Group Process Skills for working in groups are learned not innate. The teacher needs to be prepared to provide instruction on best practices. Keep an eye out for difficulties and be prepared to provide short instructions on how to proceed. There are many social skills that are required for effective group work. Discuss acceptable social behavior with students.
More involved groups evolve through stages.
An instructor who understands each stage can target activities that facilitate group development. Ask the CTL for a chapter that outlines sample activities for each stage. Monitor Progress Students need on-going feedback about the progress their group is making. Effective teachers anticipate this need and have regular assessment strategies to help the group improve itself. Pass out evaluation forms at the end of a work session and report the results to the class.