Cooperative Learning: Integrating Theory and Practice

‘I found the examples and clear language, the pedagogical features, and the research base to be excellent’ - Janet Whitley, Tarleton State University

‘I think the sample dialogues will be very helpful for teachers. Having a script will assist pre-service and in-service teachers think about the kinds of conversation they will need to engage in their students in to promote learning’ - Jacqueline A. Norris, The College of New Jersey

‘Cooperative Learning’s greatest strengths are bringing together a range of powerful teaching strategies connected to students taking responsibility for their own learning and the learning of others. The focus on both teacher strategies to encourage effective group talk and student strategies to encourage effective discourse is helpful. This book will be enormously useful to teacher educators and those working with beginning teachers’ - Nancy L. Markowitz, San Jose State University

‘Robyn Gillies really knows her stuff. She is clearly conversant with major themes in the field and cites relevant literature and research. The chapters provide good coverage of themes’ - Susan Carol Losh, Florida State University

Although cooperative learning is widely endorsed as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning and socialization among students, teachers still struggle with how to introduce it into their classrooms.

This book aims to overcome the challenges by:

• detailing how teachers can establish cooperative learning in their classrooms to promote student engagement and learning

• elaborating on how teachers’ discourse can challenge children’s thinking and scaffold their learning

• outlining how to promote student discourse during small group experiences

• providing explicit examples of the link between theory, research, and practice.