Cooperative Learning Approach in Teaching and Learning Writing Skills: Practices and Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15642/ijet2.2024.13.1.52-69Keywords:
challenges, cooperative writing, cooperative learning, practicesAbstract
The study was tried to investigate the practices and challenges of cooperative learning approach in teaching and learning writing skills of Grade 11 students, Afar Regional State, Logia Secondary and Preparatory School, in focus. More specifically, the study addressed the following research questions: (1) How is cooperative learning practiced in teaching and learning writing skills? (2) What are the challenges that hinder the effective implementation of cooperative learning in writing skills? The main subjects of the study were Grade 11 students of Logia Secondary and Preparatory School. Moreover, one of a social science classes were randomly selected. The data for this research purpose was collected through students’ questionnaire, teacher’s and students’ interview. Regarding the practices of CL in writing skills, both the teacher and students have positive attitudes i.e. teaching writing cooperatively improves students’ writing performance. Both the teacher and students believed that cooperative learning approach is practiced in their teaching and learning of writing somehow. Based on the data obtained from teacher’s interview and students’ questionnaire, there are many challenges that resist the successful implementation of CL which could be grouped under student-related, teacher-related, classroom-related, time-related and weather condition-related problems. As of students’ questionnaire and interview, the fear of grammar, the writing itself and how to organize ideas together are some of the problems students face in learning writing skills. To keep the implementation more effective and to overcome the challenges, some recommendations were forwarded.
Downloads
References
Alamirew G/Mariam (2005). A Study on the Perception of Writing, Writing Instruction, and Students’ Writing Performance. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Addis Ababa University.
Crandall, (1999).Cooperative language learning and affective factors.CUP.
Cohen, E. (1994a). Designing group work: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom.(2nd Edition). New York: Teachers College Press.
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gillies et. al, (2008). The Teacher's Role in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classroom. New York: Springer.
Gillies, R. (2006). Teachers’ and students’ verbal behaviors during cooperative and small-group learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 271-287.
Harmer, J. (2005). How to teach English. An introduction to the practice of English language teaching. Addison Wesley Longman Limited. (First Pub 1998).
Harmer, J. (2006).The practice of English language teaching. England: Pearson.
Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach for exam. (3rd ed) Pearson Education Limited.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the language classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ismail, S.A. (2007). Exploring students’ perceptions of ESL writing. English language teaching, 4(2)
Italo Beriso (1999). A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Teacher versus Peer Feedback on Addis Ababa University Students’ Writing Revisions. Ph.D. Thesis, AAU.
Johnson, R.T., and Johnson, D.W. (1986).Action research: Cooperative learning in the science classroom. Science and children, 24, 31-32.
Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T., (1989).Cooperation and Competition: Theory and Research. Interaction Book Company.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. and Holubec (1999).Learning together and alone: Competitive and Individualistic Learning. Needham Heights: Allyn& Bacon.
Jolliffe, W. (2007).Cooperative Learning in the Classroom. London: Paulchapmen Publishing.
Kagan, S. & High, J. (2002). Kagan structures for English language learners. Retrieved from: December 9, 2018, http:www.KaganOnline. Com.
Kumar, R. (2001). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginner. London: Addison Wesley Longman.
Liang, T. (2002). Implementing cooperative learning in EFL teaching: Process and effects. Doctoral Dissertation, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Mitiku Teshome and Italo Beriso. Effects of Cooperative Learning on Grade 11 Students’ Writing Performance: Afar Regional State, Ethiopia. Arabic Language, Literature & Culture. Vol. 6, No. 2, 2021, pp. 26-36. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20210602.11
Raimes, A. (1983). Methods in Teaching Writing. New York: Oxford University Press.
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Cooperative learning in elementary schools. Education. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 43(1), 3-13.
