They change the length of the sentence, the tone, and the words they use. Studies of cognitive development suggest that cognitive conflict arises when interacting children are at different levels of understanding, regardless of their ages. If two children are working on a task that one understands well and another does not, the latter is likely to learn from the former if he or she understands the task very well, and if they argue. Only if one understands something very well can explanations be varied during argument. Every method of grouping children has risks.
Teachers have an important role to play in maximizing the potential benefits of the age mixture.
For example, they can encourage children to turn to each other for explanations, directions, and comfort in times of stress. They can turn to older ones to read words, paragraphs, and stories to younger children, and to listen to younger students read. In addition, teachers can encourage older children to take responsibility, either for an individual younger child or for younger children in general. Teachers can encourage older children not to gloat over their superior skills, but to take satisfaction in their competence in reading to younger children, in writing things down for them, in explaining things, in showing them how to use the computer, in helping them find something, in helping them get dressed to go outdoors, and so forth. Teachers can also help younger children learn to accept their own limitations and their place in the total scheme of things, as well as encourage older children to think of roles and suitable levels that younger ones could take in their work or in their activities.