b. It fosters learner responsibility and independence, can improve motivation and contribute to a feeling of cooperation and warmth in
the class. c. To make students better in reading
d. Improve learning outcomes. Stewart states the advantages of small group are:
a. Developing self-awareness b. Managing personal stress
c. Solving problems analytically and creatively d. Coaching, counselling, and establishing supportive communication
e. Gaining power and influence f. Motivating others
g. Empowering and delegating h. Managing conflict
i. Building effective teams and teamwork
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According to statements above the writer says that the use of small group has many advantages in teaching learning process because it can
motivate and develop student’s skills, especially in reading. Small group also can develop student learning outcome.
3. The Disadvantages of small group Interaction
While co-operative small group work can be powerful teaching and learning strategy, it does have a number of disadvantages; they are:
a. It does not naturally promote independent learning and can foster dependency certain dominant members of group.
b. The complexity of small group can also make it harder to manage for the teacher
c. Small group work can result more time spent on lesson From the previous explaining, the writer concludes that Small Group
Interaction is a teaching technique that helps students to improve their academic achievement, Developing self-awareness, Managing personal stress,
Solving problems analytically and creatively. It is clear that Small Group Interaction is the effective technique that a teacher can apply in the
classroom.
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S
tewart L. Tubbs, A System Approach to Small Group Interaction New York, McGraw- Hill Companies: 2004 page. 8
4. The Application of Small Group Interaction
The application of small group in the classroom has many steps:
first is start with one small group that works well together. Let them
arrange their desks in a small circle and proceed to plan and make choices about their project. It would be a good idea for them to elect a chairman and
to carry out their ideas. In this way they will have a full range of group work experience and will have encountered several of the problems in working
together that will crone up again and again.
Second is separate individual from their group to each small group
and provide them as leaders for other groups. The separate individuals from that group can the serve effectively as helping persons in new groups who
have no experience.
Third, set some well-defined, accomplishable tasks that provide
early reinforcement. If the group is getting the job done, the students will be more satisfied with the group and with their participation in it.
Fourth,
work with each group specifically in turn. This should be done so that the students are aware of your attention and feel comfortable in
knowing that your time is theirs. Sit down with them and systematically explore the “state of the project” with each group member. This activity can
increase student’s motivation in learning.
Fifth, provide resource materials of several kinds. The teacher also
can give the medi; such as picture, realia, etc to increase student’s intake of information sessions to be more understandable to all group members.
Material for making media aids for the group report should also be provided.
Sixth, if the students getting their job done, the teacher asks the
student in each group to report and discuss the result of student’s small group interaction and develop suggestions for a brief, lively information sharing
session.
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Diane Lapp, Hilary Bender, Teaching and Learning Philosophical, Psychological, Curricular Applications, New York, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 1975. P. 235-236
In another source, the organizations of group are: a. Presentation
The instructions that are given at the beginning are crucial: if the students do not understand exactly what they have to do there will be time
wasting, confusion, lack of effective practice, possible loss control. If the students do not understand English language well, the teacher should use
the target language to make students easier in understanding the instruction. The teacher also should select tasks that are simple enough to
describe easily. It is advisable to give the instructions before giving out materials or dividing the class into groups; and giving sample of the
activity with the full class can help to clarify things. If the students have already done similar activities, teacher will be able to a shorten the
process, giving only brief guidelines: it is mainly the first time of doing something with a class that such care need to invested in instruction.
Try to foresee what language will be needed, and have a preliminary quick review of appropriate grammar or vocabulary. Finally
before giving the sign to start tell the class what the arrangements are for stopping: if there is time limit, or a set signal for stopping, say what it is: if
the groups simply stop when they have finished, then tell them what they will have to do next. It is wise to have a ‘reserve’ task planned to occupy
members of groups who finish earlier than expected. b. Process
Teacher job during the activity is to go from group, monitor, and either contribute or keep out of the way-whichever is likely to be more helpful. If
teacher do decide intervene, the contribution may take form of; a. Providing general approval and support
b. Helping student who are having difficulty c. Keeping the students using target language
d. Tactfully regulating participation in a discussion where you find some
students are over dominant and others silent. When the students do their discussion, read and comprehend the text in
their groups the teacher is walking around to each group to monitor and to
work with each group. This activity purposed to make students aware of teacher’s attention and make them more interest in learning.
c. Ending If you have limit, then this will help you draw the activity to a
close at a certain. In principle, try to finish the activity while the students are still enjoying it and interested or only just beginning to flag. If the
students have getting done their job the teacher should finish the activity of small group interaction and the teacher prepared for giving a feedback.
d. Feedback A feedback session usually takes place in the context of full-class
interaction after the end of the group work. Feed back on the task may take many forms: giving the right solution, if there is one; listening to and
evaluating suggestion; pooling ideas on the board; displaying materials the groups have produce; and so on. Your main objective here is to express
appreciation of the effort that has been invested and its results. Feed back on language may be integrated into this discussion of the task, or provide
the focus of a separate class session later. The statements above explained that the application has many steps
are: presentation, process, ending and feedback.
B. Whole Class Teaching
