TEACHING TOOLS
32 Small Group Teaching
In the book Effective Teaching in Higher Education, Brown and Atkins (1988) discuss a number of styles of teaching for the small group setting.
For the TA or Lab demonstrator who is just starting out, consider which style you have most enjoyed in your own university career. Ask yourself, “In which situation did I learn the most?” You may have restrictions, however, that is dependent on the type of course you are teaching. Adopting a variety of teaching styles will ensure you reach the needs of all students in your class.
Two methods for small group teaching discussed by Brown and Atkins (1988) include:
- Mini Lecturing
When there is specific material that must get covered or when students are fairly silent, the TA or lab instructor sometimes becomes a lecturer by default. During lectures some students may tune out, get bored, stop trying, and are less mentally active.
TAs and Lab demonstrators should spend minimal amounts of time in the classroom lecturing. If you must deliver information, try alternating discussion and mini lectures. According to Brown and Atkins, it is better to lecture after a discussion rather than before in order to reduce passivity of the group. As long as lecturing is not the only form of communication and is delivered at the right time in the seminar or lab, lecturing can serve a very valuable and important function. - The Post-Lecture Tutorial
This style of teaching requires that the topics of lecture coincide with topics in seminar. Students are encouraged to ask questions about the lecture and the seminar leader facilitates discussion. This style requires that you attend lectures and that you understand the material.
Students may be encouraged to bring their lecture notes and textbooks to class to compare. A student may present key points from lecture as an opportunity for review. Students may then generate discussion questions for the group as a whole or for subgroups. TAs can use activities, questions or problems to assist with understanding the material.
Brown and Atkins also discuss case studies, mini-presentations, springboard seminars, and more!
Want more information?
- Check out Effective Teaching in Higher Education by G. Brown, available from the CPI Resource Library, TH 136-7
- Check out: Small Group Teaching: A Troubleshooting Guide by R. Tiberius, available from the Instructional Resource Centre (IRS), Room 222
