Group Learning Routines
When instruction is designed to address different learning needs, students are often expected to work by themselves or together in small groups. Therefore, facilitating the development of autonomous, self-regulated learners is imperative to the effective functioning of an inclusive classroom where instruction must be differentiated.
In addition, group learning provides essential formative assessment data for teachers, offers opportunities for peer support, and enables students of all abilities to collaborate to solve problems and create products. There are 27 ALL-ED Group Learning routines used to accomplish different instructional purposes using the configuration or the whole class as individuals, partners, and small groups.
Choosing the Right Routine
It is challenging to choose the right routine for the number of students, time available, and topic or task that needs to be accomplished. The routines below can be sorted by the instruction purpose (gather student responses, provide peer help, and collaborate with peers). The routines can also be sorted by the size of the group (individuals rotating with whole class, pairs, and small groups of 3 up to about 6 students).
