WORKING IN PAIRS OR GROUPS

I think working in pairs or groups helps students form better understanding of the stories that they are reading. By working with another person, a student can relay his or her opinion about the story and receiving feedback from his or her partner. Students may need to share their perception or express their emotion when reading the story. Thus, sharing with other students will give them opportunity to do so. Working with others is also good to help students analyze what they have read and put the story into perspective. While talking to others, students might be able to explore the characters and plot in depth. It helps them to build ideas and stimulate responses that otherwise might be dormant. Therefore, they might have clearer understanding after sharing their thoughts with others. Students might also have questions on what they have read. Sharing or group work would provide them with an avenue to raise the issues that they do not understand and need insights from others to promote understanding. It is not just sharing experiences, but enriching the experiences that they acquire through reading. Talking helps students to express what they really feel about a book. If previously, students feel threatened when asked to read, talking with another student may help alleviate some of this prejudice. It helps to open up their mind that reading is not just a passive activity but can be interpersonal as well. In general, talking and reading seems to be compatible in learning literature. It appeals to different types of intelligence and makes reading a more dynamic process.