Groupwork

 

Group work can cause a great deal of stress for some students. Here are some tips to help you through it:

• Why does the university insist on me doing partner or group work? The main reason is to prepare you for your future working life. There are very few jobs that have no collaborative work at all, so the chances are that you will have to work with others at some point. If you decided to get married or live with a partner, this is also a form of group work. And why do so many jobs involve group work? Because when one person works alone, they may not think of every possibility, or they may leave some things out. When there are several people, they will think of a larger number of ideas between them, and are less likely to leave anything out, producing a better piece of work. 

• Working with others is hard: Communicating your differences can feel challenging when working with an unfamiliar group of people. Understanding your boundaries is key in developing effective communication. You may have certain ways of working that make perfect sense to you, it is important that your share this within the group, so that accommodations can be made. For example, asking for extra processing time when sharing your opinion/commenting or answering a question; having questions or instructions in print alongside verbal instructions; requesting clarification if you are unsure by sharing your own understanding of what was instructed (seeking confirmation/clarification); requesting rephrasing of ambiguous phrases, etc. 

• Should I tell the group I am autistic? This is your own personal choice.  By sharing your differences, accommodations can be made to enable you to manage the academic and personal demands in your life and may help you to thrive in your environment. Some students may be reluctant to disclose this information because they have experienced bullying in the past, at Queen Mary we aim to create an inclusive environment, building upon knowledge and understanding that stems from our neurodivergent community. If you do experience any bullying or harassment at all, inform your Disability Adviser, and/or make a report on Report + Support.

• How can I share my differences? Recognising your triggers is very important in being about to engage in your daily and academic life productively. When you understand what your boundaries are, you will be able to create your regulatory toolkit (self-regulation). 

• Working on your strengths - managing expectations and being able to predict events may be necessary for some autistic individuals. If you like things to be clearly planned out, you could offer to be the person who takes notes. This way, you can ensure that you have written down what each person is going to do and by when, and the date of the next meeting. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification about exactly what your role will be and what will happen next.  Developing your group work skills is important, being about to liaise, time manage and communicate effectively with others may be an essential part of your course. Initially, work to your strengths and work on developing skills you find more challenging by shadowing or working with a peer who feels more confident in that area. 

• Navigating social cues It is common for people working in groups to drift away from discussing the task and start a social discussion instead, this can sometimes create feelings of unease. Overtime, you will be able to build good working relationships with peers, and hopefully an understanding of how each of you work. If ever you feel uncomfortable, you can dip into your regulatory toolkit.  Sharing your boundaries is key in helping your peers and the academic staff understand your needs.  If you do not understand a gesture/comment, ask for clarification. 

• What if things are going wrong? If conflict arises that you can't overcome, or there is some other problem in the group, let your Student Support Officer (or School Academic Adviser) know straightaway and ask them to come to a group meeting to help get things back on track.