All Sides of the Issue: Activities for Cooperative Jigsaw Groups

A young Guyanese man seeks permission to stay in the United States for a heart operation, but immigration officials refuse him an extension of his visitor’s visa, believing he is involved with political groups that use violence . . . is this fair? Some say Columbus discovered America, but ancient stories from Europe claim the Vikings did. Who’s right? Based on the principles of cooperative learning strategies, this dynamic resource promotes language development and critical thinking skills through photocopiable readings, discussions, and problem-solving activities on poignant issues from immigration to environmental pollution. Each of the five issues is presented from four points of view at four different language levels. Students work in cooperative jigsaw groups to discuss and present each side of the issue to their classmates. Great for multilevel groups, this resource also includes introductory material and activities to cooperative learning and the jigsaw approach.