Roles and Phases for Activities in Small Groups

There are many ways for teachers or group leaders to assign roles when they ask students or participants to collaborate in small groups. The virtues of the system below are that:

• a) the roles don't divert participants from participating in the activity; and
• b) everyone has to reflect and synthesize what happened—there is no recorder or notetaker role.

Roles: Includer, Orienter, Phaser, Process Reporter.

Phases of Small Group Activity:

Phase	Roles active during the phase (Everyone is expected to Participate in all Phases)
1) Getting Together to begin activity	Includer, Orienter, Phaser
2) The main part of the Activity	Orienter, Includer, Phaser
3) Synthesis and Reflection	Includer, Process Reporter, Phaser
4) Reporting	Randomly chosen person, Process Reporter

Phase I - GETTING TOGETHER to begin activity

Includer (to ensure participation)

• Choose a space and set up chairs so everyone can face each other and hear comfortably.
• Bring everyone into the group, not off to one side or facing the group on an angle.
• Make sure everyone in the group is introduced to others they might not know.
• Establish how you will take turns (e.g., raise hands to be recognized, take a card from a stack, etc.)

Orienter (to get and keep the Activity on track)

• Check that everyone knows their role.
• Check that everyone has read their own roles for the activity & understands which phases it applies to.
• Ask people to explain their roles to each other (so that everyone understands the other roles).
• Ask everyone to read (or reread) the activity.
• Give your version of the activity and goals, and then invite others to adjust or clarify your version.
• Check that everyone knows what’s going on and why. If it’s not clear after that, call for instructor’s attention.

INSERT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY HERE

Phaser (to move group from one phase to the next in a timely manner)

• Remind people of how much time there is for the phases ahead.

Phase 2 – Main Part of the ACTIVITY

Orienter

• Remind everyone that they should take notes to aid synthesis (of content) and reflection (on process).
• Initiate discussion of how to proceed so as to fulfill the goals of the activity.
• Watch for uncertainty or disagreement about how the group is proceeding.
• Call for instructor or leader's attention when group needs more guidance about where they are going.
• Gently interrupt if you think the group is diverging from the activity.

Includer

• Ensure everyone gets a chance to speak.
• Bring people back into the group when they have withdrawn (on their own or in a 1-on-1 discussion).
• Ask for time out for a check-in when withdrawal recurs/persists.
• Do something about distractions (e.g., a noisy cell phone user outside the classroom; hot room)

Phaser

• Watch time, prompting group to move onto next task of the activity and ensuring that clear time is left for the synthesis and reflection phase.

Everyone (individually)

• Make notes to aid synthesis (of content) and reflection (on process).
• Ask for time out if you feel that any of the roles need to be more actively pursued.

Phase 3 – SYNTHESIS and REFLECTION (when group members take stock of what they have learned during the activity, about both content and process)

Everyone (individually)

• Digest the content of the discussion, make notes on your own conclusions and open questions, and prepare for reporting or contributing to the report from the activity (if one is required).
• Digest the process of the activity.

Includer

• Check in quietly with anyone who has stalled in their synthesis and note-making.

Process Reporter (to synthesize stock-taking on the process)

• Ask everyone to mention one highlight or appreciation from the activity. Make notes.
• Ask everyone to mention one issue needing further work or improvement from the process of the activity. Make notes.
• Prepare to report back on what you have noted. (This report is about the process. It is not a report about the activity if that is required.)

Phaser

• Remind people to be brief in their spoken feedback on the process.

Phase 4 – REPORTING -- either spoken to the class or group or given to instructor or leader (as requested)

Randomly chosen person (not Process Reporter)

• Make presentation or draft a written report (if required)

Everyone (individually)

• Provide additions or modifications.

Process Reporter

• Report back on what you have noted about the process of the activity (i.e., highlights and suggested improvements).