Independent evidence
Group-work is one thing, structured group-work is different and more effective say researchers . In group-work as in other types of learning there is no gain without the pain but establishing rules makes the process easier.  

Your evidence and reflections
You may find it helpful to review how your pupils conduct group-work at the moment using the following questions as a framework to analyse what happened. (You may find a colleague’s observations and feedback particularly helpful.)
 
• Do pupils take turns or do they frequently talk over each other or interrupt?
• Do they invite contributions, redirect contributions for further comments or give encouragement by building on each other’s points?
• Do they listen to each other? Are they willing to learn from each other (i.e.: respond and react to each other's contributions)?
• Do they invite each other to offer explanations e.g. by asking ‘Why do you think that?’
• Does conflict emerge or is harmony maintained e.g. by pupils modifying what they say in light of other’s comments?
• Do pupils elaborate their contributions, e.g. by giving details of events, people, feelings or by providing reasons, explanations, examples?
• Do they evaluate by pooling ideas and suspending judgement before making choices?

Adapted from Reflective Activity Checklist 13-2a (from Reflective Teaching section 13.4  http://www.rtweb.info/ch13/ra13-2a.html)
 
Putting the evidence to work
Your observations will help you identify pupils’ strengths and weakness in group-working.  Would it be helpful to work with your pupils to build rules for group-work? Could you use your evidence to focus discussion and remind pupils of what happened?

Find out more about the SPRinG project at:
http://www.tlrp.org/proj/phase11/phase2a.html

Find out more about planning and implementing group-work:
The Research Informed Practice website digests:
Gillies, R.M., The effects of cooperative learning on junior high school students during small group learning
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/pupil_grouping/ThuAug261107362004/

Wegerif, R., Littleton, K., Dawes, L., Mercer, N. and Rowe, D. Widening access to educational opportunities through teaching children how to reason together
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/speakandlisten/wegerif_access/