ABSTRACT
Group interaction allows students to negotiate meanings, to express themselves in the language of the subject and to establish a more intimate and dialectical contact with academic and teaching staff than more formal methods permit. Crossovers are useful in making sure everyone in the group is active and also help to mix students up outside their normal friendship, ethnic or gender groups. This chapter aims to help colleagues increase the interest and diversity of the processes used in small-group work with students. It addresses some of the reasons for persevering with making small-group learning work for students–and indeed for us–and offers some practical suggestions on overcoming a wide range of difficulties. Specialist accommodation is not always necessary; syndicates can work in groups spread out in a large room, or, where facilities permit, go away and use social areas of the campus or designated areas of the learning resource centre/library.
