Y05W38RC Teamwork Helps… Until It Doesn’t

This week, you are reading an opinion piece about teamwork. You will practise noticing how the writer builds an argument using reasons and examples, and how they acknowledge the other side before returning to their own view. As you read, think about whether you find the argument convincing — and why.

Persuasive — Opinion piece

An opinion piece is a piece of persuasive writing in which a writer takes a clear position on a topic and uses reasons and examples to support it. Writers use opinion pieces to influence how the reader thinks about an issue. You will usually encounter a strong opening statement, several supporting reasons backed by examples, an acknowledgement of the other side, and a conclusion that returns to the writer’s position. As you read, your job is to notice how each reason connects to the main claim and how the writer handles the opposing view.

Before You Read

  • Read the title and notice the two-part structure: ‘Teamwork Helps… Until It Doesn’t’. Think about what this contrast suggests — what conditions might make teamwork work, and what might cause it to fail?
  • Think about a group task you have been part of. Did everyone contribute equally? Was there a moment when things went well or fell apart? Use that experience to help you engage with the writer’s argument.
  • Notice that the text ends with a specific practical suggestion. As you read, watch for how the writer builds towards this recommendation.

While You Read

  • Identify the writer’s main claim in the opening paragraph. Hold it in mind as you read each reason and example — ask yourself: does this detail support the claim directly?
  • Notice when the writer shifts to the counterpoint. Pay attention to how they acknowledge the other side — do they dismiss it, partly agree, or reject it entirely?
  • Pay close attention to the two group examples — one where teamwork works and one where it fails. Both are from a school setting. Track what specifically makes the difference between them.
  • Look out for the vocabulary check box at the end of the reading. Use the definitions to check your understanding of key words before you attempt the questions.

Read With Purpose

  • Notice the structure of the writer’s argument: opening claim → reasons and examples → counterpoint → conclusion. As you read, track how each section connects to the next.
  • Pay attention to the language the writer uses for the counterpoint: ‘I partly agree.’ Notice how this phrase allows the writer to acknowledge the other view while still holding their own position.
  • Watch how the conclusion returns to the main claim and offers a practical recommendation. Consider whether the final paragraph makes the argument feel complete.

Now read

The opinion piece

~4 min read · ~502 words

Teamwork Helps… Until It Doesn’t

Have you ever started a group task thinking, ‘Great, this will be easier with four people,’ and then ended up watching the clock while one person searched for glue, another forgot the instructions and nobody could agree on the first sentence? Teamwork can feel powerful, but it can also go wrong. That is why I think teamwork is helpful only when it is organised with care. Working together is not automatically better. It becomes better when each person knows what to do, feels heard and stays focused on the same goal.

My first reason is simple: teamwork can improve thinking because more than one brain is working on the problem. One student might notice a strong idea for the opening, another might remember a useful fact and someone else might spot a missing step. In a science poster task, for example, one group in Year 5 worked well because each person had a clear job. One student checked the facts, one drew the diagram, one wrote the labels and one read the success criteria aloud. Their final poster was clear and detailed because the ideas were shared, not squeezed out of one tired person.

My second reason is that teamwork can build confidence. Some students are more willing to speak when they can test an idea with a partner before sharing it with the class. A quick discussion can help a hesitant student move from ‘I’m not sure’ to ‘I think we should try this.’ That matters. Good teamwork can turn quiet thinking into useful contribution, and it can help classmates learn from each other’s strengths.

But teamwork backfires when the group is not actually working as a team. If one person does nearly everything while others drift off task, the group may finish, but the thinking is weaker and the learning is unfair. The same problem appears when the group talks so much that no one makes a decision. In a history task, one class group spent ten minutes arguing over the title, then rushed the research and forgot two important facts. They had plenty of voices, but not enough direction.

Some people say teamwork is still best because it teaches sharing and patience. I partly agree. Those skills do matter. However, simply putting students together does not teach teamwork by magic. A group needs a strategy. It needs a clear goal, short roles, a time limit and a moment to stop and check, ‘Is everyone included? Are we still on task?’ Without those supports, teamwork can become noise instead of progress.

So here is my view: teamwork helps when it gives people a structure for thinking together, and it hurts when it becomes a pile-up of confusion. The answer is not to avoid group work. The answer is to do it smarter. Next time your class works in teams, try one small rule first: give every person a job and a turn to speak. Teamwork is strongest when everyone is part of the thinking, not just part of the table.

Check your vocabulary knowledge

organised adj.
planned clearly and kept in order
focused adj.
paying careful attention to one task
hesitant adj.
unsure and not ready to act quickly
contribution n.
something helpful a person adds
structure n.
a clear way of organising something