How to help students deal with conflict in group work

Rachael Roberts
children sat at a desk working together

Is avoiding conflict always a good thing?

Why is it that some groups work smoothly together, whereas for others it always seems to end in arguments? It may seem logical to avoid group work with classes where it often leads to disagreement, but is there such a thing as ¡®healthy disagreement¡¯?

Perhaps the groups that appear to be working well together are actually just letting one or two people do everything? This would certainly avoid conflict, but they might also be avoiding learning very much.?

Sometimes conflict is a necessary step that teachers (of all subjects, not just language teachers) have to acknowledge as an important part of a learner's development.?

Conflict in group work
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ÃÛÌÒapp can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

The psychologist famously argued that conflict within groups is entirely normal, and can even be desirable. the typical stages of groups learning to work together effectively as Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing:

Forming

When the group is forming, most members will be polite. They will be looking to you or to a more confident group member to take the lead. Many of the group members may actually be quite disengaged.?

Storming

Storming happens as they start to feel more confident and comfortable within the group, and willing to take a more active role. People may be trying to sort out what the unspoken rules are, or what roles everyone is taking. Or they may be more willing to point out potential problems.?

Norming

Norming is when things start to sort themselves out and people are working together better. It¡¯s very common for teams to keep going back and forth between storming and norming for quite a while.?

Performing

Finally, performing is when the team successfully achieves the goal.?

Essentially, Tuckman was saying that, without at least some conflict or storming, groups are unlikely to be able to perform successfully. It is necessary to go through this stage and out the other side.?

Being able to deal effectively with conflict is a very valuable skill, both at school and in life. So how can we help students to develop this skill??

Learning how to manage conflict

Listening is the most important skill we can teach our language students. Unfortunately, many of us are not as good at listening as we might think. A lot of the time, we are busy thinking about what we are going to say next, or even thinking about something else altogether.?

Students can practice active listening by having to reflect back on what their partner has said. For example: ¡®So you¡¯re saying that¡­¡¯ or by asking relevant questions.

If feelings are running high, we can teach them to still let the other person finish. They should then check they have understood, rather than jumping in too quickly with their own side of the story.?

We can also encourage empathy by asking students to put themselves into the other student¡¯s position. They should try and explain how they think they are feeling, or why they have such a different opinion.?

Finally, we can get students into problem-solving mode, rather than staying with personal feelings. We can do this by asking them to suggest ways of coming to an agreement.

As long as it is managed well and doesn¡¯t get out of hand, conflict and disagreement can ultimately lead to better outcomes than overly polite agreement, because more is at stake.?

So, make sure to help students develop the confidence to deal with conflict in group work and disagree with each other, but also the interpersonal skills to do so in a productive and empathic way.??

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A teacher sat with young students while they work and hold crayons

    Icebreaker activities for the beginning of the school year

    By
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    The beginning days of school are both exciting and occasionally nerve-wracking for teachers and students alike. Everyone is adjusting to new faces, routines and a fresh environment. As a teacher, you can help make this shift smooth, inviting and enjoyable. One effective way to achieve this is by using icebreaker activities.

    Icebreakers are simple games or activities that help students get to know each other, feel comfortable and start building a positive classroom community. When students feel connected, they are more likely to participate, help each other and enjoy learning. Here are some easy-to-use icebreaker activities and tips for making the beginning of the school year memorable for everyone. Here are just a few ideas for icebreakers you can use in your classroom.

  • Women talking around a table

    Three teaching tips that encourage Japanese students to speak up

    By Junko Yamanaka
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    In the EFL classroom, it is essential to provide students with opportunities for enjoying authentic communication. What is authentic communication? It¡¯s about asking questions that you really want to ask and saying what you really want to say, rather than memorization or role-plays. How can we, in the classroom context, create situations where students naturally feel like saying something or asking questions and enjoy conversing?

    One effective way to make this happen is to set students up to exchange their opinions, or points of view, in English. Asserting an opinion is not a drill or a practice, it¡¯s a form of authentic communication. Students need to think over and make judgements before they can express their thoughts at a level that matches the student¡¯s own intellectual abilities, leading to deeper learning. In addition, many students enjoy expressing their points of view and finding out what other people think.

    Some of you might be thinking, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too challenging for shy Japanese students?¡± Not at all. With appropriate teaching materials and methodology, even elementary students can experience the joy of exchanging their points of view in English. I have heard negative comments about Japanese students: that Japanese young people generally don¡¯t have their own opinions or that they don¡¯t like to differ from the peers. As far as I¡¯m concerned, that¡¯s not true. I know from my extensive experience teaching in Japan that Japanese students do like exchanging their points of view, are interested in what other people think, and, this may come as surprise, but they actually don¡¯t hesitate to differ when they don¡¯t agree with others. We just need to deploy the right techniques.

    Here are some proven tips that help get your students talking:

    1. Choose topics that are relevant and engaging
    2. Present an unusual viewpoint
    3. Give students tools to help with speaking
  • Children sat at desks in a classroom with their hands all raised smiling

    Back to school: Inclusive strategies to welcome and support students from day one

    By
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    As the new school year begins, teachers have an opportunity to set the tone for inclusion, belonging and respect. With the right strategies and activities, you can ensure every student feels seen, heard and valued from the very first day. Embracing diversity isn¡¯t just morally essential: it¡¯s a proven pathway to deeper learning, greater engagement and a more equitable society (Gay, 2018).

    Research consistently shows that inclusive classrooms foster higher academic achievement, improved social skills and increased self-esteem for all students (Banks, 2015). When students feel safe and respected, they are more likely to take risks, collaborate and reach their full potential.