Pitch questions at the right level
Put questions in the right way

MODULE 2

Use sets of questions in order

46

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.7

Why questions may not produce

answers
Students do not understand your question
You do not give enough thinking time

Students forget the questions while they

think about the answer. (This should not
be taken as failure on the students part;
it is absolutely normal and, if anything,
an indication of their involvement.)
Your question was unclear
None of the students can provide a
correct answer

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

47

MODULE 2

Students are afraid of making fools of

themselves

OHT 2.8

How questions may produce

answers:
some suggestions
Count silently up to 10 (some people
suggest 20) before giving up
Write the question on the board or show it
on the overhead projector
Ask students to make notes for an answer
on a piece of paper before asking any to
reply
MODULE 2

Ask students to discuss the question with

a neighbour and then ask for the outcome
of the discussion
Ask if any clarification of the question is
needed after the students have had some
thinking time

48

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.9

Hints on explaining
Identify the problem to be explained
Ascertain the level and knowledge of the
student

Avoid giving too much information too fast

Avoid explaining too much too early
If the explanation is complex write it down
as you talk students through it
Explain content and process
Do not be drawn into taking over
DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

49

MODULE 2

Structure the explanation

- divide it into parts
- state the number of parts
- explain each part and how they link
together

OHT 2.10

Aspects of responding
Responding involves:
Active listening
Intervention in a variety of ways and for a
variety of reasons
Responding in order to:
Challenge or confront statements
Help the student find meaning
MODULE 2

Integrate new learning with previous knowledge

Analyse a concept
Clarify or check knowledge
Introduce a new concept
Summarise a topic
Encourage and promote confidence
Ask a direct question
50

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

OHT 2.11

Responding - some pitfalls

Ignoring answers
Failing to see the implications of
answers

Failing to build on the answers

MODULE 2

obtained

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

51

HANDOUT 2.1
Methods of small group teaching
1. Lecturing
Sometimes a mini-lecture/explanation is necessary, either relating to the structure of the
class (e.g. at the beginning as an introduction) or to explain a concept or issue to the
whole group. Often, the lecturing is best done towards the end of the class.
2. Controlled/Step-by-Step Discussion
In this scenario, the tutor retains tight control over the direction of the discussion, quite
often following a planned sequence of issues/questions.
3. Seminar/Tutorial/Group Tutorial
A seminar will usually involve group discussion of a paper prepared by one or more
students. Tutorials are usually meetings of small groups who discuss an essay or problem.
Group Tutorial indicates that the tutor will give initial direction on a topic for discussion but
that the largest input is from the students.
4. Rounds
Each member of the group is asked to make a contribution.

MODULE 2

5. Gifts
Students are asked to bring an example of something to the next class. The gifts then
become the subject of discussion at the tutorial.
6. Students Questions
Students are asked, either individually or in pairs, to formulate questions relating to the
topic under discussion. They are then written up by the tutor and discussed in turn, or
decisions are taken by the group about which questions should be pursued.
7. Brainstorming
This involves the brief generation of ideas which are collected. No criticism at first - a
case of quantity not quality of ideas. This is then followed by evaluation and discussion of
ideas.

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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

8. Buzz Groups/Snowball/Pyramids/Fishbowls
These are all methods of making the large group smaller:

Buzz Groups
Involve asking the group to break down into smaller groups for brief discussion to
follow up a particular point.

Snowballs/Pyramids
Individuals work on their own for an agreed time, then share what they have done
with a partner, before probing their work in groups of 4 to 8. At each stage a separate
and progressively higher level task can be prescribed. The final task can be a group
presentation.

Fishbowls
A number of students discuss a topic while the remainder observe and record what
happens and are asked to report to the class at the end. Those observing could be
allowed to intervene if they see something going badly wrong.

Tutor acts as a resource available to be consulted but the group is largely left to its own
devices to work on project/problem/topic for discussion.

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

53

MODULE 2

9. No-Teacher Groups/Leave the Room and Carry on Without Me

HANDOUT 2.2
Advice sheet on listening skills
Do
Pay attention
-

by looking at the speaker

by inclined body language towards him/her
by minimising distractions

Gather information
-

by observing the speakers body language

by listening for his/her feelings

Test for understanding

-

of facts
of feelings

Hold your fire

-

by suspending judgement
by not responding too quickly
by allowing silences

MODULE 2

Express understanding
-

by reflecting back key phrases

by showing empathy

DONT
interrupt or show impatience
jump to conclusions
give advice
TRY
-

to keep an open mind

to recognise your own blind spots and prejudices
to be responsive more than initiating

From: Griffith S. & Partington P. (1992): Effective Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - Enabling Active

Learning in Small Groups, Module 5 from Part 3. CVCP, Sheffield.

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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

HANDOUT 2.3
Small group teaching
Problem participants
1. The silent student
For the past five weeks you have had a student in your tutorial group who has never
spoken. Even when you have asked the student a simple direct question you have
received only a monosyllabic answer or a silence.
Today you tried again. You asked a question. The student answered your question at
length. Unfortunately the answer was totally wrong.
What do you do next in the tutorial?

2. The agressive student

You have just begun an important session with a new group of students. Suddenly one of
them leans forward and says angrily:
Im sick of these sessions. In fact Im pissed off with all this rubbish. When are we going
to get down to something useful?

3. The know-it-all
In your tutorial group you have a student who is superbly confident, always answers your
questions, talks a lot and puts down anyone who disagrees. The group has become very
intimidated by the student.
What do you do?

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

55

MODULE 2

What do you say in the next few minutes?

HANDOUT 2.4
Module 2
SMALL GROUP TEACHING
Likes and dislikes
Tutors
Informal atmosphere, stimulated by student ideas, providing instant feedback, developing
understanding
Keeping my mouth shut, getting a discussion going, dealing with the vociferous, meek
and irrelevant.

Students
Developing understanding, sharing ideas, individual attention, flexibility, problem solving
and analysis.
Domination by one person, silences, you cant hide, being asked vague questions.
(From: Luker P.A. (1987): Some Case Studies of Small Group Teaching. Unpublished Phd,
University of Nottingham.)

MODULE 2

Research on small group teaching 1

Comparisons of SGT and other methods
Small group teaching better than other methods at developing intellectual skills, changing
attitudes and encouraging responsibility for learning
BUT
Its success depends on the tutor AND the students
Research on small group teaching 2
Skills of SGT
Lecture talk varied from 7% to 70% in one study

Questions varied from 1 to over 100 in one study. Mn no. 67

Most statements and questions were recall
(From: Luker P.A. (1987): Some Case Studies of Small Group Teaching. Unpublished Phd,
University of Nottingham.)

Skills for effective small group teaching

Listening
56

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

Questioning
Responding
Explaining

Listening skills

DO
Pay attention
Gather information
Allow silences
DONT
Respond too quickly
Jump to conclusions

Strategies for questioning

Use probing questions
Use reflective questions
Use questions which contain hints
Pitch questions at the right level
Put questions in the right way
Use sets of questions in order

Why questions may not produce answers

Students do not understand your question
You do not give enough thinking time
Students are afraid of making fools of themselves
Students forget the questions while they think about the answer. (This should not be taken
as failure on the students part; it is absolutely normal and, if anything, an indication of
their involvement.)
Your question was unclear
None of the students can provide a correct answer

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

57

MODULE 2

TRY
To keep an open mind
To recognise your own prejudices
To be responsive more than initiating
To reflect back what has been said to check you understand

How questions may produce answers: some suggestions

Count silently up to 10 (some people suggest 20) before giving up
Write the question on the board or show it on the overhead projector
Ask students to make notes for an answer on a piece of paper before asking any to
reply
Ask students to discuss the question with a neighbour and then ask for the outcome of
the discussion
Ask if any clarification of the question is needed after the students have had some thinking
time

Hints on explaining
Identify the problem to be explained
Ascertain the level and knowledge of the student
Structure the explanation

- divide it into parts

- state the number of parts
- explain each part and how they link together
Avoid giving too much information too fast
Avoid explaining too much too early
If the explanation is complex write it down as you talk students through it
Explain content and process

Do not be drawn into taking over

MODULE 2

Aspects of responding
Responding involves:
Active listening
Intervention in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons.
Responding in order to:
Challenge or confront statements
Help the student find meaning
Integrate new learning with previous knowledge
Analyse a concept
Clarify or check knowledge
Introduce a new concept
Summarise a topic
Encourage and promote confidence
Ask a direct question

58

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

MODULE 2

Responding - some pitfalls

Ignoring answers
Failing to see the implications of answers
Failing to build on the answers obtained

DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching

59

MODULE 2
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DOPLA Module 2 - Small Group Teaching