Round Robin is an interactive and entertaining classroom activity used by teachers to teach concepts informally. Instead of the usual four or five students contributing to the class discussion or question and answer round, the Round Robin strategy includes every student in the class. It requires students to brainstorm ideas on a given topic without elaborating, explaining, or challenging them. Members of the group take turns answering a question with a single word, phrase, or short statement. Students share their opinions one at a time until everyone has had a chance to speak.
As a result, Round Robin is a fantastic technique to make learning activities in the classroom more enjoyable. So, in this article, we'll go through the Round Robin approach in detail.
The Round Robin Approach as A Brainstorming Activity
Teachers utilize brainstorming as one of their teaching tactics to assist students in producing creative ideas. It's an incredible instructional tool that promotes student involvement and critical thinking. Brainstorming teaching tactics are used by many teachers to promote group learning. Students may be in a group setting in a typical brainstorming session, where the teacher invites students to speak after raising their hands to contribute their knowledge and ideas. Unfortunately, not many children get the opportunity to express themselves in this type of situation. When adopting the Round Robin discussion teaching tactics, however, each student in the group has an equal opportunity to share as everyone is asked to speak one-by-one.
The Round Robin tactic is a brainstorming technique in which people are made to sit in a circle to debate academic, current, and other issues. Students produce ideas on a given topic, similar to other brainstorming sessions. This technique, on the other hand, ensures that all students participate equally and that multiple topic discussions take place at the same time.
Features of the Round Robin approach
The following features of Round Robin differentiate it from other brainstorming activities:
- Equal student participation: The most beneficial aspect of the Round Robin approach is that it allows each student in the group to engage equally in the conversation. After one student starts the discussion, each student takes a turn expressing their thoughts on the topic. A teacher may use "talking chips" to encourage students to speak on their turn, as it would require students to turn in one chip each time they express an opinion. This aids in achieving the goal of equal student participation.
- Group discussions: Tables are set up around the classroom in such a way that numerous brainstorming sessions can take place at the same time. When the brainstorming timer goes off, each group transfers to a different table with a different topic. The Round Robin discussion strategy is finished once all groups have rotated to all tables, and discussed various topics. This allows students to debate a variety of subjects or issues while still achieving the purpose of brainstorming group discussion.
Steps to use the Round Robin Approach in the Classroom
Follow the steps mentioned below to use the Round Robin approach in the classroom:
- Step 1: The ideal way to start implementing the Round Robin strategy in the classroom is to think about the issue you want students to talk about.
- Step 2: Next, decide the number of desks you'll need based on the number of questions or topics you'd like to address.
- Step 3: Arrange the desks such that conversation flows well and students can simply walkabout. Also, think about the location so that groups aren't distracted by other groups.
- Step 4: Distribute one discussion sheet to each table, and designate one person as the group's leader to summarize the discussion.
- Step 5: For each group, set a timer. Give groups "talking tokens" so that when it's their turn to speak, each kid must turn in a token. This aids in the progress of the group discussion.
- Step 6: After each group has discussed each topic, ask the leader to share the group's thoughts and conclusions.
Round Robin Activities in the Classroom
Use the following Round Robin activities in the classroom:
Reading & Writing Activities
This is an excellent activity for instilling group skills in students. In this practice, one student begins reading, while another is assigned to finish it. Ask students to comprehend the lesson along with reading to make the best use of the activity. It can also be incorporated into writing. Divide the class into groups and assign each student a piece of paper and a time limit. Then have the children pass their papers back and forth, asking them to read what the other student has written and contribute to their tale. After each student has had a chance to contribute to all the group's writings, the members choose one piece to be read in front of the class.
Subject Comprehension
Create subject trivia questions that correspond to the previously acquired chapters. Each student must answer a question in a Round Robin way, accumulating points for the class, which is split into two teams. The game can also be used to help students prepare for future exams.
Storytelling
Fill a small bag with random things, and encourage students to utilize them to collectively build a story. In the Round Robin approach, one student selects an item and starts the story using it. The following student selects a different item and adds a new part to the story. The story continues until all students have had a chance to contribute; each student must create their portion using the preceding students' recommendations.
Conclusion
With the above tips and activities, you can use the Round Robin method in your class to ensure that all students participate equally and improve the classroom's group learning atmosphere. It's a terrific technique to come up with new ideas because it has the added benefit of encouraging participation from all participants, including those who are usually quiet.
Make varied groups with a limit of 5 kids to make the Round Robin exercises more effective. Allow students a few minutes to think about the topic before asking the leader to wrap it up properly.
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