WHY?
small group work with more opportunities for communication in the target language & a pooling of strengths/abilities of member students
more individualization of student tasks
teacher as facilitator with students taking more responsibility for their instruction
more variety and eclecticism in instructional approach
enjoyment by students moving through stations and working with each other
more personal, individualized sampling/viewing immerses students more deeply into
target language and culture
WHEN?
after the first marking period once students abilities and strengths known
after short, initial warm-up drills and routines during regular class time
for fifteen to twenty minutes periods (transition time allowed for, too)
after class well under control after structure and routines established and need for actual
discipline minimal;
for problems in this area, need for consulations with regular classroom teacher, team,
or other support personnel necessary); help and resources at
"daring" experimentation with your "best" class first to iron out glitches; exclusion of other
classes permanently or temporarily
class length is at least forty minutes long to allow for eventual two fifteen minute task time
at stations/centers
WHO?
flexible small groups of a maximum of three students (one super star, one average, and
one with special needs -- special education student, student with learning disabilities,
or student with low motiviation, poor attitude or achievement despite potential ) seated at computer or standing/sittng at station/center
rotating student positions as (1) secretary to record results of investigation on task sheet
= student on left; (2) time keeper = center student; (3) mouser/housekeeper = student
at right with responsibility for putting back/away items correctly at end of task and
resetting computer to target page or logging off
named groups with names of states/provinces/cities/capitals/sports teams of target area
or unique animals of the geographical area being studied
posted lists of groups on sentence strip charts (more ease to change composition),
poster, or chalkboard
(change composition of students every marking period)
WHAT?
sites on the Internet; go to Table of Contents to find appropriate sites linked directly to
classroom content from curriculum
cultural realia via concrete objects (artwork, handicrafts, food, etc.) placed in baskets for
easy set-up and take down or photos/pictures of this realia [copied] from Internet or
other print resources
games from target culture or teacher-constructed (best!), information retreival;
classification/categorization tasks,
vocabulary,
matching, unscrambling sentences or words, putting story sentences in order, etc.
primary resource for interactive task ideas: new edition of
teacher-created task sheets for students to complete together during station/center time;
same grade for each member; sheet placed on a clipboard with an attached pencil
with eraser at each station/center; task sheet formatted with places for student
names and name of task on top
if Internet-based, contingency plans ready in case server for site is down
special basket, bag, or folder ready to accept completed task sheets
WHERE?
computers (possible use of school's computer lab as option for first exposure)
sections of classroom via map of classroom with designated places for stations/centers --
directionals (N/S/E/W) or windows, doors, bookshelves, outside hallway, closets,
teacher's desk, tables, chalkboard, whiteboard, heater/airconditioning units,
outdoors, at outside exit door of classroom)
HOW?
initially, one simple task at one station/center and then gradually two or more
stations/centers over several months
(beginning goals: (1) finishing whole task correctly and (2) following exact procedures)
posted schedule times with transition times
demonstration lesson to explain sample task and let students view model team(s) go
through the paces to complete particular task (example: group of three students at
each of three computers and rest of class stands in back of each group initially while
teacher directs task step by step)
rules established and posted using target language and icons to reinforce ideas (library
voices, group responsibility for finishing task on time, use of individual timers to
signal five minutes before end of station/center time, role of each student, proper way
to ask for teacher's help, respectful listening to other members of the group, etc.);
rule additions and modifications via sentence strips as year progresses
folding chairs to store permanently in classroom for station/center use;
better comfort than standing at station/center
one or two students with responsibility for setting up and taking down -- folding chairs,
turning on and exiting computers
teacher free to work with rest of class on other tasks (role plays, vocabulary, overhead
language presentations, conferencing on projects, etc.); but first weeks, supervising
centers
quality earphones a real must for internet sites with sounds (from district's technology
person: devices that enable you to plug in three sets of earphones at once to access
the sound from a computer)
