Classroom techniques: Combining tasks 

Goals

A combining task may have one of three goals: 

• to learn new language items 
• to build fluency with previously studied language items 
• to practise communication strategies 

Features 

• information distribution – each learner has unique essential information 
• student arrangement – pairs or groups 
• student focus – achieving the outcome of the task, that is, the physical result (for example, completed chart), which should be the same for each student (They may also have an explicit focus on vocabulary learning or using communication strategies, depending on the learning goal of the task) 
• language mode – speaking, but any language mode can be used (depending on the design) 
• challenge – ākonga need to use Māori communicatively to do the task 

Kaiako considerations 

Ākonga must not look at each other’s information. They must rely on speaking and listening (or writing, in some variations). Ākonga might need a barrier between them (for example, a cardboard stand), or they could memorise their information before working together. 

Ākonga need to be seated opposite each other (if in pairs) or in a circle (for a group). 

Pair or group members need to be equals, so kaiako should not normally be a member of a group. 

You need to clearly think out your learning goal for the task and design the activity so that it achieves this. For example, if the goal is to learn new vocabulary, design a “Same or different” or “Complete the map” task where ākonga need to use the words. If the goal is communication practice, make sure all the language is familiar. 

The task should have a clear outcome, for example, a completed drawing, chart, or story. The outcome is the physical result of the task, which should be the same for each student. (This is different from the goal of the task, which is in terms of language learning.) 

A possible problem to look out for (and discourage) is ākonga just spelling out words to each other. 

Variations 

Make the task easier by adding a 'help and rehearse' step before ākonga combine their information. Ākonga with the same information work together first in an ‘expert’ group. This stage is cooperative, as they practise what they will need to say in the next stage. They then regroup so that each student has different information and presents the information practised in their expert groups. (Nation, 1988, pp. 74–75) 

Instead of asking ākonga to combine information by speaking, secondary ākonga especially could be asked to communicate in te reo Māori by email or messaging programmes to complete a task for homework or in class. 

Evaluation of the task (adapted from Nation, 2000) 

• Is the information split equally? 
• Is each learner’s information essential to the task or could the activity be done without combining? 
• Do the learners have to think deeply to do the activity? 
• What is the learning goal of the activity? 

Benefits of this technique 

The fact that each learner has unique essential information gives them a reason to participate. (Unequal participation can otherwise be a problem in some pair or group work.) 

It is also important for each student to be able to understand the others, which encourages them to focus on making themselves understood. 

It develops a strong group feeling, which leads to a positive environment conducive to good language learning. 

Ākonga have to negotiate meaning with each other (Long & Porter, 1985) which has been shown to be a good way to learn languages. 

Classroom examples 

Below are four examples of combining tasks you can use with ākonga in the classroom. 

1. Complete the map (Nation, 1995, 2000) 

Students each complete their own incomplete map by talking to each other. 

Goal 

Any one of the following: 

• to learn new language items (especially geographical features) 
• to build fluency with previously studied language items 
• to practise communication strategies 

Procedure 

1. Draw or copy a map or plan (for example, a local area, school, or marae plan). 
2. Blank out some different information on different copies of the map to make versions that have different parts missing or different labels missing. Each map will then contain information that the other maps do not show (for example, some of the towns named on one copy and the others named on another copy). All maps must have a few items that are the same. You need as many different versions of the map as members in the group, which may be from two to around six. Label each version A, B, etc, and/or print on different coloured paper to distinguish the different versions. 
3. Give each learner in the pair or group a different incomplete version of the map or plan so that each learner has a copy of the same map but with different things marked and labelled. 
4. Ask ākonga to combine their information to make a complete map without looking at each other’s maps. Ākonga take turns to describe their map so that the others can draw in the missing details on their maps. That is, students keep their map hidden while describing what is on it. They then draw what the others describe. 
5. When they have all described their own maps and drawn what the others have described, they can then compare maps to check if they are the same. 

Kaiako considerations 

• Simple hand-drawn maps are adequate for this activity. Once ākonga have experienced this task, they may want to produce their own maps. 
• Maps of local areas or a plan of a marae can make this relevant. 
• Make sure that ākonga are aware that some things are the same and some are different. They should try to find something that is the same first. If they are having trouble getting started, the teacher can give a hint by telling them where to start (that is, naming an object that is the same on each, for example, “Start at the church”). 

Variations 

Use this technique to introduce specific vocabulary (for example, school or household objects). To do this, each student has some words written on their worksheet to communicate to the others. 

Use this technique to practise known or recently introduced vocabulary (for example, use a map showing geographical features you have taught the language for, such as maunga, awa, etc). 

Focus students’ attention on communication strategies needed in this task by pre-teaching phrases like “Could you repeat that?” and “Did you say … ?”. 

Give each student a map that is already complete and ask students to take turns giving each other directions to a place without telling their partner what the place is or looking at each other’s maps. Students then check whether they have both arrived at the same place. Or use this variation as a follow-up to “Complete the map”. 

Text types 

Maps are suggested text types at levels 3, 5, and 6 of the Māori language curriculum guidelines, Te Aho Arataki Marau mō te Ako i Te Reo Māori – Kura Auraki / Curriculum Guidelines for Teaching and Learning Te Reo Māori in English-medium Schools: Years 1–13. 

See Materials that come with this resource to download:

• Complete the map He Mahere mō te Whare Pupuri Taonga (.doc) 
• Complete the map He mahere tāone (.doc) 

2. Strip stories (Nation 1989, 1995) 

A story divided into strips is put back together by a group. 

Goals

• To build fluency with known language 
• To practise communication and negotiation strategies in Māori 

Materials 

see Materials that come with this recource to download:

• Strip stories (.doc) 
• Te mahi poi (.doc) 
• Life cycle- Te oranga o te ngarara (.doc) 

Procedure 

1. Choose a story or sequenced text that is appropriate for your ākonga, for example, a legend, recipe, or instructions for harakeke work. Simplify it if necessary. You need roughly as many sentences as you have students in your class, or in each group you divide the class into. Refer to Te mahi kapu tī in strips and Te tino pōtae o pāpā in the Strip stories download.  
2. Place each sentence on a strip of paper or card, and shuffle.  
3. If necessary, pre-teach the phrases in te reo Māori needed to negotiate to get the text into order – refer to Phrases to use for negotiation in a strip story task in the Strip stories download.  
4. Give each student one sentence (or two short ones if you have extra) to read and memorise. They must only read their own sentence.  
5. Collect the sentences after the ākonga have memorised them.  
6. Each student says their sentence and then they work together to work out the correct order of the sentences, without writing anything down.  
7. Check the final decision against the original. 

Teacher considerations 

Choice of story (or other suitable text): 

• it should be one that students have not heard before (except if you need to make the task easier) 
• it should have words and grammar that the students already know. 

Ākonga must only read their own sentence, and not read the sentences distributed to other ākonga. 

Kaiako do not take part in the activity but may prompt suitable phrases for ākonga to use to negotiate with each other. 

Variations 

• Let ākonga keep the written sentences while they put them in order, but with the group discussing the order in te reo Māori. Refer to Phrases to use for negotiation in the Strip stories download 
• Cut the sentences into halves and ask ākonga to put the halves together first, then order the sentences. (Nation, 1989, p. 79 – Join the halves) 
• Use a sequence of about six pictures that tell a story, dividing the class into groups. Ākonga put the pictures into the order they think is best and work out a story to match. There is no absolute correct outcome of this – the stories may vary naturally from group to group. (If using the “help and rehearse” step below, students can regroup after working out their stories and compare stories).  
• Add a “help and rehearse” step in which ākonga who have the same sentence or picture get together first (either put them together or provide more practice and challenge by handing them out randomly and asking students to find the others with the same). They practise together to say and memorise the sentence, or to describe the picture. They then regroup so that each member of the group has a different sentence or picture, and they put them in order. 
• Change this into a listening activity by making it a picture dictation where the teacher reads out or tells the story and ākonga have to put pictures into the correct order. (Gibbons, 2002, p. 147) 
• Cut a picture into strips. Ākonga must describe their strip without showing it to others and work out how they fit together. (Requires quite a careful choice of picture.)  

Examples 
 

Level 1	myths and legends  marae procedure  simple story of an everyday event (AO 3.5)  routine task (AO 3.1)
Level 2	story about shopping (AO 4.5)
Level 3	recipes  food gathering/fishing instructions  story about a sporting activity  story about a holiday
Level 4	more extended story  a formal speech
Level 5	account of a historical event (eg land wars)
Level 6	current news story

 
3. Same or different? (Nation 1988, 1995) 

In pairs ākonga speak in te reo Māori to work out if their information is the same or different. 

Goals

Can be any of the following (depending on materials used): 

• to learn new language items 
• to build fluency with previously studied language items 
• to practise communication strategies 

Materials 

See Materials that come with this resource to download:

• He rite he rerekē (words only) (.doc)
• He rite he rerekē (pictures and words) (.doc)
• He rite he rerekē (pictures only) (.doc)

Procedure 

1. Prepare materials where two worksheets are similar but have some differences. If in lists, use an X to indicate which ākonga should start speaking first so that they take turns, that is, one sheet has the first, third, and fifth items marked with an X and the other has the second, fourth, and sixth items marked. 
2. Give a different worksheet to each ākonga in the pair. 
3. Ākonga describe what they have on their sheet (without showing it to their partner) to work out where their sheets are the same and where they are different. 

Examples 

Vocabulary using simple pictures (similar sheets to pp. 89–90 Nation 1988: Communication Activities – use clip art or draw simple pictures of everyday objects, and add labels in te reo Māori for words that ākonga might need while completing the task). 

Vocabulary using words and sentences (similar to pp. 123–124, Nation’s Teaching Listening and Speaking) 

• Level 1 – classroom language or objects around the home 
• Level 2 – marae, weather, seasons 

For example: 

1. X it usually has 4 legs	1. a chair
2. a boat	2. X it flies through the air
3. X it has one eye	3. a needle
4. a book	4. X we can read it
5. X it's cold	5. winter

• Example in te reo Māori: View He rite he rerekē (words only) download  
• Pictures to describe – slightly different (eg pp. 112-113, Nation’s Communication Activities)  
• Examples in Māori: View He rite he rerekē (pictures only) download and He rite he rerekē (pictures and words) download 

4. Jigsaw reading/listening 

Ākonga read or listen to different information and then communicate together to complete a task. 

Goals 

This task has multiple goals: 

• to develop reading or listening skills 
• to learn language by requiring students to think deeply to complete the task and to use the language 

Materials 

See Materials that come with this resource to download Jigsaw reading (.doc).

Procedure 

1. Divide a text into parts or find several texts on the same topic that give different information. These could be for ākonga to read or listen to. 
2. Design a task that ākonga can only complete with information from both or all of them. This could be a set of questions to answer or a chart or diagram. See Information transfer tasks for examples. 
3. Give each ākonga one text (or part of the text) and the complete chart, diagram or set of questions. If listening, arrange so that each ākonga listens to one or other of the texts. 
4. In pairs or groups, ākonga complete the full set of questions or the whole chart or diagram without letting the others read their text (that is, they must explain in te reo Māori). 

Benefits 

Jigsaw reading or listening requires students to process information deeply, which is good for learning. 

References 

Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching Second Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (pp. 108–109). 

Long, M. H. & Porter, P. A. (1985). Group work, interlanguage talk, and second language acquisition. TESOL Quarterly, 19 (2), 207–228. 

Nation, I. S. P. (1988). Communication Activities. English Language Institute Occasional Publication No. 13 (pp. 29–37). 

Nation, I. S. P. (2000). Creating, Adapting and Using Language Teaching Techniques. English Language Institute Occasional Publication No. 20 (pp. 16–18). 

Nation, I. S. P. (1989). Language Teaching Techniques. English Language Institute Occasional Publication No. 2 (p. 79). 

Nation, I. S. P. (1995). Teaching Listening and Speaking. English Language Institute Occasional Publication No. 14 (p. 129).