INTERACTION PATTERNS

UNIT. 30

BY: LILIANA BORBOLLA

April 22, 2009
 Atthe end of the unit the
participants will be able to
decide what type of group
pattern is suitable,
considering different reasons
and factors according to the
class and aims they want to
achieve.
 Aim: aim of the lesson and aims of
activities.
 Learning style: some learners prefer
individual tasks, while others prefer group
work.
 Level: most classes are mixed-level.
depending on what activities, similar or
different level learners might be working
together.
 Personality: Leaders and followers need to
be combined.
 Class size: Larger classes need careful
plans.
 Learners’ experience: Gradual introduction is
necessary for new types of grouping.
 Activity: Variety and flexibility in grouping is

necessary for different types of activities.

 Group dynamics: considering the relationship
of learners
 S
 S-S
 Ss
 Ss-Ss
 T-S
 S-T
 T-Ss
 Ss-T
1. TEACHER AIM
2. LEARNING STYLES
3. STUDENTS’ ABILITIES AND LEVELS
4. STUDENTS’ PERSONALITIES
5. THE CLASS SIZE
6. THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF THE
STUDENTS.
7. THE BALANCE OF THE INTERACTION
PATTERNS IN A LESSON
8. THE GROUP DYNAMICS. SUCH AS THE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE STUDENTS
 2. MUSICAL CIRCLES.
•Draw a number of circles on the floor.
•Children walk around the room and when the music stops, they must
stand in a circle.
•Only 6 children can stand in a circle.
•Each circle forms a group and you can do some simple action games in
the groups.
•Prepare children carefully for the activity .

•Organize them in ways appropriate to the goal of the language-learning activity.

•Be clear and precise when giving instructions.

•Show them ho to do the activity .

•Involve them in your demonstrations .

•Be positive about their efforts .

•Loosen your control of the activity GRADUALLY.

•Engage their intrest through having a clear & meaninful purpose for the activity.
1. Take one stick with your name .
2. Take one set of dominoes.
3. Form groups of 4. Each group must be
formed by 4 different colors.
4. Now play dominoes. The 29 cards must be
used.
Am I including a
variety of
Interaction patterns
in my lesson?
It is better to always pair
strong-weak students, this
way the strong one helps
the weak one
If i group my students there is
too much noise and
indiscipline., I’ll better have
them work individually
1. Active role 11. Group dynamics
2. Passive role 12. Interaction pattern
3. Brainstorm 13. Mixed ability
4. Chart 14. Role play
5. Context 15. Scan
6. Dominant 16. Warmer
7. Feedback 17. Mingle
8. Nominate 18. Get student’s attention
9. Open pairs
10. Closed pairs
19. Cooperative 25. Sitting arrangement
26. Seating plan
20. Discipline
27. Teacher role
21. Energy levels 28. Teaching space
22. Grade language 29. Rapport, build rapport
23. One-to-one 30. Routine
24. Open class
 TERM DEFINITION

ACTIVE ROLE When students think about their own learning and what their
own needs are and try to help themselves learn more,
they are taking an active role

PASSIVE ROLE Is the opposite of an active role.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT The strategies used by a teacher to organise the classroom

and the learners, such as seating arrangements, different
types of activities

CLOSED PAIRS When students do pairwork with the person sitting next to
them and no one else listens

CO-OPERATIVE Working together and helping each other.

DISCIPLINE The way a teacher keeps control of students in the

classroom

DOMINANT To have a very strong influence over what happens

TEACHER-CENTRED If a teacher dominates, the lesson is

 TERM DEFINITION

ENERGY LEVELS The feeling in a classroom. If students are interested and

working hard. Or if students are bored or tired.
GET STUDENTS’ To make students listen to the teacher, possibly after they
ATTENTION have been doing group or pairwork

GRADE (LANGUAGE) To use language that is the correct level for the students
and is not too difficult.

GROUP DYNAMICS The relationship between members of the class.

INTERACTION PATTERNS Interaction patterns

The ways in which students work together in class, such as
open class, pairwork, group work and individual work.

INVOLVEMENT Taking part in an activity, being involved in it.

LEARNING CONTRACT An agreement between the

teacher and the students about their roles and
responsibilities (i.e. what the teacher will do and what the
students will do to help the students to learn).
 TERM DEFINITION

MIXED ABILITY, MIXED The different levels of language or ability of students

LEVEL studying in the same class

MONITOR To watch over students in order to make sure that they are
doing what they have been asked to do, and help them if
they are having problems

NOMINATE To choose and name one student to speak or do a

particular task.

ONE-TO-ONE A teaching situation which involves only one teacher and

one student.

OPEN CLASS When the teacher leads the class in an activity and each
student is paying attention to what is happening. When
students respond, they do so in front of everyone in the
class,
OPEN PAIRS In ----------------, one pair does a pairwork activity in front of
the class. This technique is useful for showing how to do an
activity and/or for focusing on accuracy.
RAPPORT The relationship between the teacher and students
 TERM DEFINITION

BUILD RAPPORT Teachers try to build or create a good rapport or

relationship with their students.

ROUTINE Something which is done

regularly such as a teacher setting writing homework every
Friday
SEATING ARRANGEMENT The way the students sit in the classroom, e.g. in rows, in a
circle around the teacher, in groups around different
tables.

SEATING PLAN A plan of where the students should sit in the classroom

TEACHER ROLE The way a teacher chooses to manage the classroom

TEACHING SPACE The areas in the classroom that can be used for teaching,
e.g. the board, the walls, the desks, the open floor

MINGLE A mingle is an activity which involves students walking

round the classroom talking to other students
 TKT COURSEBOOK
 Children Learning English. Jayne Moon. Ed.
Macmillan Heineman.
 A course in language teaching. Penny Ur