ABSTRACT
Research shows that many teachers use group work in an unstructured and ineffective way. Many others avoid it out of fear or cannot see the point of it. These activities give structure and focus to group work and allow for effective differentiation. This chapter covers On That Point (in which confident students make a speech on a controversial topic and the others in their group interrupt with objections), Dragon's Den (in which students pitch their proposals for a rule change in rugby or higher taxes in economics), Fishbowl Discussion (in which an outer circle of students watches the inner circle's discussion), Expert Groups (in which groups are assigned topics or tasks to master and share with the class), and Argument Stations (in which the more able students set up a corner advocating one interpretation of, for example, the novel Frankenstein or the best way to approach a mathematical problem and the other students visit the corners in turn to discuss the positions and ultimately vote on the winner).
