could anyone stick their oar in for my homework? Class room techniques

[MuchLessTiredNow]

My topic is the DISadvantages of pair and group work in the classroom. I have thought and thought and all I can come up with is that if there are 2 strong or 2 weak members in the pair, it will be a disadvantage, and also if you use this technique too much it will become boring. Please help a tired student!

They will start chatting about other stuff.
It's noisy even if they are focussed.
If one is smarter than the other(s), it becomes one child working and the other(s) watching.
If one child is struggling, then the other(s) leave them out of the process.

teacher has to have firm discipline & clear expectations so pupils od not come off task. You need to monitor carefully. TBH can't see many disadvantages - do you have to do this title?

The Ed Theory is that Group work is Fabbo wonderful, excellent stuff.

This is a fib made up by Education experts who have not been in a real classroom with real kids since the days of waxtablets.

It only tends to work in high ability classes. Try it with the wrong class and they will just bugger about and do bubble writing.

the only positive is that if you do it, your tutor (who will not have been in a classroom for years) will be pleased

pairing or group work with always the same people can be a disadvantage, particularly if there always is a stronger, weaker, rowdier or quieter group. They need experience of working with different people

Some students with SN, e.g. hearing impairment, Aspergers, find group interaction difficult.

From a teacher's pov, keeping them all on task and getting round to each group can be a bit like spinning plates!

Personalities have a lot to do with it. And friendships - too close and they will sit and chat about whatever, don't know each other and there may be stony silence.
Makes the classroom bloody noisy.

Actually MB bright students can see it as a bit of a skive, and will sit back and let others do the work

depends what kind of group work too . There is the sitting together and chatting work, also there are kagan's mind-friendly learning techniques, where children bounce ideas, are challenged, mixed into unusual pairings, etc

too tired after long day at chalk face for more!

thanks for these suggestions. Forgot to say that is fro an adult age perspective but know myself I am capable of buggering about too given half a chance, so I think all these are applicable still. Yes, CS, I have to do it - its not very inspiring!

A disadvantage of group work can be doing enough work for everyone to be involved. Also, to stop some students from dominating the discussions or work. Also, if the students do not get on, have social issues then this can also cause problems. It is also a lot harder to monitor what the students are doing and whether they are using their time effectively.
Ditto what the others have said too.

students will share ideas not neccesarily thought up by themselves

inevitably some students wont want to partner others thus forming cliques

distractions

increase in noise

less concentration

less chance of seeing whose struggling

stronger students take over, quieter ones get left out

noise increase

some children use it as a chance to do bugger all

harder for teacher to monitor what input each child is giving

more advantages though, are you not asked to talk about these?

stronger students take over, quieter ones get left out

noise increase

some children use it as a chance to do bugger all

harder for teacher to monitor what input each child is giving

more advantages though, are you not asked to talk about these?