Grouping in the ESL Classroom

Abstract

One of the ways of giving students more of the time they require to practise a language than is possible in the ESL classroom is by dividing the class into groups. The main strategies for assigning students to groups are random assignment and assignment by ability. Grouping helps teachers to individualise or match their teaching to individual learners. In implementing grouping for the ESL classroom, several aspects should be taken into account. They are the teaching context, the teaching content and the individual learner. In self-contained classrooms, a teacher’s grouping arrangement depends on the size of the class, the groups, the activities and the classroom arrangement. Classroom cohesiveness is also very important. With respect to teaching content, a teacher should take into account the intended outcomes of the lesson, which may be knowledge or understanding, skills or attitudes. Grouping provides opportunities for peer interpretation and sharing of experiences and insights. It may also assist a teacher in accommodating learner differences by varying student roles and varying the types of student involvement. Thus, ESL teachers should think of grouping as a way to appreciate all the unique individuals that they may have the opportunity to meet and teach.