As I was reading the material on cooperative learning, I came across jigsaw activities. I found this interesting because my first observation in my junior field placement will be involving a jigsaw. The reason I chose this activity is because it combines cooperative learning, critical thinking skills, and conflict resolution. However, after beginning this ELL class, I began to think about the possible advantages for ELLs. Jigsaws, or most cooperative learning situations, are beneficial for ELLs because all students learn the most from their peers. Through this activity, ELLs would pick up on the English language and establish a sense of belonging within the class. Since these students have a tendency to feel isolated because of their verbal communication barrier with the rest of the class, these feelings would be reduced with appropriate cooperative learning activities. When ELLs are part of a group, their self-esteem is raised because they know they are contributing and their group members want to hear their suggestions.
In my school’s seventh grade English class is an ELL originally from India. After speaking with my cooperating teacher about the jigsaw activity I planned to use, we determined that the activity would be appropriate and beneficial for this student. Knowing that this student is shy, I am hoping the activity will promote socialization and the development of English language skills.
I hope that everyone will consider the importance and potential benefits of cooperative learning activities, not just for ELLs but for the entire class.
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It is funny that you should mention the jigsaw approach. I actually just did a lesson on Friday (the 18th) using the jigsaw approach. However, I do not have any ELL students, but it worked well for the students who had learning disabilities. We were working on the branches of government and we spit up into groups of three. Then the group of three was split into three groups, one group for each branch. The students had to become an expert in their branch so that they could teach the other members of their groups about their branch. The students with the learning disabilities were able to look up to stronger students and imitate their work. Which helped in their understanding of the material, and their confidence by being able to do the same work as the stronger student and not feel inferior. When they returned to their original group you could see in the students with disabilities that they were not nervous to teach the other students in their group because they were prepared and had the confidence. I enjoyed watching their different abilities and I was pleased with the way the stronger students helped the students with disabilities.
I am a big fan of cooperative learning but I never heard of the jigsaw activity. Therefore, I researched Jigsaw activity on the following website
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/otai/Jigsaw.asp. Here I found very useful information on how to implement this activity in the classroom. For each activity that will be instructed in the classroom there must be an appropriate lesson plan which this website also features. After reading Cooperative Learning and ELLs I am very eager to use this activity with my students in the classroom. By incorporating any cooperative learning activity can promote great academic achievement, and boost self esteem for all students.
I also decided to use a jigsaw puzzle activity in my junior field experience classroom and found that it was an extremely successful experience. The students found it to be enjoyable and exciting while at the same time I found the exercise to be academically worthwhile. I think a jigsaw puzzle along with any other cooperative learning activity is an excellent choice especially if you have a few ELL students or just some shy and introverted students. This activity allows those particular students to participate and contribute to the group without fear of being wrong or getting judged. I had a blast with the kids and I know they actually enjoyed doing the work which is the most rewarding of all, I would definitely recommend using this cooperative learning activity in every classroom.
Activities involving cooperative learning are extremely beneficial to ELL student. From the reading material on cooperative learning strategies I have incorporated into my lesson plans brainstorming, think-share-pair, and round robin. From my own student teaching experience my students enjoyed participating in fun group activities such as these. I have not yet done the jigsaw, but I had a professor at Kean who used this technique in her classes. She would assign each group a chapter from the textbook to be presented in front of the classroom. It definitely involves each student. This is great for building language skills, making students feel comfortable around their classmates, makes the student confident, and encourages teamwork. In group activities it allows students to build up their self worth because they are sharing their thoughts and ideas with each of their group members. As brought out in the reading “exchange of information and ideas provides a rich language learning opportunity for English learners” (Page 86).
I found that cooperative learning has become the wave of the future in classrooms. Most classes that I have been in are already step up in pairs or groups. I find this teaching technique beneficial for students to aid others with work while asking questions. Most students don’t feel comfortable asking the teacher for help but on the peer level feel less nervous. Having cooperative learning groups are helpful for ELL students because they can be paired with others that speak their native tongue for assistance. Also it helps with having both dependent and independent learners because they feed off each other while learning. The dependent learners feed off what the independent learners do, but allows the independent learners to take control and be creative.
On the discussion of jigsaw activities, they are good because they make a lesson move quicker. Each group is assigned a section of the lesson and it is their job to teach it to the rest of the class. Unfortunately I don’t personally like jigsaw activities. From my own experiences any class that has required jigsaw activities I really didn't learn any section but the one I was responsible for. I find it hard for other students to teach me, so others probably feel the same way. Don’t take me wrong cooperative learning activities, including jigsaw, make students feel more comfortable with learning because they are working with classmates. It tends to bring out the best learning abilities in students because they feel confident with what they say, unlike when speaking ot an adult.
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