YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY

THE FACULTY OF EUROPEAN LANGUAGES AND COMMUNICATION

ENGLISH, FRENCH AND COMMUNICATION

RESEARCH PAPER

Subject: The benefits of group discussions in the Language Classroom

Student: Lilit Ayvazyan (a third-year student of the faculty of European

languages and communication)

Professor: Irina Vardanyan

YEREVAN 2022

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 CONTENT

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

1.WHAT IS A GROUP DISCUSSION? HOW IS IT DONE? …………………………….. 4

2.SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.………. 6

a.Group Discussion Benefits for Students…………………………………………….. 8

b. Group Discussion Disadvantages ………………………………………………………….11

5. COMPARISON TABLE FOR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

GROUP DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………13

6.CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

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 INTRODUCTION

How often do we use group work in our classroom? Every day? Every class period?
Maybe we’ve never thought about why we do it. Maybe we have. In fact, students gain many
benefits from working in groups as they study English and chase language fluency. We also have
to know if small group discussions provide the same benefits as discussions involving the whole
class? Group discussions can also provide benefits both for students and teachers.Along with
the benefits, group discussions may also have some disadvantages.The aim of my paper is to
explore all these questions.
The paper involves as follows: The next section presents a brief summary of “what is group
discussion about and how is it done?”. I will also present the following subjects: a. small group
and large group discussions, b. group discussion benefits for students, 3.group discussion
benefits for teachers, 4.group discussion disadvantages.The conclusion reflects on implications
for using group discussions as an effective teaching tool.
Change, e.g.The paper consists of....

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 1.WHAT IS GROUP DISCUSSION ABOUT? HOW IS IT DONE?
“More hands make for lighter work.”
“Two heads are better than one.”
“The more the merrier.”
Source or authors

These quotes show that the potential groups are more productive, creative, and motivated
than individuals on their own. First of all let’s speak about group discussions in general. Group
discussion is a combination of two words: “Group” and “Discussion”. Let’s discuss this in detail.
A group means many people who work together or just do something together in order to
achieve some targets. Discussion means exchanging ideas between two or more individuals,
which is, in general, a face-to-face interaction. It’s a conversation about a specific topic, where
people are connected with one basic idea. According to that idea, each member of the group
represents his/her own point of view. Developing group discussion skills is necessary for
everyday life as we regularly find ourselves having discussions with friends, family and
colleagues. These may vary from very informal chats about day-to-day things, to more serious
topics. Group discussions test our personality skills, communication skills, teamwork, self-
confidence, problem-solving skills. It also tests our social skills and behaviour. The average
duration of a Group Discussion is 15 minutes. But it may vary depending on the number of
candidates in a group.
Now, let’s see how group discussion is done in the classroom, I mean the process of
group discussion. The process of group discussion starts with the announcement of the topic. The
participants get acquainted with the topic. Before starting the discussion, the preparation time of
3 minutes is given. The time can also extend in case of a long case statement.
Any participant in the group can start the discussion. After the lead participant, anyone in
the group can continue the discussion. Then, everyone gets the opportunity to speak and express
his/her own ideas. One after another, participants in the group express their viewpoints on the
given topic. It ends when the teacher stops the discussion or may ask one or more participants to
summarize the Group Discussion. Whenever we are asked to summarize, we must remember to
cover all the points which have been discussed. The summary should include the words which
have already been mentioned during the discussion. The summary should include the essential
discussed points and the conclusion of the discussion. The final scores are calculated. Based on
the performance of each participant, the teacher gives the scores.

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There are some rules that we have to follow during Group Discussions:
1.We should prepare well for the topic. It means we should note all the important points during
the preparation time. We should try to write short points and then explain them during the
discussion.
2. Most participants only focus on their content. We should be aware of all the participants in our
group.
3. We shouldn’t start the discussion if we are not sure about the content.We shouldn’t present
any wrong information.
4.We have to be confident about the content of our text. If we are not confident, we may hesitate
while speaking, which will create a negative impression.
5. In the Group Discussion, some candidates often get aggressive. We shouldn’t fight during the
discussion.
If we are properly acquainted with the rules of Group Discussion, if we definitely know what the
Group Discussion is about and how it is done, we will have an efficient Group Discussion, which
will give us an opportunity to develop a lot of skills which have already been mentioned above.

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 2. SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Do the benefits of discussions in face-to-face classes differ depending on the type of discussion?
For example, do small group discussions yield the same benefits to the learner as discussions
involving the entire class?
We consider two types of discussions:
1. Large group discussions- discussions that invite the entire class to participate,
2. Small group discussions- discussions, when the class is divided into groups of about five
students.
Small group discussion is one of the types of teaching techniques in improving students’
speaking ability. Small group is group learning, where students work through a particular order
of stages in groups of four, and where students are engaged in exploration, transformation,
presentation and reflection. By small group the students can have an influence on each other,
share common goal or purpose. It means that grouping students in a small discussion will make
the students spread their spirit, have an influence on their friends when they are learning
together.
A group is defined as an assemblage of people trying to satisfy their individual needs through the
exchange of ideas and thoughts. To say it briefly a group is a collection of individuals in the
same place in which there are interactions among the members. An assemblage of students in a
classroom itself is actually described as a group.
The discussion is described as the process of talking things over among two or more persons,
preferably face to face. This process is also described as a cooperative effort on the part of a
number of individuals who work together as a group, through the exchange of thoughts orally. It
is the exchange of opinions and ideas among all the members of the group which consists of
about five to eight members, who are trying to solve the problem.

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS.

There are number of values which are gained through small group discussions:
1. There are more than two students in each group, so personal relationship are usually less
problematic. There is also greater possibility of different viewpoints and negotiation than
in pair work or individual work.
2. It encourages broader skills of cooperation and negotiation than pair work, and yet is
more private than work which involves the whole class.

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 3. It promotes learners’ autonomy and self-confidence by allowing students to make their
own decision in the group without being told what to do by the teachers.
4. Although we do not wish any individuals in groups to be completely passive,
nevertheless some students can choose their level of participants more easily than in a
whole class or pair work situation.
Small group discussions can also have some disadvantages:
1. The discussions are likely to be noisy. The teachers feel that they lose control, and
everything which has been built up with great care may dissipate when the class is split
into smaller groups.
2. Not all students like it when they are not in the centre of their teacher’s attention –and are
working with their peers. Sometimes students find themselves in inappropriate groups
and wish they could be somewhere else.
3. Individuals may fall into groups that become fossilized, so that some are passive, whereas
others may dominate.
4. Groups can take longer to organize than pairs; beginning and ending group work
activities especially where people move around the class can take time and be disordered.

So, group discussions can have advantages, as well as some disadvantages. All these factors are
relative for each individual. As people think differently and have different viewpoints, some of
these factors can be considered as advantages for some people, others as disadvantages. It is very
important to consider all these factors, to have good communication skills, try to work
effectively in groups, take into account the opinions of all the group members and come to a
joint conclusion in the end in order to have a productive group discussion.

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 3.GROUP DISCUSSION’S BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS
The use of group work in the classroom is one of the most widely researched teaching
approaches in the world. Numerous research studies have shown the benefits of group work on
communication skills, confidence and academic performance. Group work makes learning
easier, but it is an effective way only in certain situations. It has its pros and cons both for
students and for teachers. First of all, let’s consider the advantages of group discussions for
students.
1. Students develop new perspective:
The phrase “two heads are better than one” is certainly about this. If students are able to work
together, they are more likely to find and suggest different techniques in order to try and solve
the problem, for example, on a problem-solving task. It’s easier for students to learn by
discussing each other’s viewpoints, as this allows them to develop new perspectives of how they
can cope with the task.
2. It leads to personal satisfaction:
Working in a group can be difficult. So, when students are able to cope with all the conflict,
stress, and long hours that come with group assignments, the result of getting a good grade can
be very satisfying, motivating and why not inspiring.
Research shows that students who contribute to group discussion are highly dedicated to figuring
out a solution. When they find the solution, students become extremely satisfied with their role
in making that decision and solving that problem. So, they get motivated and also gain
confidence.
3. It results in better team working skills:
Teamwork allows students to find out complicated tasks that they otherwise wouldn’t have done
if they had been alone, developing both their individual and collective learning. This is because
in a group students develop new styles of thinking and have new perspectives.
This provides students with an opportunity to improve their communication skills, collaboration
and provides a capacity for brainstorming different ideas. This can help group efficiency as well.
4. It also enhances overall learning:
A research showed that 97% of students thought that working in a group environment has helped
make easier their learning and collaborative skills in some way. Some students suggested that

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group work served as a learning process in itself; that is, they learnt about groups by working in
a group.
Research also shows that learning in a group leads to having better memory and understanding.
This is because students remember more from group discussions than if they listened to the same
content in a more instructional way.
However, these benefits are only felt if:
 Clear goals are set
 There is clear leadership
 Each member is assigned a specific role
 There’s equal participation from all group members
 The task is relevant to syllabus content.

5. Students learn how to overcome conflict:

Some researchers think that conflict during group work can actually be a good thing as it can
show the experiences which students will have in their future workplaces. In this way, students
learn how to develop their communication skills and how to solve interpersonal issues in a safer
way.
Group work also allows students to develop a better understanding of themselves. By gaining
experiences about how well they did their tasks and how well they worked as part of the group,
students are more likely to evaluate their social skills and behaviour.
Properly structured, group projects can strengthen skills that are relevant to both group and
individual work, including the ability to:
 Break complex tasks into parts and steps
 Plan and manage time
 Refine understanding through discussion and explanation
 Give and receive feedback on performance
 Challenge assumptions
 Develop stronger communication skills.
When group discussions are not designed, supervised and assessed in a way that promotes
meaningful teamwork and deep collaboration, it can’t be a guarantee that all these above
mentioned goals will be achieved.
6. It improves oral communication skills:
It helps the students to communicate their opinion to other friends in spoken language. With oral
communication, students can deliver their opinion to their friends in a group. Students can

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practice their oral communication skills in group discussion. Group discussion helps the students
to change their attitude to be more communicative in ELT and EFT classroom. There are four
categories of communication skill, that is: Oral communication, nonverbal communication,
respect others by listening and do assertive communication.
7. It helps the students to learn nonverbal communication:
It has been found that group discussion helps the students to learn nonverbal communication by
using gesture. It helps the listener understand the information visually. For example, speakers’
hand movement or eye-contact in transferring information to the listener.
8. It also attributes to respecting others by listening:
It helps the students sharing the information to get new information from other students. By
giving close attention, it leads the students to practice their respect. It helps the students to
understand the expressed point of view in listening other students’ argument. Active listening is
important in communication skill in group discussion because this skill is effective to make the
discussion interactive.
9. They can do assertive communication:
It helps the students to share their arguments in a group. The students can express their
agreement and disagreement to the other group members. In conclusion, being assertive means
that the students have strong beliefs in their opinions without thinking whether their opinion
might be right or not. The students can propose their ideas in a group discussion confidently.
10. It also helps to build trust in others:
It helps the students to build integrity of trust to other students. Trust means that the students
give the belief to other people to give contribution on their ideas to the task. The students can
share the task when learning together with their friends. They can also trust in their ideas as well
as their viewpoints and perspectives.
In conclusion, it is very important to take into account all these points, try to think about them
during the group discussions, which will provide a great result in the end. The result will be your
success in the group discussion.

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 4.GROUP DISCUSSION’S DISADVANTAGES

When students are in groups, they have the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences
with others. However, it is important to understand that there are disadvantages of group
discussions. For example, the group might not have the same goals or viewpoints as another
group member. Other challenges in group discussion are as follows:
 Interruptions – Group members tend to interrupt one another and give answers too
quickly. For example, some of the group members try to answer to the question as
quickly as possible not discussing the matter with the other group members. This can
make it difficult for the other group members to come up with ideas.
 Not for everyone – Group discussion isn’t for everyone. For example, some people
might not be comfortable speaking in front of a group and may also not be able to
contribute as much due to anxiety and embarrassment. Others may find that they cannot
finish their participation in the discussion due to time limit. So all these factors can cause
difficulties for the other members of the team, and in the end they can even fail.
 Can get very confusing- Group discussions are wonderful ways to create new ideas and
facilitate discussion. However, they can also become very confusing when the group is
large or the number of topics being discussed is quite high. It is easy for everyone to get
mixed up and not know what they’re talking about. When there are many topics to
discuss, group members can, for example, misunderstand the meaning, get confused and
not be able to answer to the question properly.
 Not everyone will get a chance to express their views-Quite often, discussions in a
group are dominated by a few members. Although a group discussion means a collective
discussion, some people usually manage to draw to them a position of informal
leadership owing to their personality or style of participation. In a group discussion, not
everyone will get a chance to express their views. Some group members can be very
active and don’t let others to participate or express their ideas. Some people may feel that
they are being ignored or that their opinion is not as important. When someone doesn’t
speak up, it could be because they’re nervous, shy, embarrassed or forgot what they

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 wanted to say. It’s very important to respect each other during the group discussion, take
into account the viewpoints of all the people in the group. In this case, the group
discussion will be effective.
 May not be as effective as a lecture –Group discussions are a time-consuming method
of teaching and often less effective than lectures. Lectures are quick and easy to produce,
while group discussions have a lot of time required in them. Lectures also allow you to
teach more than one at once, while group discussion is limited in the number of people it
can reach. Lectures can also be recorded for later use and consumption which is not
possible with group discussions.
 It is time consuming- A group involves several individuals. Getting them organised,
planning and coordinating their discussions, defining and explaining to them the purpose
of a discussion and the goals, and finally reaching a solution or arriving at a decision can
be quite complicated. Making decisions in a group can, thus, be time-consuming. The
time loss involved in group dynamics cannot be neglected.
 Lack of onus/responsibility- It is difficult to fix responsibility in a group. In an
organisation, it is often essential to fix responsibility before a problem can be solved. It is
difficult to do so if anything goes wrong with a decision made by a group. So it’s very
important to take responsibility in every case in order to achieve the desired goal.
 Groupism- The very word has negative nuances. Some members of a group may start
bearing a feeling that they are different from the others. This actually leads to informal
groups within the larger formal group, which may generate negative sentiments towards
other groups or people outside the group.
So group discussion is effective and preferred when there is a big matter at hand where views
and opinions from a different individual can equally contribute to a result of a successful
decision.

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 5.COMPARISON TABLE FOR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
GROUP DISCUSSION

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 CONCLUSION

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 The aim of this research paper is to investigate what is group discussion, types of group
discussions, its advantages and disadvantages for students, etc.
The first chapter reveals that group discussion is a type of discussion which involves people
sharing ideas or activities and helps them to exchange their ideas. There are also some rules
which we have to follow during group discussions.
The next chapter is about small group discussions, its advantages and disadvantages. By
small group the students can have an influence on each other, share common goal or purpose.
It means that grouping students in a small discussion will make the students spread their
spirit, have an influence on their friends when they are learning together.
The third chapter is about the advantages of group discussions. Group work makes learning
easier, but it is an effective way only in certain situations. It has its pros and cons both for
students and for teachers.
The next chapter is about the disadvantages of group discussions. It is important to
understand that there are disadvantages of group discussions. For example, the group might
not have the same goals or viewpoints as another group member.
So it’s very important to take into account all the points and factors mentioned above in
order to have an efficient group discussion. Group discussion is productive when the views
and opinions from a different individual can equally contribute to a result of a successful
decision.

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 REFERENCES

 https://m.busyteacher.org/17846-group-work-esl-classroom-top-10-benefits.html
 https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/benefits.html
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
241733148_Learning_Through_Discussions_Comparing_the_Benefits_of_Small-Group_and_Large-
Class_Settings
 https://www.aplustopper.com/group-discussion-advantages-and-disadvantages/
#Disadvantages_of_Group_Discussion
 https://www.aplustopper.com/group-discussion-advantages-and-disadvantages/
#Disadvantages_of_Group_Discussion
 https://content.wisestep.com/group-decision-making-top-advantages-disadvantages/
 JETAFL (Journal of English Teaching as a Foreign Language) ISSN: 2459-9506
 English Language Teaching; Vol. 10, No. 7; 2017 ISSN 1916-4742 E-ISSN 1916-4750 Published by
Canadian Center of Science and Education

HOW TO CITE INTERNET SOURCES

Aristotelis. (1844). Organon graece. Available:

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23278797M/Aristotelis_Organon_graece.
Last accessed 20th Apr 2016.

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