Wilson Burgos ArocaYohamer Ernesto Guevara Salazar

Jesús Alfonso Hermosa TovarJosé Luis Moreno Solano

COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING

Cooperative learning is group learning activity organized so that learning is dependent on the socially structured exchange of information between learners in groups and in which each learner is held accountable for his or her own learning and is motivated to increase the learning of others. (Olsen and Kagan 1992:8)

COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING

Raise of achievements of all studentsPositive relationships among studentsExperience on healthy social, psychological, and

cognitive developmentReplace competition for cooperationReplace teacher-fronted lessons for student-centeredInteractive pair and group activitiesDevelopment of learning and communication

strategiesReduce learner stress and create a positive affective

classroom climate

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Interactive and cooperative nature of language

Communication as a primary purpose of language

Most speech is organized as conversation

Communication takes place upon certain agreed-upon set of cooperative rules

We learn these social rules in conversational interaction

APPROACHTHEORY OF LANGUAGE

Role of social interaction in learning (Piaget and Vygotsky)Development of critical thinking skillsLearning must emphasize on cooperation, not on

competitionIncrease and variety of second language practiceCognitive development and increased language skillsIntegration of language with content-based areasGreater variety of materials to stimulate language and

concept learningMastering of professional skills that emphasize on

communicationStudents act as resources of each other – a more active role

APPROACHTHEORY OF LEARNING

TYPES OF LEARNING AND TEACHING

ACTIVITIESJohnson Olsen & Kagan

1992Coelho 1992

Cooperative Learning Groups

Key Elements Cooperative Learning Tasks

Olsen & Kagan: Three-step interview, Round table, Think-pair-share, Solve-pair-share, Numbered heads.

FormalInformalCooperative Base Groups

Positive Interdependence Group FormationIndividual AccountabilitySocial SkillsStructuring and structures

Team practice from common inputJig sawCooperative projects

Work collaboratively on tasks with other group members.

Must learn teamwork skills.Be directors of their learning (plan,

monitor, and evaluate their own learning)Learning requires student’s direct and

active involvement and participation.Alternate roles involve partners in the

role of tutors, checkers, recorders, and information sharers. “Pair tasks”

LEARNER ROLES

Create a highly structured and well organized learning environment in the classroom:

Setting goals, planning and structuring tasks, establishing the physical arrangement of the classroom, assigning students to groups and roles, and selecting materials and time (Johnson et al. 1994)

Be a facilitator of learning.

TEACHER ROLES

Move around the class and helping students and groups as needs arise:

During this time the teacher interacts, teaches, refocuses, questions, clarifies, supports, expands, celebrates, and empathizes.

And facilitators are giving feedback, redirecting the group with questions, encouraging the group to solve its own problems, extending activity, encouraging thinking, managing conflict, observing students, and supplying resources. (Harel 1992: 169)

Teacher speaks less than in teacher fronted class.

Provide broad questions to challenge thinking.

Prepare students for the task they will carry out.

Assist students with the learning tasks.

Give few commands, imposing less disciplinary control (Harel 1992)

Restructuring lessons so that students can work cooperatively. This involves the following steps (Johnson et al. 1994: 9):Take your existing lessons, curriculum, and

sources and structure them cooperatively.Tailor cooperative learning lessons to your

unique instructional needs, circumstances, curricula, subject areas, and students.

Diagnose the problems some students may have in working together and intervene to increase learning groups’ effectiveness.

Create opportunities for students to work cooperatively.E.g. If students are working in groups..1. Each student might have a set of materials.2. Groups might have different sets of materials.3. Or, each member might need a copy of a text.

• Materials can be specially designed for CLL learning, modified from existing materials, or borrowed from other disciplines.

THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

PROCEDURE1. Teacher assigns work to Ss

2. Ss cooperative work

3. Looking for materials

4. Team work, get a starting point

5. Individual work

6. Looking for mistakes

7. Ss revise compositions

8. Re read. Error - free

CONCLUSIONS• Use of group discussion. Motives participation

• Maximize student’s interaction •Contribute to each other learning

• obteining benefits

THANK YOU