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新浪首页 > 新浪教育 > 《掌握英语口语》 > 1:INTRODUCTION TO GROUP DISCUSSION

1:INTRODUCTION TOsgroupsDISCUSSION
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/11/14 00:51  中图读者俱乐部

 

 第一章小组讨论介绍

  小组讨论是指人们为了交流学习、解决问题、协调行动或促进理解而聚到一起进行协商的过程。人数少,从属感、人情味和针对性强等是小组讨论的特征。根据各种群体的功能,小组可以划分为任务小组、社会小组和教育小组。小组讨论的成败取决于多种因素,其中,效率、气氛、情感、目标、责任以及合作是其中的主要因素。

 

 Definition定义

  Group discussion refers to a process in which asgroupsof persons talk with each other (usually face to face) insgroupsto achieve some interdependent goal, such as increased understanding, coordination of activity, or a solution to a shared problem.

 

 Characteristics ofsgroupsDiscussion小组讨论的特点

  1. A small number of people for each to be aware of and have some reaction to each other. The typical number is three to seven, rarely more than fifteen.

  2. A mutually interdependent purpose, making the success of one member contingent on the success of all.

  3. Each personshavingsa sense of being part of the group.

  4. Interaction involving verbal and nonverbal channels, with words conveying the content of the discussion. Impromptu communication rather than prepared speeches is the essence, which involves give and take.

  5. A sense of cooperation among members. Although there may be disagreement and conflict, all members perceive themselves as searching for asgroupsoutcome that will be as satisfactory as possible to all, so that no one is frustrated at losing something to anothersgroupsmember.

 

 Types of Groups小组种类

  Groups can be defined in a different way; generally speaking, however, there are three basic types of groups:

  Task Groups

  Task groups are those groups formed to gather information, solve problems, or to perform a specific task.

  Many groups fall under the heading of task groups because their purpose and function is to govern, solve problems, or complete tasks. Most of organization-based task groups are known as committees. A committee is a small discussionsgroupsthat usually has no more than seven members. Committees can be characterized as follows:

  They have a particular task to do as part of a larger organization.

  They meet regularly.

  Members serve on them because of particular knowledge of interest.

  Members are not necessarily linked by personal or social connections.

  There are few enough people so they can address each other by name.

  Social GroupsSocial groups are those groups formed because of a common interest to plan social activities.

  Social groups generally get together to fulfill human needs to socialize. Few people in our society can function without human interaction on a regular basis. Social groups can range from an informal gathering of friends eating dinner together or talking about instructors to social organizations such as religious groups, minority groups, and clubs. Their functions overlap. When they invite a police officer to give a presentation on preventing date rape, they become an educational group.

  Educational Groups

  Educational groups are those groups formed to help the members learn about something.

  While a tasksgroupsfocuses on common task goals rather than socializing, and social groups fulfill human needs of communication and belonging, many groups function with learning as a goal. These groups differ from task and social groups because they emphasize personal goals and individual gain. Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, and various other groups exist so that members can learn about and get help with their problems.

  Distinguishing asgroupssounds fairly easy and straightforward,however, many groups serve a variety of purposes. For example, Internet groups are often defined by more than one function. In a chat room, a socialsgroupsmay get together to discuss a topic of interest. But in another instance, a committee, whose members are at different locations, could participate on-line, making thatsgroupsa task group.

 

 Reasons for the Ineffectiveness ofsgroupsDiscussion小组讨论失败的原因

  There are a variety of reasons why thesgroupsmight not function effectively as a system. After asking people what problems they have had with groups, we have come up with four of the most frequent complaints.

  Lack of Efficiency

  Many people think that some discussion in which they were involved were a waste of time. They don’t believe that groups are efficient because, rather than working on the task, people“like to hear themselves talk”or because various people“had nothing to say and took too long to say it.”

  Certainly, discussion can be a waste of time, but not because of some inherent weakness in the process. Nothing magical happens just because people gather together to discuss.sgroupsdiscussion only works when we make sure that all parts of the system work. For example, our cars are a system-all parts work together. If we don’t put gas in our car or change the oil, the car will no longer take us to our destination. That is not because a car is inherently bad; it just needs maintenance. When onesgroupsmember fails to prepare for a discussion, thesgroupsmay not have anything useful to say or do. When leaders are not skillful in guiding members in productive directions, discussion will likely degeneratesintoschaos or just be pleasant but nonproductive gatherings. When members and leaders do not understand and implement the requirements for effective, purposive discussion, the process will probably be time-consuming and minimally productive.

  Inhospitable Climate

  A second complaint was about the climate for participation. There are aggressive talkers everywhere, and most people are not really prepared to compete with them. Many people felt intimidated by conflict and seek to avoid it; others may respond by open combat. Usually after being squelched two or three times, a person keeps silent.

  However, these difficulties also are not inherent in the discussion process. Your members must make careful choices about your own interpersonal behaviors. As you make choices that will affect the climate, you should also keep cultural differences in mind. Some cultures do not speak aggressively or make eye contact. If you assume that a person does not want to talk and you ignore him or her, then you will miss out on valuable ideas. It is important that during the first meeting you talk about how your discussion will proceed and that you are open and ask questions about interpersonal differences.

  Personal Feelings

  A third complaint reflected confusion over the appropriateness and role of personal self-disclosure. That some groups focus on the personal feelings of members in asgroupscontext can sometimes lead to problems. In a problem-solving group, task aspects should receive primary emphasis. Such an emphasis can also promote friendly and satisfying interpersonal relationships in some cases. By channeling emotionssintosthe hard work of gathering and evaluating information, and by recognizing that a small portion of the meeting should be dedicated to maintenance functions, personal feelings can support problem-solving rather than interfere with it.

  Personal Integrity

  The fourth complaint, and perhaps the most troublesome of all, came from individuals who felt they had to sacrifice personal integrity insgroupsto work with the group. Often, when five members of thesgroupsagree on an idea, the sixth person goes along with the majority to avoid being a holdout. It isn’t a consensus at all; the dissenter feels embarrassed by holding out and doesn’t want to endure the group’s resentment for taking up valuable time.It is important for individuals to remain individuals in thesgroupsand to feel free to express ideas.sgroupsprocess is designed to synthesize individual ideas to obtain“the greatest good for the greatest number.”Individual point of view cannot be synthesized unless it is expressed. Notice how a productive climate ties directly on this complaint as well. If individuals do not feel encouraged to express dissenting views, then they will not, and it is thesgroupswho will lose.

 

 Reasons for the Effectiveness ofsgroupsDiscussion小组讨论成功的原因

  Goodsgroupsdiscussion does not just happen automatically; the members must work at it. We believe that individuals can make things happen by saying what needs to be said when it needs saying. It also means that we make some basic assumptions about what happens in discussion. We will cover five basic premises of effectivesgroupsdiscussion.

  Effective Discussion Is Goal-Oriented

  When we talk aboutsgroupsdiscussion, we do not include all the things people can do together in groups. For our purposes, a small number of people gathering and sharing ideas does not makesgroupsdiscussion, even though it may classify as asgroupsconversation.

  When we talk ofsgroupsdiscussion, we are dealing with a relatively formal process. It is purposive talk by people who have formed groups to make decisions, to solve problems, to declare policy, to evaluate programs, to collect and examine facts, to administer operations, to select personnel, and so forth. The kind ofsgroupsproblem-solving almost always requires some kind of formal outcome.

  It doesn’t matter whether yoursgroupsis in industry, the community, or the classroom or whether members have volunteered or have been assigned. The kind of discussion we are talking about is purposive activity intended to accomplish some goal that the individual acting alone could not attain or that no single individual could handle because so many people have an interest in the outcome.

  Effective Discussion Is Regulated by a Public Agenda

  Group discussion requires that a number of people with different ideas and points of view come together and talk insgroupsto solve problems. Due to the volume of different ideas, it is important to have procedures that all participants can follow. These“rules of order”will help members focus on the task in a systematic, effective way. Procedural rules help reduce conflict and uncertainty and help members to focus on a common goal. When discussion participants follow an agenda, they can process their ideas intelligently and increase their chances of achieving a workable solution to the problem.

  Effective Discussion Requires the Responsibility of EverysgroupsMember

  A system is more than the sum of its parts. This is true only if all of the parts are working properly. All too often groups are composed of some individuals who refuse personal responsibility. They arrive unprepared and don’t participate. Yet, at the end of the project, they feel free to criticize everyone else.

  To be effective, members must be committed to listen, to think through, to reason, and to share the results of their reasoning with the group. All members must adopt a critical attitude toward the information they collect and that which is presented by others. To do this, all members must know what is expected, what possibilities exist for behaviors and, most important, how to separate personality from their own comments.

  Effective Discussion Presumes Cooperative Efforts and Attitudes

  Group discussion is not forums in which individuals may orate on behalf of their favorite causes or charities.sgroupsmembers are required of participation obligated to have ideas about the topic or question under discussion. You are obligated to present those ideas and to listen to the ideas of others. You are entitled, even urged, to criticize ideas dissent when it is reasonable, and argue when you are legitimately motivated to do so. Keep in mind, though, that your goal is not to“defeat”or“criticize”the people who disagree with you, but for each of you to come closer to a common position. This will help yoursgroupsto achieve the cooperative spirit ofsgroupsdiscussion.

  Effective Discussion Requires Leadership

  Someone needs to be responsible for making the process work. In problem-solving groups, someone must be responsible for the following.

  Oversee liaisons with agencies

  Coordinate work that is assigned

  Make sure work gets completed

  Keep records

  Keep participation going in the group

  Referee conflicts

  Maintain files of information and ideas

  Notify thesgroupsof times and place of meetings

  Above all, someone must lead. While discussion groups can distribute leadership tasks among members, we advocateshavingsa central person responsible for overseeing tasks. There are many ways to select a leader and many responsibilities for the leader to perform. We will focus on them in depth in another chapter.

 

 Exercises练习

  This icebreaker exercise can be done in thesgroupsdiscussion of the class. The exercise is designed to help you get acquainted withsgroupsmembers and reduce the tension and formality that exist among strangers. The entiresgroupsshould sit in a circle so members can see each other face to face. Use a name card large enough to be read across the table.

  a. First, draw a picture to illustrate each of the following statements about yourself. Each person responds to the first statement before proceeding to the next. Begin each set of answers with a different person and proceed around the circle until all have answered.

  I am taking this course because...

  Being in a smallsgroupsmakes me feel...

  The thing I like best about myself is...

  The thing I like least about myself is...

  It would surprise most people if they knew that I...

  No matter what anyone says, I will not change my mind about...

  I really dislike...

  My favorite activity is...

  Then years from now I see myself as...

  b. Briefly discuss the following:

  Who is most like you?

  Did anybody’s answers particularly surprise you? Why?

  How do you feel now about your class?

  What have we learned from this exercise?




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