Buzz Groups
A problem is discussed in small groups for a few minutes before views or solutions are reported to the whole class.This activity has worked well with my students to brainstorm identical material prior to larger group work or open class discussions, such as a jigsaw activity. One topic that worked well was a real life controversial news issue that happened in their community: What consequences should apply to officials of local and state government who argued about whose department was to send rescue teams to a group of people that drowned while they were figuring it out?
Hearing
Hearing Experts discuss a topical question and may be interviewed by a panel of students who then have to make a decision about the question.This activity has worked well with information gap and role play exercises. One topic that worked well was having the students explore different sides of controversial issues such as conservation issues and logging concerns.
Fishbowl
All members of the class sit in a big circle. In the middle of the circle, there are five chairs. Three are occupied by students whose views, preferably controversial, on the topic are known beforehand. The three start the discussion. They may be joined by one or two students presenting yet another view. Students from the outer circle may also replace speakers in the inner circle by tapping them on the shoulder if they feel they can present the case better.This activity has worked very well, especially with subsequent task based group work. One topic that has worked well is family issues, such as division of chores and house schedules.
Network
The class is divided into groups with no more than 10 students each. Each group receives a ball of string. Whoever is speaking on the topic chosen holds the ball of string. When the speaker has finished he/she gives the ball of string to the next speaker, but holds on to the string. In this way a web of string develops showing who talked the most and who talked the least.This activity has worked well with most activities. The main purpose is to have the students engage in self monitoring behaviors to encourage the reticent into speaking and the boisterous into turn taking.
Onion
The class is divided into two equal groups. As many chairs as there are students are arranged in a double circle, with the chairs in the outer circle facing inwards and those in the inner circle facing outwards. Thus, each member of the inner circle sits facing a student in the outer circle. After a few minutes of discussion, all the students in the outer circle move one chair and have a new partner to continue with.This activity has worked well with information gathering activities, especially timed activities where music or a horn marks the time to move. One topic that has worked well is where a criminal offense that has been committed, theft for example. Each person in the inner circle has a different piece of information and is unaware of the information contained by the other people in the inner circle and the people in the outer circle are equally uninformed of their members' information. The people on the outside have information that tends to help the student receive lighter or no punishment and the people on the inner circle have the opposite. As the students continue to move, more and more information is shared and opinions consequently change.
