Applying Cooperative Learning to English Reading and Writing in the Applied Foreign Language Department of a Vocational High School: An Action Research

• Main Authors: Yun-Ju Huang, 黃韻如
• Other Authors: Shu-Hui Tseng
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/a45y6p

碩士 === 國立臺北科技大學 === 技術及職業教育研究所 === 102 === This research aims to explore the process and influence of cooperative learning implemented in vocational high school English reading and writing instruction mainly through the practice of a structured design deriving from cooperative learning method. The purposes of this research are as follows: 1. to learn the learning outcomes of the cooperative learning in English reading and writing instruction in an applied foreign language department in a vocational high school. 2. to know students’ feelings about English reading and writing instruction deriving from cooperative learning. 3. to find out and analyze the difficulties during the process and the solutions to them. 4. to improve the researcher’s professional development by conducting action research on cooperative learning. The approach of this study is action research, and the research target is the students that the researcher is teaching. The six methods included are learning achievement examinations, survey, classroom observation and videotaping, interview, document analysis and the researcher’s reflective notes ---in order to collect the data, make analyses and triangulation. Following are the conclusions: 1. Students’ learning attitude and motivation do not change. But students’ performance on TOEIC improve. 2. From students’ feedback and worksheets, what students think about the application of cooperative learning are as follows: (1) students show positive attitude toward cooperative learning. They think they have more opportunities of writing. (2) Students are quite satisfied with their performance and hope the arrangement of seats for cooperative learning can be better. (3) They still think Grammar Translation Method is more helpful when they need to get prepared for mid-term and final exams. 3. The difficulties during the process and the solutions to them are: (1) to adjust the teaching steps and the time needed in cooperative learning in order to follow the school schedule. (2) to apply the point-accumulation system in order to lower students’ noise in cooperative learning activities. (3) to allow students to form their groups partially on the basis of their desire. 4. The reflection and professional development of the researcher after this study are as follows: (1) Students’ feelings should be taken into account when teachers arrange the grouping. (2) The quality of writing assignments is more important than the quantity of it. (3) The study dispels the researcher’s myth about teaching. (4) The researcher realizes the importance of coordinators. (5) The researcher is more experienced of applying cooperative learning to reading and writing instruction after this study. According to the conclusions, the researcher gives some suggestions on the application of cooperative learning and further studies.