Adolescent Literacy, Field Tested —
Abstract of

Chapter 6
Productive Group Work in Middle and High School Classrooms

Nancy Frey

Douglas Fisher

Aida Allen

If all learning is social, why do so many middle- and high school students spend the majority of their instructional day working in isolation? The evidence on the effectiveness of collaborative group work is compelling, but is seen as a challenge by many secondary educators who are concerned about the time and management challenges associated with productive group work. In this chapter, the principles of peer learning are reviewed, and practical instructional routines are described. These practices are further illustrated in a high school Earth Science course in which students have frequent opportunities to clarify their understanding in the company of peers.

Frey, N., Fisher, D., & Allen, A. (2009). Productive Group Work in Middle and High School Classrooms. In S.R. Parris, D. Fisher, & K. Headley (Eds.), Adolescent Literacy, Field Tested (pp. 70-81). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.