Rotation system for group assignments

An effective way to share the results of subgroup work

between all participants

Before the group work, all participants receive a code consisting of a letter and a number.

o        Be sure that every participant is given the code on paper! (If not, some people can easily forget his/her code.)

o        Be sure the number of letters and numbers used are the same, to make a square. The simplest is with 4, 9, 16, 25, etc. participants.  For example, with 16 participants, use letters A, B, C and D, and numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.  The 16 codes are: A1, A2, A3, A4; B1, B2, B3, B4; C1, C2, C3, C4; D1, D2, D3 and D4. If there are more participants, see Table 1.

Group work method:

1.     Start the group work by putting together subgroups by participants with the same number in their code (first subgroup: A1, B1, C1, D1,….; second subgroup: A2, B2, C2, D2, ….; etc.).   The letters in the codes will be used later to form new discussion groups: see below.

2.     Each subgroup carries out the first assignment and writes down the results in keywords on a flip over sheet (A1 size).

3.     At the end of this working round the flip over sheets are put up (wall, board, …), as far away from each other as is possible (for example in the corners of the room).

4.     Now the sheets of every subgroup get a different letter and the participants with the same letter in their code are asked to gather at the sheets with their letter. This brings about new groups always with somebody who participated in making the flip over sheet.

5.     This person explains the text on the sheet to the other people in the new group: What do the notes mean? How did the ideas develop? Was there a lot of discussion or did people have (nearly) the same opinions? etc. Firstly only other people can only ask clarification questions (to clearly understand) and the presenter answers. When all the notes are explained, if there is some time left, the group can discuss the matter.

6.     After a while (for instance 10 minutes) all groups go to the next sheet(s) clockwise and the same actions start (again there is somebody who participated in making this sheet in the group).

7.     The whole procedure is repeated until all groups have visited all sheets.

8.     In the end, all information has been shared by everybody so there is no need to discuss in a plenary (a meeting with all the participants together, from all the subgroups).

1 2 3 4 A xx x x x B x xx x x C x x xx x D x x x x

Table 1

If the number of participants is more than a square, the extra people are given some extra codes (the same as already used), starting with A1, B2, C3, ….

You can use Table 1 to see the extra codes for participants 17, 18 and 19 (x).

For 23 participants, there are two of each code except for D1 and D2.

This way, 3 subgroups have 5 persons and 1 group has 4 persons to do the assignment; all groups with similar compositions again visit all sheets. (Of course the size of the subgroups is determined by the size of the whole group of participants.)

When some participants have limited language (they can understand enough but not talk confidently), make sure they have the same code as a confident speaker: this way the activity works fluently.