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• One string of learning stories
  • Group work is great
    • Analysis
    • Where to next?
• Reflection

Group work is great

Tegan’s achievement

Tegan attends a regular year 9 mathematics class. She has teacher aide and specialist teacher support in this subject. At the start of the year Tegan sat at the front of the classroom with her teacher aide beside her. Tegan told me she thought she had to sit there. She has since been encouraged by her specialist teacher to join a group of three other girls with whom she now sits and works in her mathematics class. Valuable social interactions that support Tegan’s learning are occurring.

Tegan is very happy to be part of this group. The teacher and the teacher aide give support where needed and independence is fostered. Change has occurred through empowering Tegan. Modelling by the specialist teacher and discussion with staff have supported this. The photos in this string demonstrate how changes in the environment can improve learning opportunities. Tegan is now an interdependent learner in mathematics.

(Clicking on image opens full size version)

	29 February 2008 Tegan demonstrates independent work habits. She is solving addition equations using a hundreds chart. She is sitting directly in front of the teacher’s desk. Her teacher aide usually sits beside her. The other girls in this class are sitting behind Tegan.
	14 March 2008 The students are working on independent problem-solving activities. Tegan is sitting alongside a girl in her class. Her specialist teacher is available to help as needed. Tegan is independently solving addition and subtraction problems using a calculator.
	23 May 2008 Tegan is part of the group of girls in this mathematics class. The teacher has organised the class into groups. The girls are all on different levels, working independently from a variety of books, on a range of number activities. Tegan’s adapted programme meets her learning needs in the same way the other girls’ mathematics programmes are focused on their strengths and needs.
	13 June 2008 Tegan shares a mathematics chart about reading dials. The outcome is a joint effort by Tegan and another girl from her mathematics group. Both girls are proud of their work. Tegan understands what an indicator on a dial means. She is able to interpret where dashes represent numbers and can count in twos, fives, and tens. This new learning is facilitated through peer support.
	20 June 2008 Tegan is using a maths programme consolidating and extending skills in subtraction. She independently gets her 100s chart so she can successfully solve the problems. Although the objects are on screen to count, the chart is a method she knows and likes. Tegan is sitting beside a peer. Students in this class are working on a variety of tasks. Tegan is focusing very well – particularly as this is last period on a Friday.
	27 June 2008 Students in Tegan’s mathematics class are completing a range of tasks at the end of the week. Tegan, having completed her work, is independently using mathematics software. A peer joins her. The class teacher is encouraging this interaction and another peer joins in. The three students spend time solving tangrams on Tegan’s laptop.

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