Transform Your Class into a Supportive Team: Tutoring, Learning Stations, and Roles for Everyone to Progress

Introduction: From Competition to Cooperation

You notice it every day: in your class, some students finish their exercises in 10 minutes while others are still struggling after 30 minutes. Some understand on the first try, while others need 3 explanations. Some raise their hands frantically for every question, while others never participate.

The easy temptation would be to manage this heterogeneity by creating ability groups and letting everyone progress at their own pace, in isolation. But what if this diversity was actually your greatest asset? What if, instead of separating students, you had them work together, where each brings their strengths and receives help with their difficulties?

Welcome to the world of cooperative learning: this pedagogical approach where students work together, help each other, and progress collectively. And it’s not a fluffy utopia! When well-structured, cooperative work:

• Improves the academic results of ALL students (including the stronger ones)
• Develops essential social skills (listening, empathy, communication)
• Reduces the gaps between struggling students and high achievers
• Creates a positive and caring classroom climate
• Especially helps students with DYS disorders who find support from their peers

In this article, we will explore three pillars of cooperation in the classroom: peer tutoring (how to organize mutual help), learning stations (heterogeneous groups that really work), and clear roles (so that everyone contributes fairly). Concrete, tested strategies that transform your class into a true supportive team.

Why Does Cooperation Work So Well?

The Scientific Foundations

The Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky)

A student learns better with the help of a slightly more advanced peer than with an expert teacher. Why? Because the peer:

• Uses more accessible language
• Remembers the difficulties they themselves encountered
• Explains in their own words, using their own strategies

The Tutor Effect (learning by teaching)

When a student explains a concept to another, it is THEY who progress the most! Explaining forces one to:

• Clarify their own knowledge
• Structure their thoughts
• Identify the essential points
• Rephrase in multiple ways

Social Motivation

Working in groups meets a fundamental need: the feeling of belonging. Students are more motivated when they work WITH others rather than alone.

The Benefits for All Profiles

For struggling students (including those with DYS disorders):

• Receive immediate, individualized help in accessible language
• Dare to ask questions they wouldn’t dare ask the teacher
• Feel supported, less isolated
• Progress thanks to explanations from their peers

For “average” students:

• Consolidate their knowledge by explaining
• Develop their self-confidence (they are capable of helping!)
• Learn to express themselves clearly
• Discover different learning strategies

For “high-achieving” students:

• Deepen their knowledge by explaining it
• Develop communication and teaching skills
• Learn patience and empathy
• Feel valued and useful

For the ENTIRE class:

• Caring climate where mistakes are no longer stigmatized
• Development of collective autonomy
• Learning teamwork (essential for future life)

Strategy 1: Peer Tutoring

The Different Types of Tutoring

Fixed Tutoring (all year)

A “tutor” student is paired with a “tutee” for the entire year.

Advantages:

• Trusting relationship that builds
• The tutor knows their tutee’s difficulties well
• Reassuring stability

Limitations:

• Risk of dependence from the tutee
• Risk of boredom for the tutor
• Can create a dominant/submissive relationship

Rotating Tutoring (by periods)

The pairs change every period (every 6-8 weeks).

Advantages:

• Each person is both a tutee and a tutor in different subjects
• Discovery of different ways to explain
• No dependence or assignment to a role

Spontaneous Tutoring (occasional)

Students naturally help each other when one needs assistance.

Advantages:

• Very natural, fluid
• Meets an immediate need
• No pressure on the tutor

Limitations:

• Can be unbalanced (the same ones always help)
• Requires a true culture of cooperation to be established

My recommendation: Combine all three!

• Structured rotating tutoring for certain activities
• Spontaneous tutoring encouraged daily
• Avoid fixed annual tutoring (too rigid)

How to Organize Tutoring in Practice?

Step 1: Train the Tutors

Students are not born “good tutors.” They need to be taught!

Mini-training “Becoming a Good Tutor” (30 minutes):

What is a good tutor?

“A good tutor is NOT someone who gives the answers. It is someone who helps the other find the answers by themselves.”

The 5 Golden Rules of Tutoring:

1. Be patient: “If your classmate doesn’t understand on the first try, that’s okay. Explain it differently.”

2. Ask questions instead of giving answers:

– ❌ “The answer is 12”

– ✅ “How did you find that? What can you try?”

3. Explain in your own words: “Don’t use exactly the same words as the teacher. Explain it as you understand it.”

4. Check that the other understands: “Can you explain it to me in your words?”

5. Value the efforts: “Well done, you are making progress!” “You are almost there!”

Role Play:

Have students act out scenarios where one student plays the tutor, and another the tutee. The class observes and comments: “Was the tutor patient? Did they give the answer or help to search?”

Step 2: Form the Pairs

Basic Principle: Moderate Heterogeneity

Do NOT put:

• The best student with the one struggling the most (too big a gap)
• Two struggling students together (ineffective)

Instead, put:

• A “good” student with an “average” student
• An “average+” student with an “average-” student
• A “very good” student with a “good” student

Take affinities into account (but not overly strong friendships that lead to chatting).

Vary the profiles:

• A dyslexic student can tutor a dyscalculic student in math
• An ADHD student who is very creative can tutor a more rigid student in arts
• Everyone has strengths in certain areas!

Step 3: Structure the Tutoring Times

Tutoring integrated into activities:

During exercises:

“Today, you will work in pairs. If one of you gets stuck, the other can help. But we do NOT do the work for the other!”

Verification phase:

“You have 5 minutes to check your work with your partner. Compare your answers, explain to each other.”

Preparation phase:

“Before presenting your report, practice with your partner. Your partner will give you advice.”

Dedicated tutoring (APC or class time):

10-15 minutes of structured tutoring:

1. The tutee shows where they have difficulties

2. The tutor helps them redo a similar exercise

3. You observe the pairs, guiding if necessary

Managing Tutoring Difficulties

Problem 1: The tutor gives the answers

Solution:

Remind them of the rule: “If you give the answer, your classmate learns nothing. Help them to FIND the answer.”

Give tutors sentence starters:

• “What have you tried?”
• “Reread the instructions, what are you being asked?”
• “Look at the example, how did we do it?”

Problem 2: The tutee relies on the tutor

Solution:

Regularly assess the tutee individually. If they have not progressed despite tutoring, it means they are not making an effort.

Discuss with them: “Tutoring is to help you progress, not for someone to do it for you.”

Problem 3: The tutor feels superior, the tutee feels inadequate

Solution:

Switch roles! Show that EVERYONE is good in certain areas.

Example:

• Morning: Paul tutors Emma in math
• Afternoon: Emma tutors Paul in French

Remind them: “We all have strengths and weaknesses. Helping each other means using our strengths to help others.”

Problem 4: Some students refuse to be tutored

Solution:

Offer different forms of help:

• “Would you prefer to work with Léa or with Tom?”
• “Would you prefer that we check together at the end or that I help you during?”

Never force it. Help should be seen as support, not humiliation.

Strategy 2: Learning Stations (Cooperative Groups)

The Principles of a Functional Learning Station

Principle 1: Positive Interdependence

Students must NEED each other to succeed. Not just “sitting together.”

How to create interdependence?

Everyone has part of the information:

Example in history: Each student receives a different document about Charlemagne. To answer the questions, they must share their information.

Shared resources:

One exercise notebook for the group, one computer, one research sheet. They MUST collaborate.

Common goal:

“Your group must create a poster. You will be evaluated on the group’s poster, not on individual productions.”

Principle 2: Individual Responsibility

Even if the work is collective, each student must contribute AND be able to report what has been done.

How to ensure individual responsibility?

Surprise evaluation of a random member:

“I will question ONE member of each group at random. They will have to explain the group’s work.”

→ Everyone must understand, not just “the good student”

Everyone produces something:

Even if the work is collective, each student has a part to write, an element to create.

Individual signature:

On the final production, each student signs and notes what they contributed to the group.

Principle 3: Clear Roles (detailed below)

Forming Learning Stations: 3 or 4 Students?

Groups of 3: Simple and Effective

• Easier to manage
• Less risk of a student being excluded
• Smoother communication
• Ideal for short tasks (20-30 min)

Groups of 4: More Richness

• More diversity of skills
• Allows for 4 distinct roles
• Ideal for long projects (several sessions)
• Risk: one student may withdraw

My recommendation: Alternate according to activities

• Short and quick tasks → pairs or groups of 3
• Complex and long projects → groups of 4

The Types of Learning Stations

Heterogeneous Stations (the most common)

A mix of students of different levels.

Typical composition of a group of 4:

• 1 “strong” student
• 2 “average” students
• 1 “struggling” student

Advantages:

• Natural mutual aid
• Everyone progresses
• Reduction of gaps

Homogeneous Stations (occasionally)

Students of the same level together.

When to use them?

• For differentiated workshops where each group has exercises adapted to their level
• For certain activities where homogeneity facilitates (debate, role play)

Important: Do NOT use homogeneous stations all the time, at the risk of creating “classes within the class.”

Affinity Stations (rarely)

Students choose who they work with.

When?

• For creative projects where motivation is essential
• Occasionally to please

Limitations:

• Always the same groups
• Exclusion of certain students
• Less heterogeneity

Perfect Activities for Learning Stations

Problem Solving in Math

The group works together on a complex problem. Everyone proposes strategies, debates, and tests.

Science Project

Experiment to carry out, hypotheses to formulate, observations to note, conclusions to draw. Each role is important.

Collective Writing Production

The group writes a story, an article, a report. A secretary writes, but everyone participates in the ideas.

Documentary Research

The group must research information on a topic, synthesize, and present.

Review Games

Team quizzes, educational card games, math challenges.

Collective Formative Assessment

The group prepares a presentation, a poster, a model that will be evaluated.

Strategy 3: Clear Roles in the Group

Why Are Roles Essential?

Without defined roles:

• One or two students do all the work
• The others are passive
• Frustration, feeling of injustice
• Ineffective learning

With clear roles:

• Everyone has their mission
• Accountability
• Equitable participation
• Development of varied skills

The 4 Basic Roles

1. The Facilitator / Team Leader

Mission:

• Distributes the floor (“It’s Léa’s turn to speak”)
• Checks that everyone understands
• Helps resolve conflicts
• Ensures progress is being made

Skills Developed:

Leadership, communication, organization

Who to choose?

A student who is relatively comfortable in communication, but MAKE IT ROTATE so that everyone develops this skill

2. The Secretary / Reporter

Mission:

• Takes notes during the discussion
• Writes the group’s productions
• Reads the instructions to the group
• presents the group’s work to the class (if oral presentation)

Skills Developed:

Writing, synthesis, public speaking

Who to choose?

Rotate! Even a dysgraphic student can be the secretary if given a computer or if another student writes under their dictation.

3. The Timekeeper

Mission:

• Monitors the allotted time
• Alerts the group: “We have 10 minutes left”
• Helps manage priorities: “We won’t have time to do everything, let’s focus on the essentials”

Skills Developed:

Time management, prioritization, organization

Tools:

Give them a Time Timer, an hourglass, or a stopwatch

4. The Material / Logistics Manager

Mission:

• Fetches the necessary materials
• Organizes the materials at the end
• Ensures that everything needed is available
• Keeps the workspace organized

Skills Developed:

Organization, responsibility, autonomy

Ideal for:

ADHD students who need to move! This role allows them to get up legitimately.

Additional Roles Depending on the Activity

The Checker

Checks that the work is complete, that all questions have been answered, and that spelling is correct.

The Encourager

Compliments everyone’s efforts, maintains motivation, says positive things.

The Mediator

Intervenes in case of disagreement, helps find compromises.

The Idea Seeker

Stimulates creativity, proposes original ideas, builds on others’ suggestions.

How to Assign Roles?

Method 1: Random Draw

Simple, fair, no jealousy. But does not take into account everyone’s skills.

Method 2: Systematic Rotation

For each new group activity, rotate the roles. Over the year, everyone has held each role several times.

Method 3: The Group Decides

The students in the group distribute the roles by consensus.

• Advantage: Accountability
• Limitation: Risk that some always take the same roles

My recommendation: Rotation with a small margin of choice

“This session, it’s Léa’s turn to be the facilitator. Tom, you choose between secretary and timekeeper. Paul and Emma, you take the two remaining roles.”

Tools to Materialize the Roles

Role Badges / Necklaces

Create badges (cardboard + string) with the name of the role and a pictogram. The student wears their badge during the activity.

Role Cards

Print cards with:

• The name of the role
• A pictogram
• The main missions

The student keeps their card in front of them during group work.

The Roles Board

A board displayed in the classroom with names in columns and roles in rows. You move magnets to show who has which role.

Why Materialize?

• Constant visual reminder of responsibilities
• Valuation of the role
• Avoids forgetfulness

Enhanced Learning Stations: A Motivating System

The Principle

The learning stations earn points collectively based on:

• The quality of their work
• Their cooperation
• The respect of roles
• The observed mutual aid

At the end of the period (or month), the station with the most points is rewarded.

How to Earn Points?

Points for Work Quality (+1 to +5)

• Complete and correct work: +3 points
• Exceptional work: +5 points
• Incomplete work: +1 point

Points for Cooperation (+1 to +3)

• Excellent cooperation observed: +3
• Good cooperation: +2
• Average cooperation: +1

Bonus Points (+1)

• Fastest group
• Most creative group
• Quietest group
• Group that helped each other the most

Penalties (-1 to -3)

• Unresolved conflicts: -1
• A student doing nothing: -2
• Lack of respect: -3

The Rewards

Collective Rewards (for the entire station):

• 15 minutes of educational games on tablet (COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES!)
• Choice of Friday afternoon activity
• Privilege to decorate a corner of the classroom
• Free reading time
• Possibility to have the next session outside (if weather permits)

Important: Non-material and collective rewards

Avoid candies or individual gifts. The idea is to strengthen team spirit, not individual competition.

Managing Competition Between Learning Stations

Warning: Enhanced learning stations can create unhealthy competition if poorly managed.

Rules for Healthy Competition:

1. Value progress, not just performance

A station that goes from 10 points to 25 points deserves to be congratulated, even if it is not first.

2. Reward multiple stations

“This week, 3 stations have won: the best score, the one that progressed the most, and the one with the best cooperation.”

3. Regularly change the stations

Every 4-6 weeks, recompose the stations. Everyone gets their chance.

4. Highlight INTER-station cooperation

“Today, I saw station 3 helping station 1 that was stuck. Well done! +2 points for both stations.”

Adaptation for Students with DYS Disorders

Tutoring and DYS Students

The DYS student as a tutee:

Huge advantages:

• Immediate and personalized help
• Explanations in accessible language
• No judgment (often more comfortable with a peer than with an adult)
• Faster progression

How to Facilitate?

• Train tutors well on the specifics of DYS disorders
• Encourage the use of tools (reading overlays, computers)
• Provide help sheets for the tutor

The DYS student as a tutor:

Why is it important?

A dyslexic student can be excellent in math and tutor a classmate. A dyspraxic student can be brilliant orally and help with a presentation.

Essential Valuation: DYS students often have a negative self-image (“I am useless”). Being a tutor revalues them: “I am capable of helping others!”

Learning Stations and DYS Students

Do not overload a station with struggling students

Maximum 1 student with DYS disorders per group of 4 (or 2 if their disorders are complementary: one dyslexic + one dyscalculic).

Give them adapted roles:

• ADHD student: Timekeeper, material manager (roles that allow movement)
• Dyslexic student: Facilitator, encourager (oral roles rather than written)
• Dyspraxic student: Idea seeker (not secretary, unless using a computer)

Provide adapted supports FOR THE ENTIRE STATION:

If the dyslexic student needs a syllabicated text, give the syllabicated text to the entire station. No stigmatization.

Combining Cooperation and Digital Tools: COCO in Groups

The program COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES can be used in a cooperative mode!



How to use COCO in learning stations?

Mode 1: Team Challenge

Each station has a tablet. They play the same COCO games and accumulate points. The station with the best score wins.

Mode 2: Cooperation on a Game

Project COCO on the interactive whiteboard. Students in a station think together before giving the answer.

Mode 3: Collective Active Breaks

COCO imposes sports breaks every 15 minutes. Do them as a group! The whole class does the active break movements together.

Benefits of COCO for Cooperation:

• The games are suitable for all levels
• The active breaks are perfect for ADHD students
• The playful format motivates groups
• Immediate feedback that avoids conflicts over “who is right”

Training to Master Cooperation in the Classroom

To deepen your skills in cooperative pedagogy and managing heterogeneous groups, DYNSEO training supports you:

Training: Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities



This training covers:

• How to organize tutoring for DYS students
• The adapted roles according to disorders
• The management of heterogeneous groups
• The strategies for inclusive cooperation

Training: DYS Disorders: Identify and Adapt



Testimonials: When Cooperation Transforms the Classroom

Claire, CM2 Teacher

“I was afraid that working in stations would be chaotic. In fact, it’s the opposite. Since I implemented clear roles and the points system, my students are more autonomous and help each other spontaneously. And above all, my DYS students are no longer isolated: they are part of a team that supports them.”

Lucas, 10 years old, dyslexic

“Before, I hated group work because I felt like a burden. Now, I am often the timekeeper or facilitator. I’m good at that! And my friends help me when it comes to reading complicated stuff. We are a team.”

Emma’s Parents

“Emma comes home telling what HER station did. She says ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. She feels part of a group, and it does her so much good! She who was so alone before.”

Action Plan: Launching Cooperation in 4 Weeks

Week 1: Spontaneous Tutoring

Step 1: Quick training (20 min): “How to help a classmate?”

Step 2: Encourage spontaneous help during exercises: “If you have finished and your neighbor is stuck, you can help them.”

Step 3: Publicly value the observed help

Week 2: First Structured Tutoring

Step 1: Form tutoring pairs for a specific activity (e.g., reviewing multiplication tables)

Step 2: 15 minutes of structured tutoring

Step 3: Debrief: “How did it go? What worked well?”

Week 3: First Learning Stations

Step 1: Form 6 heterogeneous groups of 4 students

Step 2: Present the 4 basic roles

Step 3: First activity in stations (short: 20-30 min)

Step 4: Debrief on the roles

Week 4: Points System

Step 1: Explain the enhanced learning stations system

Step 2: Launch the first “championship” (over 3 weeks)

Step 3: Display scores as you go

Conclusion: From Class to Team

Transforming a class into a supportive team is not an unattainable dream. With well-organized tutoring, structured learning stations, and clear roles, you create an environment where everyone has their place, everyone contributes something, and everyone progresses.

DYS students, instead of being isolated in their difficulties, are supported by their peers. High-achieving students, instead of getting bored, develop communication and teaching skills. Average students consolidate their knowledge by explaining.

And you? You find your true position as a teacher: no longer the one who has to do everything, explain everything, and correct everything individually, but the one who guides a team that learns collectively.

Cooperation in the classroom is not wasted time. It is time invested in essential skills for life: working in teams, communicating, helping each other, respecting others. These skills, your students will use throughout their lives.

So, ready to transform your class into a team? Start small (spontaneous tutoring this week), then grow (learning stations next month). Observe the effects. Adjust. And you will see: your class will never be the same again.

Together, we go further.

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Resources for Further Exploration:

• COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES Program – Ideal for cooperation in digital mode
• Training: Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities
• Training: DYS Disorders: Identify and Adapt

Your class is not a collection of individuals. It is a team. Make it a supportive team!