Small-group teaching provides opportunities for flexible and differentiated learning. With fewer students, students have more opportunities to participate. Teachers can better monitor students, thus providing better and more individualized feedback and support. Small-group teaching can be used in all content classes and is beneficial to students at all levels.
Working in small groups gives students the opportunity to practice higher-order thinking skills that instructors love to teach. Students who work in small groups generally learn more from the material and retain their knowledge longer than students who don't (Davis, 199.Small group work can range from short, informal exercises to formalized problem sets that make up the bulk of the class. Contrary to popular belief, instructors can incorporate small group work into large conferences, as well as seminars and discussion sections. Here we have compiled examples of small group exercises that range from informal to formal and that work well with a variety of class sizes.
