Acronyms:
CI-Comprehensible Input. (A methodology of language instruction in which students acquire the language through experiencing it in bite-sized pieces that they can understand).
FL-Foreign Language.
This is one Kagan structure I wasn't sure how I would use in my classroom. The examples they gave in the conference that I attended made more sense to use with math. However, I have come up with a few instances where I LOVE to use it in my classroom, and it has worked out very well.
The gist of the structure is this: Students are seated in groups of four. A teacher gives students a problem or question and allows them time for students to work independently (ideally on white boards). When the teacher calls time, students have the chance to compare and discuss answers before the teacher checks one answer from each group to make sure they did it correctly (Kagan 2009).
Side note: Kagan recommends giving students seat labels. These honestly have been one of the concepts from Kagan that I use the most, aside from the strategies themselves. With my desks set up as pictured below, my students automatically have two partners: the one across from them and the one to their left or right (their face partner and shoulder partner, respectively. There are multiple labels like this that you can download for free on teachers pay teachers.
Things I love about this structure:
Students get the chance to try the problem/question on their own, but they don't have to wait long before they get to talk through their answer with classmates.
If students make a mistake, it doesn't all fall back on them as an individual, it falls back on them as a team to review and correct.
Students get to talk and work together.
How I use this in the FL Classroom
There are two main activities that I use this with. One is just simple translations, either English to Spanish or Spanish to English. I will post a sentence on my projector screen for students to translate. I either choose vocabulary based on the unit that we're doing, or if I'm trying to practice a specific grammar structure with students I'll write sentences based on that. The other is what I call "correct the error" which is probably pretty self-explanatory. I'll write sentences that have 1-3 simple errors in them, and then project them on the board. I instruct students to re-write the sentences correctly. This is especially ideal if you've just done a writing assessment with students. You can either copy down sentences of theirs exactly or duplicate mistakes that you find commonly made throughout their writing.
Tips and Tricks
Once students have finished answering a question, I instruct them to put their white boards face down or to have it facing them once they're finished so that students can't just copy off of each other. I want them to at least attempt the question on their own.
In the original structure, when it's time for students to discuss, they students stand up to do so and sit back down once they all have come to the same conclusion. I don't have my students stand up because my desks are set up in such a way that it's hard for the kids to get up and down easily....and frankly because I got tired of my students whining about it. And I personally didn't see it impacting the activity at all.
Depending on how chatty your students are, you may need to be really strict about them not talking at all when it's time for them to be working independently. Consider your students, their ages, etc. I have done it differently with different classrooms throughout my time.
I've enjoyed using this activity with students in my classroom. I hope that it works in yours as well!
Source: This material has been adapted with permission from Kagan Publishing & Professional Development from the following book: Kagan, Spencer & Kagan, Miguel. Kagan Cooperative Learning.San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing, 2009. 1.800.933.2667. www.KaganOnline.com.