Vidcast

JIGSAW METHOD

What it is?

It is a teaching methods works like a jigsaw puzzle. Students are divided to groups and each group has 4 members or more according to subject. Each groups are learning different parts of the topic from others. Students learn their common topic in their first group and they change their groups. But in the second group they combine their knowledge with other members and each member teaches the other members their part.

Your experience

In our classes we used this method to raise awarenes. Each groups learned the parts of the topic first and in their second group they informed other members about their part.

Advantages

When teacher is insufficient learners can use this method to teach themselves.
It is actually quite hard to learn everything personally. So in this way we can do task sharing and learn the subject one by one.
Group's success depends on each student. If one fails the others fail too. So every student have to attend it. So this method increases student attendance.

Disadvantages

As i said in the advantages part if one student fails all the group fails. So when the group fails its a failure of one person. It can cause personal problems.
Method can occur problem with the young learners. It may not work on them since they their brains don't work like a grown person. The other members may not be efficient to cover the failed member's failure.

USAGE IN ELT CLASSES

This method can be used in English classes. If we have to give an example i can give our class. We used this method at our 6th week at class. And it actually worked out pretty well. We worked as groups, everyone learned their part at their first group and briefed the other members at their second groups.

Conclusion

Application of the Jigsaw Method is actually  up to the students. The teacher is the trigger but not the only resource of information. Each students are responsible for their own learning in this method. With regular use of this method, the students are likely to get used to group working and learn just not from the teacher, and also from the students. It is actually a really good alternative for a classes with bad teachers i suppose.