Fremantle Massage Therapy. (2022). Anxiety & Depression

Introduction

Cohort: Year 9 (Stage 5), 14-15 years old

Educational Need: Anxiety

Learning Space: Group, Collaborative and Cooperative

Anxiety is the most prevalent mental health concern for Australian adolescents today, impacting 1 in 7 students (AIHW, 2016). 

Anxiety causes vast uncontrollable worries over everyday situations which disrupts students’ ability to participate in school (Lawrence et al., 2016). Students with anxiety:

• Have trouble concentrating
• Lack confidence 
• Seek constant reassurance 
• Disengage from social interactions due to fear of judgement.

Zebras Aus. (2019). Anxiety Infographic 

Click here (and here) for a glimpse of what living with anxiety feels like.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, 50.3% of adolescents have reported a negative impact on their mental health due to the uncertainty and physically disconnecting experience of online learning (AIHW, 2021; Mission Australia, 2021; Racine et al., 2021). Consequently, the transition back to face-to-face learning raises concerns for students as they navigate the unfamiliarity of their education in a classroom setting after being away from it for so long (Racine, et al., 2021). 

Healthy Place. (2022). Living with Anxiety

Therefore, the group learning space is key to promoting connectedness through social interactions for students to develop positive peer-relations in a supportive environment. As students with anxiety struggle to build peer rapport, this space will support them as they can work at a suitable pace with classmates they feel comfortable with and are guided through tasks that feel overwhelming to complete individually. This aids the social-emotional development of all Stage 5 students, particularly as Year 9 is a crucial transitional period towards senior schooling with greater pressure in academic success.  

Strengths

• Shared learning experiences increase belonging
• Develops essential interpersonal skills
• Encourages acceptance of diversity, creating a safe learning community

Weaknesses

• Unequal contributions cause conflict/social exclusion
• Learning style not preferred by all, causing disengagement 
• Working with others causes distress (Bishnoi, 2017). 

Fundamentally, adolescents with anxiety require (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2014):

• Classroom routine to minimise distress over sudden changes
• Broad tasks broken down into manageable activities
• Ample time given to complete work at a comfortable pace
• Someone to frequently communicate their feelings with when overwhelmed. 

Teachers can support students by: outlining explicit instructions, breaking-up group tasks by assigning students specific roles, assigning students to groups with familiar peers and initiating one-on-one discussion with students to provide feedback and reassurance. 

Peer Review Feedback

Upon reflection of peer feedback, it is clear my prototype is a relevant and viable approach to supporting the target cohort however, requires slight refinement. It was stated that my approach is strong due to the current prevalence of anxiety as an educational need today in which the literature I used greatly supported the provided classroom strategies teachers can implement to cater to anxious students. 

However, to improve, it was suggested that I:

• Include evidence of learning theorists to authenticate suggested teaching strategies
• Consider how collaborative strategies will also be useful to students who are not suffering from anxiety
• Consider how students will be challenged in the group learning space.

This feedback was beneficial and has helped point out areas of weakness in my initial prototype. It has prompted me to rethink my approach and investigate deeper into how group learning will impact all Year 9 students. Therefore, I will refine my focus on the suggested points of feedback in order to strengthen my prototype and demonstrate how the group learning space will cater to and support students in a Year 9 cohort. 

Evidencing how my prototype will enhance the learning and engagement of the chosen cohort

Social interaction is crucial during adolescence to meet students’ need for belonging and healthy social-emotional development (Maslow, 1943; Morin, 2022). Adolescents with anxiety often disengage and have difficulty concentrating in class due to persistent worries (ReachOut, 2022). For them to succeed, they must feel supported and connected to peers, situating the group learning space as key to ensuring this. 

Professional Academy. (2022). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The group learning space will enhance the learning and engagement of Year 9 students with anxiety as it provides opportunities for collaboration with peers in small groups as opposed to whole class settings, limiting overwhelming feelings (Suwantarathip & Wichadee, 2010). By working in smaller groups, students will feel more comfortable and encouraged to socially interact, realising they are not alone in their learning and have an accessible peer-support network. Students will feel a sense of belonging while working together to achieve shared learning goals (Baepler, 2021). 

Collaborative learning enables students to guide each other and work at a suitable pace distributing cognitive responsibilities amongst themselves, limiting any worries they experience about completing work individually (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2014). It engages all students in the active process of learning, encourages self-efficacy and increases achievement as students are responsible for the success of their peers, fostering Vygotsky’s theory of social-constructivism (1987). Thus, challenging students to succeed as a whole group. 

Group learning develops:

• Positive interdependence
• Accountability
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Higher-order thinking
• Acceptance of diversity as students work through differences, strengthening rapport. 

It facilitates peer-mentoring, feedback and frequent conversation with educators, helping combat the need for reassurance as students have opportunities to clarify thoughts and develop self-confidence. This allows teachers to gain better understanding of each student’s learning style and progression to differentiate future tasks which are more accommodating of their needs, strengthening student-teacher rapport (Laal & Ghodisi, 2012). 

For more information on the Group, Collaborative & Cooperative learning space, read Reflective Article #5

Potential challenges for educators implementing the group learning space

For educators, facilitating group learning for Year 9 students with anxiety poses challenges alongside its benefits. When conducting collaborative activities, teachers must ensure coherent instruction is provided to students to specify task requirements. If instructions are not clear, teachers consequently create a classroom environment of stress and confusion which decreases students’ sense of belonging and safety, inhibiting individual growth in autonomy and success (McDonald, 2019).

Time management is also difficult to maintain as collaborative tasks require more time for planning, observing and communicating with each group as they work together. This becomes challenging for educators to monitor students’ individual contributions, achievement and provide personalised support alongside managing the entire class (Le et al., 2018). Consequently, when educators assess group performance as a whole, unequal contributions within groups can remain undetected, unfairly rewarding students for their lack of participation (Forsell et al., 2021).

Class Plus. (2022). Challenges in the teaching profession

Therefore, the group learning space is challenging for educators to identify ‘free-riders’ (students who leave their work for peers to complete), amongst those who effectively engage in tasks (Le et al., 2018). This causes problems for educators when keeping track of individual learning progression and identifying students who require additional support (i.e. EAL/D or students with anxiety). 

Another challenge for educators is managing and supporting students’ emotions. As anxiety makes it difficult for students to socially interact and group learning is not preferred by all students, if group allocations are not carefully planned by teachers, students with anxiety will not feel safe or comfortable participating in collaborative tasks and engaging with peers, causing distress. This leads to disengagement and reluctance in participation overall, limiting effectiveness of group learning as the classroom becomes seen as an unwelcoming and threatening environment to students (Forsell et al., 2021). 

Potential challenges for Year 9 students with anxiety whilst working within the group learning space

For students with anxiety, collaboration is daunting as their fear of judgement is heightened and stimulates worries, making it difficult to connect with peers and process new information (Van Amerigan & Farvolden, 2003; Suwantarathip & Wichadee, 2010). This hinders their ability to focus, follow instructions and switch attention between their individual role and communication with group members during collaboration (International OCD Foundation, 2022). Therefore, making the group learning space an overwhelming experience, inhibiting engagement. 

Unclear outcomes and structure within group activities causes confusion, stress and impairs students’ contributions (Falkner et al., 2013). Adolescents in year 9 still require guidance to become self-directed learners therefore, teachers must ensure they explicitly outline expectations of group work. 

Cerebral. (2020). Social Anxiety Disorder

Working with others triggers anxiety and emotional pressure to achieve, making students feel apprehensive in the classroom (Falkner et al., 2013). Academic stress is placed on students when they are randomly assigned to groups with peers they are unfamiliar with, particularly as they may not equally contribute or are left to complete more work than assigned. Unequal contributions within groups therefore amplify anxiety for all students, making it difficult to regulate their emotions over feelings of unfairness and causing self-doubt to impact their success (Forsell et al., 2021).

Students with anxiety typically avoid confrontation. Therefore, negotiating their role in group settings is challenging and could result in social exclusion or conflict with peers (Falkner et al., 2013). Students may feel pressured to conform to the majority opinion of the group, making their efforts feel invalidated, decreasing their self-efficacy. This results in students feeling uncomfortable voicing their opinions so they remain quiet and agree with peers even if their ideas do not align. Therefore, hindering academic growth and causing alienation in group discussion if peers are dominating (Burke, 2011). 

Recommendations for approaches to resolving the aforementioned challenges

• Initiate ‘think-pair-share’ before group tasks so students build confidence and comfortably develop peer-rapport (Johnson et al., 2011; Sampsel, 2013). 

• Implement ‘peer-buddy’ systems so students feel supported and have a trusted peer to work with, encouraging social interaction and engagement (Foster, 2011). 

• Arrange classroom furniture to facilitate peer interactions and comfort in group work, allowing students to converse without feeling intimidated (Davis, 2012; Highland, 2022). 

• Frequently move around the classroom to provide students guidance, reassurance and monitor individual progress (Baepler, 2021).

• Communicate explicit instructions, follow routine and display a check-list schedule so students know what to expect throughout lessons, aiding their transition and focus between tasks.

• Create a ‘quiet space’ in the classroom for students to use when overwhelmed — this will assist with managing their emotions before rejoining peers.
  • At this space, provide students with emotion cards so they can express how they are feeling with ease. This will help teachers initiate conversation with the student and work through their emotions (All Play Learn, 2022)
  • Encourage students to reflect on what triggered their emotions by completing a problem solving guide. This will help calm students as they learn how to overcome stressful situations group learning may present.

• Have regular brain breaks during lessons to allow students time to regulate their emotions, practice relaxation techniques and process new information. This will help students avoid becoming overwhelmed (NCCD, 2022).
  • Initiating guided meditation and breathing exercises will support students when agitated and educate them on how to calm overwhelming emotions. 

• Set checkpoints for group tasks so students are guided and can organise individual responsibilities, ensuring equal workload (Iowa State University, n.d.).
  • At checkpoints, allocate time for peer feedback to gain insight on how students are progressing individually and collaboratively (Webb, 2009). This ensures teachers can differentiate tasks in future from student feedback. 

• Implement a two-part marking criteria to assess students’ individual and group performance, utilising their self-reflections and peer-reviews. This ensures fair assessment in group tasks and monitors individual achievement (Carnegie Mellon University, n.d.). 

• Scaffold group tasks into smaller activities for students to complete over a period of time and assign each student an individual role which will guide their participation (Mäkitalo-Siegl et al., 2010). This ensures work is not overwhelming, students are aware of their responsibilities and aids behavioural management (PPDS, n.d.)

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0w6dX6aGjjlNmrt2sRHjWN?si=9baf86a385214af0

Click here to access additional strategies which will support the social-emotional wellbeing of all students

Concluding comments

Due to the increasing prevalence of anxiety amongst Australian adolescents, it is crucial learning environments are supportive and assist students with maintaining their social-emotional wellbeing. For a Year 9 cohort, the group learning space is significant as it promotes social connectedness and creates a welcoming classroom community of support. Therefore, as educators, we must utilise the group learning space to foster an environment of belonging, trust and safety to ensure the wellbeing of all students is supported throughout their education. 

YMCA UK. (2016). Healthy mind and body.