Ways to use this list
- Groups of four: press Groups of 4, choose Remove the winner in Settings and spin once per student, so the four roles go to four different people. Press the button again for the next group.
- Science practicals in grades 3–8: press Science lab so one student fetches equipment, one watches safety and one writes down the results.
- Book clubs and discussions: the questioner, summariser and challenger keep the talk going past "I liked it".
- Rotate with every task: the quiet student gets a turn as reporter, and the confident one practises encouraging others, which is often the harder job.
- Kindergarten to grade 2: press K–2 roles, model each job with a volunteer in front of the class, and add one new role a month.
- Make the groups first with the random team generator, which can also give each team a leader, then come back and spin the other roles.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (17 entries)
- Leader – keeps the group on task and makes sure everyone gets a say
- Timekeeper – watches the clock and warns the group when time is nearly up
- Recorder – writes down the group's ideas, answers and decisions
- Materials manager – collects, shares out and puts away the supplies
- Reporter – presents the group's work to the class
- Encourager – praises good ideas and invites quieter members to speak
- Questioner – asks "why?" and "how do we know?" to push the thinking further
- Checker – makes sure everyone understands and agrees before the group moves on
- Summariser – sums up what the group has decided so far
- Researcher – finds facts in books or on class-approved websites
- Illustrator – draws the diagrams, charts or pictures for the group's work
- Noise monitor – keeps voices at a quiet working level
- Safety officer – checks that safety rules are followed during practical work
- Tech manager – runs the device, saves the work and solves small tech problems
- Clarifier – rereads the task and explains the instructions when someone is unsure
- Challenger – politely argues the other side so the group tests its ideas
- Ambassador – visits another group to swap one idea, then reports back
📖 Related guide: How to pick students at random, fairly
Questions people ask
What are the most common group roles for students?
Leader (sometimes called facilitator), recorder, reporter, timekeeper and materials manager. Most classes start with these five and add encourager, checker or questioner once students know the routine.
How many roles should each group have?
One role per student, so nobody can sit back. Groups of three or four suit most tasks. In a group of five, the extra role should be a real job, such as checker or materials manager, not a spare title.
Should students keep the same role all term?
Rotating usually works better: each student practises leading, writing, timing and presenting in turn. Many teachers change roles with every task or every week and keep a simple tally so everyone tries each one.
How do I stop the leader from doing all the work?
Make the leader's job about people, not answers: they check that everyone speaks and that the group stays on task. Every member still adds to the content, and the reporter, not the leader, shares the result.