The Application of Cooperative Learning in Oral English Teaching in Junior High Schools

Introduction 1

1. The concept of cooperative learning (CL)＆its theoretical basis 3

1.1 The basic connotation of CL 3

1.2 The theoretic foundation of CL 4

2. The necessities of implementation of CL in oral English teaching 5

2.1 The principle when implementing CL 5

2.2 The necessities of implementing CL 5

3. The learning characteristics of the junior high students 8

4. The application of CL in oral English teaching 9

4.1 The process of CL 9

4.2 Staple patterns of cooperative activities 11

5. The practical investigations ＆ the detailed analysis 14

5.1 Two questionnaires 14

5.2 The detailed Analysis 14

5.2.1 The advantages for CL in oral English teaching 14

5.2.2 The disadvantages for CL in oral English teaching 16

Conclusion 18

Reference 19

Introduction

The past two decades have witnessed a steady improvement of English Language Teaching in junior high school English teaching. However, English Language Teaching is still far from being satisfactory, and unable to meet the needs of the political and economic development of the country. Some students who have learned English for three years could not even say a simple correct sentence or perform the basic communicative functions. Traditional methods being widely used in English teaching emphasize the language rules, and on rote memorization of grammatical rules and vocabulary, and they also neglect the communicative competence. Even in oral English teaching class, teachers also ignore giving the chance for students to practice their spoken English or use the wrong approach to teach. Therefore, it is a challenge for English teachers to find effective ways to train and cultivate proficient language personally. Unfortunately, all the approaches that have ever been adopted in English Language Teaching are not as effective as expected, not only in theory but also in practice.

Different from the traditional teacher-centered instruction, cooperative learning is a teaching strategy involving students’ participation in small group learning activities that promote positive interaction. Students are encouraged to solve problems, answer questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate or brainstorm in their teams during class. Team members learn to cooperate and work together toward a common goal. There is some certain practical significance on the concept of CL being used in oral English training. CL can change the educational model in which the teacher is the most important part of the teaching and learning into the one in which the student is taken as the main body and the teacher leads the classroom. It also promotes the transformation of teaching methods, from the one of instillation to the student’s independent study. So far, in this field, there are fewer practices in implementing CL in oral English teaching. Therefore, in the paper, I will try to study more in this field to build the foundation for my later oral English teaching.

This paper is written for three main purposes: (1) to reflect present situation of English teaching, (2) to introduce the approach--CL, and (3) to present the procedure of implementing CL in oral English teaching and the suggestions on the results of investigations. In this paper, CL and its application of CL in oral English teaching in junior high school will be introduced.

1. The concept of cooperative learning (CL)＆its theoretical basis

1.1 The basic connotation of CL

From the beginning of 80’s to the last century, American scholars, John Dewey, Slavin, R. E., Johnson & Johnson, carried on a series of researches on CL and gained a remarkable achievement. Our country’s scholars, WangTan, Huang Huairong, Zhao Jianhua, had introduced the CL theories into China since 90's in last century. They did a great number of researches of theories and practices and established the theories and strategy of CL and teaching which was adapted to Chinese educational feature.

Although a lot of scholars give Cooperative Learning different definitions, I tend to agree with Wang Tan’s definition of it. He defined CL with a teaching strategy system which aimed at promoting students’ mutual cooperation in the different groups and reaching a common study target and groups are praised by the total result of groups.(Wang Tan , 2001) To synthesize Chinese and Foreign scholars’ cognition of CL, Wang Tan summed up the basic connotation of CL as follows: (1) CL is a kind of teaching activity which take groups as main body; (2) CL is a kind of mutually cooperative activity between companions; (3) CL is a kind of target activity; (4) The encouragement of CL bases on the total result of each group; (5) CL is that teachers assign study task and control teaching progress.

1.2 The theoretic foundation of CL

The theory foundation of CL includes several types as follows :( 1) the theory of depending on each other. It considers that the community is the whole whose dependence is changeable and that the dependence between each member is different. (2) Choosing theory. It is a kind of theory of demand and satisfaction. The school is the place to satisfy students’ need. According to this theory, the student who doesn't love studying isn’t the stupid one but the one who doesn’t want to study. (3) Development theory. It comes from an educator’s cognition development theory. (4) Delicacy theory. The research of cognition proves that if the information is kept in the memory, and connected with the existing information, the learner has to carry on the reorganization of a certain form to the material or make it delicate. One of the most valid ways is to explain materials to others. (5) Connection theory. The theory thinks that the cooperation between humans can raise the centripetal force and friendship of a group. (6) Humanistic learning theory. Dr. William Galas thinks that the companion teaching is a kind of effective way to promote study. (7) Self-control theory. Dr. William Galas thinks that the behavior drive comes from the inherent demand. The student has 3 kinds of demands: the demand on love; the demand on dint; the demand on freedom and amusement. (8) Constructive learning theory. It thought that the individual studies by constructing during connecting with the environment of the world and reshuffling his own cognition structure. Learning relates to the mutual imitation, assistance and inspiration (Zhang Xiaoling, 2002).

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