Action:

• Assign students to a low-stakes assignment (worth few points and not graded harshly) that requires them to discuss the course content with a peer outside of class.
• The larger the number of students in the group, the more complicated it can be to structure the assignment in an effective way.

Reason:

• This can help students who don’t already know anyone in the class get connected. If students know other people in the class they have more options of whom to reach to for support if and when they need it.