Using Google Tools to Support Collaboration in Middle School ELA

Help students develop the skills they will need to work with others in today’s world! Integrating digital technology into your classroom can transform the way your students work together. Tools like Google Docs, Slides, and Google Classroom provide simple, effective ways to enrich your students’ learning experiences by helping them collaborate and cooperate. Here’s how you can use these programs to enhance teamwork among your middle school students.

Collaborative Writing with Google Docs

Google Docs is a fantastic tool for collaborative writing projects. Whether your students are working on essays, stories, or research projects, they can easily co-author a document in real time. Here are a few ideas:

• Peer Editing and Feedback:

  Assign students to peer-edit each other’s work. Using the comment and suggestion features, they can provide constructive feedback without altering the original text. This not only improves writing but also teaches valuable editing skills.

• Group Writing Projects:

  Divide your students into small groups and assign them a shared document to write a collaborative story, research paper, or argumentative essay. Each student can take responsibility for specific sections, while also reviewing and refining their peers’ contributions.

• Class Brainstorming:

  Create a single document for the whole class to brainstorm ideas for a new project. Use headings and bullet points to organize ideas and assign roles for managing the content.

• Track Student Contributions:

  Google Docs includes a version history feature that allows you to see which student wrote or edited specific parts of the document. You can access this by clicking File > Version history > See version history. This feature is invaluable for monitoring individual contributions and ensuring accountability.

Creating Interactive Presentations with Google Slides

Google Slides is more than just a presentation tool; it’s a space for students to collaborate creatively. Here’s how you can use it in your ELA classroom:

• Group Research Projects:

  Have students work in small groups to create presentations about a topic related to your current unit. Each student can contribute their own slide, making the workload manageable while supporting teamwork.

• Multimedia Elements:

  Through Google Slides, students can also include multimedia elements in their projects and presentations. They can employ elements like images, videos, and hyperlinks, and then share their work with classmates.

• Revision History:

  Use the revision history feature in Google Slides to monitor changes and overall progress in group presentations. (Note that while you can view when edits were made and restore previous versions via File > Version history > See version history, this feature does not specify which student made each individual edit. To track contributions, assign clear roles for each slide or section.) 

Streamlining Collaboration with Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a hub that can tie it all together, making it easier for you to assign, manage, and review group work. Here’s a few ways that it can help:

• Assignment Sharing:

  Post assignments that include links to shared Docs or Slides for group projects. This ensures that all students have access to the correct materials.

• Discussion Boards:

  Use the "Question" feature to create a class discussion. Students can reply to your prompts and comment on each other’s responses, supporting a sense of community.

• Offering Feedback:

  Provide feedback on collaborative and cooperative work directly in Google Classroom. You can leave comments on shared Docs or Slides, helping students refine their projects.

Other Collaborative Tools for Teachers and Students

In addition to Google’s tools, you might also consider incorporating one or more of these teacher-favorite platforms into your classroom. Many of these tools offer free versions, but premium features might be available if you haven an account through your school.

• Pear Deck:

  This interactive presentation tool integrates with Google Slides, allowing you to create interactive lessons where students can respond to prompts, questions, or polls in real-time. It encourages active participation and makes collaboration seamless during class discussions.

• Padlet:

  Padlet is an online bulletin board where students can post ideas, images, videos, or links. Teachers can use it for brainstorming, group research, or collaborative storytelling. It’s an excellent way to gather input from the entire class in one shared space.

• Nearpod:

  Similar to Pear Deck, Nearpod allows you to create interactive presentations and lessons. Its Collaborate Board feature works like a digital corkboard where students can post and respond to each other’s ideas, fostering dynamic classroom discussions and teamwork.

• Canva:

  Canva’s collaborative design features let students work together on creative projects such as digital posters, infographics, or presentations. Teams can design visually appealing projects while communicating and editing in real-time.

Tips for Managing Digital Collaboration

While these tools are incredibly powerful, successful implementation requires clear expectations. Consider the following tips:

• Assign Tasks:

  Help groups to choose specific tasks before they begin work, so everyone can contribute effectively. Remind students that if a group member finishes a task early, they should help another group member or take on a new task.

• Teach Digital Etiquette:

  Spend time discussing respectful online communication. Model constructive feedback and discuss how to resolve conflicts collaboratively.

• Monitor Progress:

  Use the revision history feature in Google Docs and Slides to track individual contributions. Also check in with each group regularly throughout a project. This helps you hold students accountable and identify where support may be needed.

Final Note

By integrating collaborative technologies into your teaching, you’ll provide students with engaging opportunities to work together, develop critical thinking skills, and produce high-quality work. Start small with a single project or activity, and watch as your students grow as a team!