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Preparing Group Work for a Class of 27

The first decisions when preparing group work are the number of students and the number of groups. This guide uses a class of 27 students split into 6 groups as an example.

Classroom Situation

  • Students: 27
  • Goal: 6 groups for a discussion activity
  • Tool: Groups
  • Expected result: groups balanced as evenly as possible, such as three groups of 5 and three groups of 4

Results are random, so which students end up in each group changes every time you run it.

Steps

  1. 1Prepare the names or numbers of all 27 students.
  2. 2Enter the list in the Groups tool and click “Confirm”.
  3. 3Choose “By number of groups”.
  4. 4Set the number of groups to 6.
  5. 5Click “Create Groups”. Use “View Fullscreen” to show the groups to the whole class.
  6. 6Review the result yourself, considering student relationships and support needs.
Open Groups →

If Students Are Absent

If you learn about an absence right before class, the simplest approach is to remove that student from the list and create the groups again.

Example: if 1 of 27 students is absent, 26 students with 6 groups will still be distributed as evenly as possible.

Check Before the Activity

  • Are there student pairings you need to avoid?
  • Does a student who needs support need a different group or seat?
  • Are the group size differences acceptable for this activity?
  • Are you ready to show the result to students?

Limits of Random Grouping

Random grouping does not consider learning levels, friendships, conflicts, or individual support needs. Use SSAEM TOOL to create a quick first draft, and let the teacher make the final decision.