Correctness of spelling, grammar, etc. are not taken into account in grading unless they make what you are saying unclear or difficult to grasp. When these are corrected on your paper, it is to help you improve your writing skills. This includes participation both in the large class and the small group. If you have trouble speaking out, work on doing so more. If you tend to be a big talker, say your piece but also make space for quieter students to speak out.
Pass notes instead.
They're less disturbing. Remember that your grade reflects only your performance in this class, not your worth as a person. The grades reflect the overall quality of class members ' work, so that if many do good work, grades will be higher than if many do poor work. This is a rich source of supplementary material. There are summaries of some lectures and concepts, my own lecture notes for some lectures, and links to other interesting related sites.