Small group teaching - How to...

There are many aspects to small group teaching, so we have chosen here to focus on one key aspect: Planning your small group teaching session.

Planning your small group teaching session (SGT)
It is usually most appropriate to plan small group teaching as part of your or your team’s broader approach to planning a module. This fits with the concept of ‘constructive alignment’ of learning programmes (see Biggs, 2003) whereby all aspects of learning and teaching activity are clearly aligned with the learning outcomes for the programme. Here are some prompts for you to consider when planning your SGT, based on using a constructively aligned approach.

1. Think about how the SGT will complement the lecture programme and other learning activities.
2. Which of the module’s learning outcomes will inform your session? (What do you want students to have achieved by the end of the session?).
3. Consider the assessment for the module and how you might best be able to support students’ achievement using elements of your SGT.
4. Think about the skills that students need to develop and demonstrate as part of the module’s learning outcomes and how you could structure your SGT to provide opportunities for them to develop these skills (e.g. presentation skills, team work).
5. Consider using a variety of approaches to your SGT to provide students with different learning opportunities and to take account of students’ different approaches to learning. See the Economics Network's Handbook for ideas for activities.
6. Try using a planning document to help you to plan the time involved. See below for an example.
7. Will your students be required to undertake reading and other preparatory activities in advance of the SGT session? If so, plan how you will make this information available to them and how you will communicate with them outside of the SGT sessions (through the Virtual Learning Portal – VLP – for example).
8. Consider the resources you will need to support your SGT sessions (technology, flipcharts, etc.) and ensure that they are available to you.
9. Have a back-up plan! What will you do if you plan a learning activity for 16 students but only 3 turn up? How will you manage the session if none of the students arrive having completed the preparation, or if only one student has prepared? Anticipate potential problems before they arise.

Suggested SGT session planning template

Time	Content	Learning outcomes	Method	Student activity	Assessment	Key skills	Resources
Put in your planned timing for each activity here	What subject/material will be covered at each stage of the session?	What module/programme learning outcomes will be addressed in the session?	What approaches will you use?	What will the students be doing?	How will you assess students learning.	What key skills they will be expected to learn/ demonstrate in the process?	What resources will you need to support the learning
10.00-10.30	Recent age discrimination legislation	Demonstrate an understanding of current employment legislation	Consideration of recent employment tribunal judgements to illustrate the application of the law in practice	Reading tribunal outcomes and summarising what they reveal about practical interpretation and application of the legislation to the group	Quiz at end of session	Skills of analysis, synthesis, presentation skills	Handouts of recent tribunal outcomes Summary of relevant legislation Flipchart

References

• Biggs, J (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. OUP.