Group work is a very effective activity for teaching English to Japanese students. Even those students who have no prior experience with this type of task in the classroom can quickly learn to use it. The addition of job duties facilitates the group process by eliminating the ambiguity that causes some students alarm and uncertainty when they are asked to initiate and carry out a group activity.
Group work is a great way to motivate students toward a more active approach to learning.
Specific job duties help students define their individual roles in the group process. Next, students are given a handout that outlines the ground rules for group work and highlights the job duties. Each student must choose a job for group projects. The duties for each job should be carried out to the best of the student's ability. Students should choose a different job for each group activity in order to give them a broader experience.