Cooperative Language Learning

It is educationally acknowledged that reading is an important skill for acquiring a second language academically. However, it has been noticed that students' results in reading in the Foundation program in the Community College of Qatar (CCQ) are not satisfactory. This study used a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design to investigate the effect of using jigsaw cooperative strategy on ELS students' achievement in reading comprehension. Convenience sampling of the two classes was used from the female students enrolling in Level 4 reading classes in the Foundation Program in the Community College of Qatar in the fourth quarter of the academic year of 2013-2014. It is a non-probability sampling technique where two classes were selected because of their convenient accessibility to the researcher as the researcher was supposed to teach them reading. The two classes were assigned randomly to two groups: the experimental group (n=16 students) which was taught seven units in Real Reading Textbook via the jigsaw strategy and the control group (n=10 students) which was taught via the traditional strategy-no grouping. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOV)was used to analyze students' scores on the posttest. The results revealed significant differences in favor of the experimental group. Keywords: cooperative learning, English as a second language, jigsaw strategy,and reading teaching techniques

Este trabajo es un intento por poner en relieve que el Enfoque Cooperativo es una de las metodologías didácticas más idóneas para la enseñanza-aprendizaje de segundas lenguas (L2) y lenguas extranjeras (LE). El Aprendizaje Cooperativo es la actividad de aprendizaje en grupo organizada de tal manera que el aprendizaje sea dependiente del intercambio socialmente estructurado de información entre aprendices en grupos, y en el que cada aprendiz es responsable de su propio aprendizaje, y es motivado a aumentar el aprendizaje de los demás. Se da un esbozo de los orígenes del Enfoque Cooperativo y las razones por su introducción e inserción en la enseñanza de lenguas. Igualmente, se establecen las características principales del Aprendizaje Cooperativo. Se hace hincapié en la problemática metodológica actual sobre la didáctica de lenguas. Se proporciona una visión panorámica sobre la teoría y tipos de aprendizaje tanto como las actividades de enseñanza en torno al Aprendizaje Cooperativo de Lenguas. En este trabajo se hace hincapié en que el Enfoque Cooperativo es uno de los métodos más idóneos para la adquisición de una L2 y para mejorar la competencia lingüística y comunicativa de los alumnos en función de la lengua que están aprendiendo.

Palabras clave: enfoque cooperativo, aprendizaje cooperativo, enseñanza-aprendizaje de lenguas, trabajo en equipo

This article provides a brief discussion of the importance of a tandem approach to language learning and the challenges faced in trying to implement this approach.  Since this article was published, the platform reviewed to in the article is now available and is referred to as the ESL-FSL Tandem Canada Platform:  www.tandem.ulaval.ca.

Language learning strategies (LLSs) have been the focus of an enormous number of foreign language studies. However, many researches in this field have not been thoroughly examined especially in relation to the writing skill. For this reason, the current study investigates Strategy Based Instruction (SBI) implementation in the writing skill, particularly for students of English at the Intensive Language Teaching Center of Mostaganem University, Algeria , to enable them find out which strategies that best suit them, and most importantly, to employ cooperative learning strategies so as to enhance their writing. It aims also at raising students 'awareness of the strategies use, identifying them and providing opportunities for practice and self-assessment. More importantly, the research is an attempt to investigate whether there is any significant difference in students' writing achievement after the implementation of SBI. Students are, then, tested before and after applying SBI that encompasses Oxford's six kinds of LLSs, cooperative learning strategies and POWER strategy which is an acronym for plan, organize, write, edit and revise. To collect data, students' writing paragraph samples are analysed based on five checklist assessment rubrics: focus, content, organization, style and conventions. The results showed that there was a significant difference in all students' writings after integrating SBI. Therefore, more practice should be allotted to writing instruction so as to pave the way of facilitating the development of more confident, more strategic, and in particular, more autonomous and successful language learners.

Este presente trabajo pone énfasis en los procesos metodológicos involucrados en la construcción de cursos de lenguas basados en tareas respecto a la enseñanza-aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras (LE) y segundas lenguas (L2). La primera parte de este trabajo hace hincapié tanto en el diseño de la lección didáctica como en las distintas fases del diseño de tareas tales como la fase de pre-tarea, de la ejecución de la tarea, y la de post-tarea. Se va a prestar especial atención a las diferencias significativas entre la metodología de la enseñanza tradicional tanto como la metodología de la didáctica moderna. La segunda parte de esta obra se va a concentrar en la estructura participativa de la que deben ser parte los alumnos y el profesor.

Además, se va a establecer la importancia del trabajo colaborativo/ cooperativo en la resolución de las tareas. Es absolutamente necesario poner de relieve que el tipo de proceso metodológico que se implemente va a tener un impacto profundo en la ejecución de las tareas presentadas durante el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de los alumnos.

Palabras clave: Enseñanza-Aprendizaje de Lenguas Mediante Tareas, metodología, diseño de tarea, tarea, plan de estudios, procesos metodológicos, estructura participativa, focalización en la forma

Este presente trabajo pone énfasis en el diseño de cursos de lenguas basados en tareas respecto a la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera (LE) o segunda lengua (L2). Se hace mención respecto de los orígenes del Enfoque por Tareas (Enseñanza-Aprendizaje de Lenguas Mediante Tareas) y su necesidad para que los aprendices logren la competencia comunicativa y lingüística en la lengua que están aprendiendo. Se discute sobre la justificación para un plan de estudios y cursos basados en tareas y las razones por las cuales se prefiere un plan de estudios basado en tareas en vez de un plan de estudios lingüístico. Se discute también sobre la clasificación de tareas, el contenido temático y la secuenciación de tareas, los cuales son los tres aspectos centrales en función del diseño de cursos y planes de estudios basados en tareas. En este trabajo se hace hincapié en que el Enfoque por Tareas es el más propicio para la adquisición de una L2.

"This research seeks to highlight that Task-Based Language Teaching is a suitable didactic method for the teaching and learning of second and foreign languages. The development and implementation of a teaching module for Spanish as a foreign language, in the face to face environment, is contemplated. The primary objective is to portray how methodological principles from Task-Based Language Teaching can be combined effectively in designing activities for face to face contexts. In this regard, empirical evidence is analysed in order to determine the effectiveness of the mixed methodology in the teaching-learning of Spanish as a foreign language, in the said settings, in a study based on a longitudinal experimental design with pre-test and post-test, but without control group. The results show an increase in the acquisition of specific knowledge in Spanish as a Foreign Language, thus improving the students’ linguistic and communicative competence.

Keywords: task-based language teaching and learning, task-based approach, face to face method, teaching module, linguistic and communicative competence."

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of cooperative learning in improving mathematical concepts among students with mild intellectual disability (SMID). The sample of the study consisted of 8 SMID at Najran in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sample of the study was divided randomly into two equal groups control and experimental. The students in the experimental group have studied the mathematical concepts by using cooperative learning; however the students in the control group were received their teaching by the conventional method. The photo mathematical concepts test was applied for two groups as pre-test and post-test. Results showed the effectiveness of cooperative learning in improving mathematical concepts for SMID in favour of the students in the experimental group.

It is important to be skilful and knowledgeable, but it is equally necessary to have the ability and approach of an effective cooperative worker, able and willing to contribute our share of knowledge and skills expected in a team-working environment. We are often thrown into situations where, in some way or the other, we tend to seek the support of those whom we believe could help us reach our target making matters easier for us. No matter what kind of profession we belong to, there is always a necessity to be cooperative in nature. Working together by distributing our knowledge and work, understanding and supporting our co-workers, organizing the steps of actions to be taken, identifying and negotiating the problems, thereby constructing an ideal cooperative environment to operate, paves way for positive outcomes. This paper examines the impact of cooperative strategy on large classes and tries to explore the common instructional problems associated with cooperative teaching.

The book presents the integration of two distinct experimental teaching methods, to get to define an effective strategy for the reception of migrant pupils who speak in L2 in school contexts and for an effective work in curricular class following the dictates of intercultural education.

Il libro presenta la sperimentazione didattica dell'integrazione di due metodologie distinte, per arrivare a definire una strategia efficace per l'accoglienza degli alunni non italofoni e il lavoro nella classe curricolare seguendo i dettami della pedagogia interculturale.
Con l’Apprendimento Cooperativo (AC) si è cercato di intervenire sulla costruzione del gruppo e la promozione di un clima positivo di lavoro. Con le metodologie di Facilitazione Linguistica (FL) si è cercato di sviluppare negli alunni non italofoni la “lingua dello studio” e negli alunni italofoni un punto di vista e degli strumenti alternativi per accedere alle conoscenze disciplinari coniugando una visione interculturale alla valorizzazione delle competenze linguistiche sia in italiano come L2 che nelle varie lingue materne degli studenti presenti nelle classi.
L’insegnamento e la facilitazione sono professioni pratico- operative e relazionali. Abbiamo ipotizzato che in un contesto scolastico multilingue, il contributo degli aspetti relazionali possono fare la differenza nella creazione di un clima di classe positivo.
Facendo riferimento a tali premesse, saranno presentati gli elementi essenziali dell’AC e delle FL; l’integrazione di AC e FL in un modello operativo, esempi di attività svolti in classe che traducono praticamente il modello operativo; come facilitatori e metodologici hanno curato la relazione con gli alunni e promosso un clima di classe positivo.

The main purpose of this study was to analyze how effectively pair/group work writing activities in the currently in-use Grade 11 English textbook were structured or organized to promote CLL. To this end, the pair/group work writing activities were identified and analyzed based on the six basic elements of the CLL. Findings of the study show that less weight is given to the activities compared to that of the non-group work writing activities in the textbook. The promotion of most of the basic elements of CLL in the designed cooperative writing activities is limited to only the pre-writing stage. It has been found that only a small number of the writing activities allow and encourage learners to work cooperatively at drafting and revising stages. It is also noted that there is no writing activity in the textbook that encourages students to process group interaction. It is, therefore, recommended that textbook developers should incorporate the six basic elements of CLL at each stage of writing to structure group writing activities while preparing teaching materials.

El presente artículo propone proveer un modelo metodológico mixto para el desarrollo e implementación de un Módulo de Enseñanza para el español como lengua extranjera en la modalidad presencial. El objetivo principal es evidenciar cómo los principios metodológicos provenientes de los enfoques didácticos (“enfoque por tareas” y “aprendizaje cooperativo”) pueden ser aplicados de manera efectiva en el diseño de
contextos presenciales. Para ello, se explora evidencia empírica acerca de la efectividad de la metodología mixta en la enseñanza-aprendizaje de español como lengua extranjera
en dichos ambientes, en un estudio basado en un diseño experimental longitudinal con pre-test y post-test, sin grupo control. Los hallazgos les proporcionarán guías de orientación efectiva a investigadores, educadores y profesores de lenguas en función del desarrollo de unidades de trabajo y módulos para el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras.
Los resultados muestran un incremento en el aprendizaje de determinados conocimientos en español como LE y por tanto, mejorando la competencia lingüística y comunicativa de los sujetos. Se propone, entonces, que en el diseño de módulos de enseñanza para el aprendizaje de lenguas se integren e implementen modelos metodológicos mixtos por cuanto son los más propicios para el aprendizaje de LE/L2.

The paper highlights engineering students' lack of proficiency in spoken English and how it can be overcome with the help of the English teacher. The students should be made to realize the importance of communicative ability in English and the decisive role it plays in their future career prospects. Their incompetency in spoken skills is due to the wide gap between the teaching methodology in the classroom and the actual use of English in the real life. Due attention is to be given to the training and testing of speaking skills in English for engineering students. The role of the language teacher is necessary in providing a congenial atmosphere for the students to have communicative interactions in English. The paper presents the various activities and training provided to the first year B.E. students and how they enabled them to speak in English on their own.

It is educationally acknowledged that reading is an important skill for acquiring a second language academically. However, it has been noticed that students' results in reading in the Foundation program in the Community College of Qatar (CCQ) are not satisfactory. This study used a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design to investigate the effect of using jigsaw cooperative strategy on ELS students' achievement in reading comprehension. Convenience sampling of the two classes was used from the female students enrolling in Level 4 reading classes in the Foundation Program in the Community College of Qatar in the fourth quarter of the academic year of 2013-2014. It is a non-probability sampling technique where two classes were selected because of their convenient accessibility to the researcher as the researcher was supposed to teach them reading. The two classes were assigned randomly to two groups: the experimental group (n=16 students) which was taught seven units in Real Re...

Much of the literature on teaching ESOL recommends the use of group activities to promote communication among students. However, these group activities can suffer from difficulties, such as some group members dominating discussions. Students and teachers need to address this, and this article explains ten strategies for promoting equal opportunity to participate among group members. These ten strategies consist of the use of small groups including groups of two members, writing tasks that students do before or after they speak to groupmates, writing tasks that students do without speaking, group members taking turns to speak including the use of timed turns, students playing roles in their groups, tasks that involve a variety of abilities beyond language abilities, the use of talking tokens, creation of information gaps which students need to close to complete a task, observation by students of the equality of participation among their group members, and an emphasis on cooperative skills by group members including the skill of encouraging others to participate.