Trails to Literacy: TOOLKIT

Action Tools - Group Dynamics

Meetings

People don't want to attend meetings where they feel they are just wasting their time. At the end of any meeting, it is important that the group members feel that the time spent was worthwhile, and that they were an important part of the discussions/ decisions. Meetings are excellent places to improve speaking and listening abilities. They also build valued team skills.

To make sure that members get the most from their meetings, you should help the group to:

• Have a chairperson and note-taker for each meeting. (Rotation is good)
• Structure the meeting by setting an agenda with topics and priorities
• Allow flexibility so that the agenda can be changed if other topics arise during the meeting
• Report about the previous meeting and any other important group (sub-group) activities
• Use group tools, such as brainstorming, to gain more ideas and ensure group planning
• Encourage members to participate in discussions - one (or a few members) should not dominate the others
• Encourage decision-making - but do not push for decisions, which may split the group (ex. Consensus vs. Votes).

Again, we remind you that the participants may not be familiar with group processes. They will need help to set up practices to make the team and its meetings run smoothly and efficiently. But remember, it is their group and their learning that is important.

Other Group Functions

The backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints of all participants are valued in a Trails to Literacy project. Everyone learns from everyone else. Everyone has the opportunity to make contributions and to value the contributions of others.

It is important that participants are not 'grouped' according to levels, ability, interests, etc. Without 'integration' the participants do not get the opportunity to learn from each other, provide peer assessment, and, possibly most important, feel like valued contributors (givers, not just receivers).