Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm Applying cooperative learning activities (CLAs) to improve students’ reading skills in high school

Nội dung tóm tắt: Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm Applying cooperative learning activities (CLAs) to improve students’ reading skills in high school

1. Fifth, be creative and flexible in conducting CLAs. There is no need to obey an original CLA passively. Integrate textbook tasks into a CLA if possible or make some changes of the original activity so that it becomes suitable for each classroom. Phase 3: After Implementation After completing the group work, it is time for the teachers to give feedback, evaluate students’ product and their group performance as well as provide students with a chance to reflect on what they have or have not done during their cooperation. First, check groups’ answer before giving feedback to the whole class. Have students look at a chart which displays the group’s achievement in terms of points or smiling faces. Then the name of the winning group is announced. Second, let students choose their group’s representative to present the group’s outcomes. As each group often assigns roles to group members, the representative is often the student who takes his/her role as the speaker of the group. Teachers’ random appointment may cause difficulties to students. Last, spare some time for students to assess how well the group functioned, what things have been done well, and what things should be improved. The students can be asked to fill in a feedback form, expressing their feelings, thoughts and opinions about the time spent together as a team, the work done and what they feel they have achieved. This self-evaluation is essential for students because it highlights the positive aspects of CL. Furthermore, it is important for teachers because it brings problems to the teachers’ attention. PART D: CONCLUSION In conclusion, students who participated in this study had positive perceptions of using CLAs in learning reading skills. It is worth noting that the majority of the respondents showed their agreements on interesting reading lessons and exciting learning atmosphere that CLAs brought in reading classes. There were also high proportions on students’ approval of the fact that CLAs encouraged students to give effective support to each other while learning reading skills and increased student – student interaction during reading lessons. However, there are some challenges that need considering. A number of participants admitted that they faced challenges while employing CLAs in reading. Some found it difficult to organize CLAs effectively within forty-five minutes of a period because these activities took much time. More important, some were not very confident when working better students in the same group. In these cases, teacher should pay attention to class management and take measures to encourage weak students to be more confident and active. 36
2. With regard to the impact on students’ reading skills, CLAs proved to have positive effects on participants’ reading competence. This was evidenced by the better performances of experimental group in the post-test. Additionally, most of the participants admitted CLAs’ benefits in terms of enhancing students’ reading strategies and broading students’ vocabulary. CLAs also created high motivation in learning reading skills, especially for weak students because they were ale to deal with easier tasks compared to working individually and doing the whole tasks, which was considered rather daunting to them. As far as I am concerned, CLAs not only provide students with high motivation to read and improve their reading skills but also create an exciting learning atmosphere in class and develop many necessary soft skills for students. I have carried out this method of teaching in my classes and gain successful results. Hopefully, my research can be useful reference materials for language teachers and help them teach English in general and reading skills in particular more effectively at school. I’m looking forward to having your comments so that my study will become more perfect and applicable. Quynh Luu, April, 10th, 2022 37
3. REFERENCES 1. Tiếng Anh 10- Student’s book - Education Publishing House and Pearson 2. Tiếng Anh 10- Teacher’s book - Education Publishing House and Pearson 3. Adams, D. & Hamm, M. (2005), Redefining Education in the Twenty-first century: Shaping Collaborative Learning in the Age of Information, Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher, Ltd. 4. Aronson, E. (1978), The Jigsaw Classroom: A Cooperative Learning Technique, Retrieved from jigsaw.org on April 16, 2011. 5. Celce-Murcia, M. & Olshtain, E. (2000), Discourse and Context in Language Teaching, NY: Cambridge University Press. 6. Daniel, D.H. (1993), “Cooperative Learning: A Response to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity”, TESL-EJ, 1(3), 15-24. 7. Garner, R. (1985), Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation, London: Edward Arnold. 8. Ilola, L. M., Power, K. M. & Jacobs, G. (1989), “Structuring Student Interaction to Promote Learning”, English Teaching Forum, 27(3), 12-16. 9. Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T. (1986), Circles of Learning: Cooperation in the Classroom, Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. 10. Kagan, S. (1988), Cooperative Learning: Resources for Teachers, Riverside CA: University of California. 11. Kagan, S. (1992), Cooperative Learning, CA: Kagan Cooperative learning. 12. Larson, S. & Dansereau, G. (1986), Paired-Reading, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 13. Opitz, M.F. (1992), Flexible Grouping in Reading: Practical Ways to Help all Students Become Better Readers, NY: Scholastic, Inc. 14. Slavin, R. (1997), “Comprehensive Approaches to Cooperative Learning”, THEORY INTO PRACTICE 38(2), Spring 1999, The Ohio State University. 15. Slavin, R.E & Madden, N. A, (2001), Success for All: Research and Reform in Elementary Education, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 16. Tsai, S. (1998), The effects of Cooperative Learning on Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Senior High School Students, MA thesis, National Kaohsiung Normal University. 17. Wood, K.D. & Harmon, J.M. (1987), Strategies for Integrating Reading and Writing in Middle and High School Classrooms, National Middle School Association. 18. johnson 38
4. APPENDIX APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE ( hiếu kh o s t kiến) Effect of Cooperative Learning Activities (CLAs) on high school students’ reading skills ( nh h ng c a c c ho t ng h c h p t c ến k n ng c c a h c sinh T T) Section A: (Mục A) General information: (Thông tin chung) Full name (HQ và tên): . Class (Lớp): Male (Nam) Female (Nữ) How long have you been learning English? (Em đ hQc Tiếng Anh đư c bao l u?) - 6 years (3 – 6 năm) – 10 years (7 – 10 năm) years (hơn 10 năm) Section B: (Mục B) Tick the box that apply to you in the following opinion about CLAs in reading classes (Ðánh d u vào ô ph h p với ý kiến c a em v những quan đi m sau đ y v các ho t đ ng hQc h p tác trong gi hQc k năng Reading) Strongly agree: Hoàn toàn đong ý Agree: Ðong ý Undecided: Chưa xác định Disagree: Không đong ý Strongly disagree: Hoàn toàn không đong ý No. Statements agree Agree disagree Strongly Strongly ( kiến) Disagree Undecided 1. CLAs make reading lessons less monotonous. (Các ho t đ ng hQc h p tác làm tiết Reading đỡ nhàm chán hơn) 39
5. 2. CLAs encourage students to give effective support to each other while learning reading skills. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác khuyến kh ch hQc sinh h trợ nhau trong quá trình hQc đQc) 3. CLAs increase student – student interaction during reading lessons. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác làm tăng s tương tác giữa hQc sinh trong giờ hQc) 4. CLAs establish a friendly learning environment in reading classes. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác tạo ra 1 môi trường hQc th n thi n trong lớp hQc) 5. CLAs in reading classes are time- consuming. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác ton thời gian) 6. Students find it difficult to conduct CLAs effectively in reading classes. (HQc sinh th y kh đ t ch c các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác hi u quả trong giờ hQc đQc) 7. Students are not confident when working in the same group with better students. (HQc sinh cảm th y không t tin khi làm vi c c ng nh m với những bạn gi i hơn) 8. CLAs help enhance students’ vocabulary in reading lessons (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác gi p làm tăng von t v ng c a hQc sinh) 40
6. 9. CLAs create opportunities for students to learn useful strategies from their peers or their group members when reading in English. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác tạo cơ h i cho hQc sinh hQc h i các chiến thu t đQc hi u quả t bạn c ng c p/nh m với mình) 10. CLAs make reading tasks easier for weak students to deal with. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp táclàm cho các bài t p de dàng hơn với các hQc sinh yếu) 11. CLAs create high motivation in learning reading skills. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác tạo đ ng l c lớn cho hQc sinh hQc k năng đQc) 12. CLAs help develop self-study of students. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác giúp phát tri n khả năng t hQc c a hQc sinh) 13. CLAs help students get information from reading texts more effectively. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác giúp hQc sinh biết cách l y thông tin t bài đQc hi u quả hơn) 14. CLAs help improve high school students’ reading competence. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác giúp cải thi n k năng đQc c a hQc sinh THPT) Thank you for your participation and cooperation! 41
7. Appendix B: Semi-Structured Interview Main questions Follow-up questions 1. What do you think about the use of a. In your opinion, is it appropriate if CLAs in your reading lessons? the teacher applies frequent CLAs in (Em ngh như thế nào v vi c áp dụng reading classes? các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác trong các tiết (Theo em, có ph hợp không nếu như hQc Reading?) GV áp dụng các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác thường xuyên trong các tiết Reading?) b. How do CLAs help you and your classmates in learning reading skills? (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác đã giúp em và các bạn trong lớp trong quá trình hQc đQc như thế nào?) c. What do you think is the most challenging when learning the reading skills with CLAs? (Em ngh đi u gì là trở ngại lớn nhat khi hQc tiết Reading với vi c áp dụng các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác?) 2. How do CLAs affect your reading a. Do you think that you have learned skills? useful reading strategies from your classmates in CLAs? If yes, what are (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác có ảnh hưởng they? đến k năng đQc c a em như thế nào?) (Em có cho rang em đã hQc được các chiến thu t đQc hữu ích t bạn c a mình nhờ vào các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác hay không? Nếu có, em hãy cho ví dụ.) b. In what ways do CLAs help you to improve your reading skills? Please give examples. (Các hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác đã giúp em cải thi n k năng đQc bang cách nào? Em hãy cho ví dụ) c. What types of CLAs do you find the most useful? Why? (Em thay hoạt đ ng hQc hợp tác nào hi u quả nhat? Vì sao?) 42