Why Do Primary Student Teachers Use Individual Moments of Work in Class?

The sociocultural paradigm emphasised the social conditions of learning. It was regularly invoked in order to promote a pedagogy of group work. Although many research showed positive effects on learners due to cooperative or collaborative dynamics, teachers can be reluctant to use group work. This preliminary study is designed to better understand how individual moments of work can be thought according to student teachers’ perspective on their own teaching practices. We explored primary student teachers’ responses concerning “individual work”, defined as a social situation to work and learn in the classroom. Using a short open questionnaire, twelve primary student teachers gave a large array of rationales about using pupils’ individual moments of work in class. This study should help to better acknowledge how they anticipate and specify these individual moments of work during the lessons. The results also point out potential contradictions which may enlighten teachers’ frequent resistances to group work in class. Finally, it opens up a field for further research in education.

, 2017