By Nickyta Nur Aryda
1.
The Definition Jigsaw
Jigsaw has first
introduced and experimented by Elliot Aronson and colleagues in Texas University
then have been adopted by Slavin and colleagues in John Hopkins
University (Arends,
2001). This teaching technique has been developed as the cooperative learning
method which is used to teach speaking, reading, listening and writing. Besides
that, the language components can be taught by using this technique.
Jigsaw refers to a
particular method of cooperative classroom organization and instruction devised
and documented by Elliot Aronson (Aronson et al: 1978) and others to enhance
academic performance and improve interracial relations in the classroom.
According to Arends
(1997), jigsaw is a type of cooperative learning which consists of some members
in a heterogenous group that have responsibility for mastering a part of
material and have an ability to teach them to the other member from their
group.
Jigsaw has designed to
improve the students’ responsibility to their own learning and other learning.
They are not only learn the given materials, but also they have to be ready to
give and teach them to another group’s member. So, they depend on each other
and work together cooperatively. (Lie, A, 1994)
In the jigsaw
classroom, students in small groups depend on one another for information
needed to learn a topic, complete a task, or solve a problem. Although each
student’s information is dependently comprehensible, the ultimate learning goal
is for everyone in the group to have the whole set of information. It is
therefore each group member’s task to share his or her piece of information so
that all the students know all of the material. In jigsaw then, students are
individually accountable for learning their own material and for sharing their
information effectively with other group members.
There are some
important criteria that should be applied to classroom tasks in order to make
group work effective. This list of five basic principles forms the core of
Together We Learn (Clark et al., 1990):
a.
Students work in
small heterogenous groups.
b.
Students work in
positive interdependence
c.
Students are
accountable both as individuals and as a group
d.
Students learn
through ample opportunity for purposeful talk
e.
Students learn and
practice cooperative skills as they study and explore the subject matter
together.
In jigsaw techniques,
students are divided into two groups, expert group and jigsaw group. Jigsaw
group is a group of student who has a member with different knowledge and
background. This group is combining of the expert group. Then, expert group is
a group of student consisting of the member of different jigsaw group which is
asked to study or learn some topics and finish the task which has related to
their topic then explore them to the member of jigsaw group.
Kessler (1992) states
the steps of jigsaw tasks done by the students as follows;
·
Each group
member receives a different piece of information.
·
Student regroups
in topic group (expert group) to master the material.
·
Student return
to home group (jigsaw group) to share their information with each other.
·
Students
synthesize the information through discussion.
·
Each student
produces an assignment or a part of a group project, or takes a test, to
demonstrate all information presented by all group members.
·
This technique
requires teambuilding activity for both Jigsaw group and Expert groups.
·
This technique
is very useful in the multilevel class, allowing for both homogenous and
heterogenous grouping.
2.
The Benefits of
Jigsaw
The main intent of
Aronson and colleagues (Aronson et al.,1978) in developing Jigsaw was to
provide opportunities for students to work in racially and culturally in mixed
grouping in a way facilitating interracial and intercultural trust and
acceptable while promoting the academic achievement of minority students.
Those Kessler’s
statements give a point that in jigsaw technique students are trained to study
and work in group which needs interaction and trust with each other and give a
motivation for the minority students.
She also said that
jigsaw provides an excellent learning environment for the acquisition of
language in relevant content, the development of academic skills in carefully
structure reading and writing activities, and exploring the relevant content in
the use of purposeful talk in the classroom.
The jigsaw strategy
supports the communicative approach in language teaching. Moreover, each member
of the group is interesting in making sure that sharing of information is
effective, because the group has to complete the task based on the complete set
of information.
In the same way, Coelho
(1989) states, Jigsaw technique of classroom organization is not designed
specifically for second language interaction, it is admirably suited to the ESL
classroom because it foster purposeful task oriented communication. The
information sharing and discussion process helps students to acquire and refine
their oral strategy.
She also said that by
learning using jigsaw some aspects that will be growth, just likes the
increasing of interaction opportunities. Increasing of opportunities to
question and to negotiate meaning. Students become successful communicators
because they have a genuine need to communicate effectively.
3. Steps of Jigsaw in the Classroom
Jigsaw is one of the cooperative learning
techniques, is based on group dynamics and social interactions (Sahin,
2010). It means that the student must study in a group (Anonymous,
2010:30). Thesteps of jigsaw techniqueas follows:
1.
First, teacher divides the students
into small groups. Each group consists of three to five students. These groups
are called jigsaw group. Teacher gives a passage consists of some segments of
the material to all students in jigsaw group.
2.
Second, each student in Jigsaw
groups is assigned to choose a section or portion of the material. After that,
students who choose the same section gather and make a new group called expert
group. In this step, the researcher gives time to these “Expert Group” to
discuss the main point of their segment. They may share ideas, opinions,
and comprehension about the material and try to solve their problem.
After that, they return to their jigsaw groups and explain the material to each
other, until all of them in jigsaw groups comprehend the material.
3.
Finally, give a quiz based on the
material to find out students’ achievement (Slavin, 2005; Mengduo and Xiaoling,
2010; Hersulastuti, 2010).
