Cooperative learning games.

Yesterday I read this fascinating post from Shelly Terrell ( @ShellTerrell on Twitter) about cooperation versus competition.

Shelly Terrell explains her journey at an English camp for German speaking children and how she "decided to try Alfie Kohn’s idea to make the classroom more cooperative versus competitive." I had never thought about competition that way as I have always been brought up in a competitive environment. I think being French, the French Education system is maybe one of the most competitive system in place! However surely if students learn how to cooperate instead of competing, they will improve better?

One thing that intrigued me even more is that Shelly used cooperative games to make children work together. For example, she played the musical chairs in a completely different way. Now if you think about it, musical chairs is a prime example of a game the does more to exclude children rather than involve them. This popular game often becomes a pushing battle for the few remaining competitors while the other children are left as bored spectators. Well... Not if you play musical chairs where when the music stops everyone needs to find a seat. The goal is ensure everyone has a place! As the game continues you remove an additional chair after each round. With a smaller amount of chairs available, children will find the need to work together and cooperate in order to find room for everyone. This may mean sitting on laps and sharing chairs. In this version no one is eliminated or asked to wait!

After reading this post, having a more cooperative learning environment in my classroom is something I am willing to explore next year.So thank you Shelly for your inspiration!

Have a look at other cooperative games ideas, I think they are really interesting and could be applied in MFL teaching, especially the "Name Ball" game.

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And you? Have you tried cooperative learning before?

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Jun 15, 2009

ShellTerrell said...

Glad you found merit in Kohn's work! Many disagree with his radical views, but his views really make a teacher self-reflect.

I find your experience with the education system in France is really interesting. I know in the US, competition is rampant everywhere in the education system. In developing countries, perhaps this is the norm.

Furthermore, this is a great list of cooperative learning games. Thanks for putting them together and sharing!

Alice Ayel said...

When I was at school in France, we used to be ranked from top achiever to last achiever in the classroom! I believe this system has changed now but the exams and grades are still very important, even on the CV where experience is not that important!

Marcy Webb said...

I do like to use cooperative games, but the ones where each person contributes to the group, and maintains personal accountability and responsibility. There's a game I like to play called, "Numbered Heads Together." We use whiteboards. Students are divided in groups, and are given a question to answer. Each student writes what he/she thinks the answer is on his/her whiteboard. When each student has had an opportunity to devise an answer, they show their boards. Each correct answer is equal to the number of points the team earns. In other words, if there are four members on a team, and four students on a team have the correct answer, the team earns four points. The game can be played for learning and reviewing just about anything. The idea comes from a book I purchased from Teacher's Discovery. It is called, Games and Activities for Individual Whiteboards.

Jun 16, 2009

Thank you Marcy for sharing games on mini whiteboards. I use them too although I have not used them for a while, so it is a nice remember! I'll have a look at the book, sounds very interesting. Of course, students should "maintain personal accountability and responsibility" and in that respect cooperation is more helpful than competition. You are more willing to be responsible for something if you know your team is supporting you than if you are on your own, don't you think so?

I agree. I also believe it develops a better language learner, or learner overall, irrespective of the subject matter. :)

alice’s posterous

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