Small Group Co-operative Learning in Reading Activity

宋國玲

Co-operative learning began in the 1970s. As Barry and King simply describe, “Co-operative learning refers to students working and learning with and gaining feedback from other group members.”Operative learning appears in the form of small group co-operative learning (including pair work).Small group co-operative learning is a teaching strategy with considerable potential for developing students both cognitively and effectively.

As a teaching strategy, small group co-operative learning is available. The strategy is complex. It comes in many forms, and fulfills a range of highly praised purposes.

Reading is a receptive skill. Teachers should help the students to read on their own. Teachers should aim at gradually withdrawing their guidance as their students progress so that they eventually become independent readers. Discussion in groups is quite often used as a way of exploiting reading texts. An introduction in the form of a teacher monologue is less likely to motivate the students than one which involves the students in a discussion. An introduction which poses questions is more likely to make students want to read than one which gives all answers and summarizes the story or information.

Before discussing in groups, students must know what is expected of them. For being a member in groups, each student takes active part in the discussion. They issue their personal opinions. At that moment, there is of possibility for having group leaders, or group secretary. One would be to act as the group organizer, making sure that a task was properly done, that the information was properly recorded or collected, est. One would be a reporter in the end of discussion.

The contents in discussion as follows:

1) the title and pictures of the passage, this is to create expectations and arouse the students interest in the subject matter of the text.

2) the structural organization of the passage, this is to foster the students appreciation.

3) the vocabularies or difficult sentences of the passage, this is to improve the students comprehension and language usages.

4) the culture-bound aspect of the text or the theme of the passage or the viewpoint of the author, this is to cultivate the students evaluation.

Remember to tell students what they are supposed to do and how they can perform. Also arrange a session where students can exchange the groups conclusions with others. Discussion is good for students to make correct deductions and conduct reasonable inferences. The outcome of the discussion is always various but seem rational. For example, after reading the first part of a famous detective (SB2B, Unit5), students are given two questions to discuss, “How can you connect a gun with a locked metal chest？” and “What do you think of the result of the story？” Students discuss the questions, sitting around the desk. The results from each group seem to be logical and imaginative.

Additionally, when designing the task, teachers should take information and details of the passage into consideration. This will be a guidance for students to develop their discussion. Here is a sample (selected from SB1A Unit7 Earthquake)

According to the information processing, there is “accident”“cause”“solution”“problem”in the text. Questions designed should be, “What happened to the city of San Francisco in 1906&1989？Why do earthquakes happen？How do we deal with the earthquake？What will happen to this city in future？” The clue to the passage is clear; this is to help analyze the passage.

When discussing the reading materials in groups accordingly, the students place themselves in natural, real language surroundings. The activities develop their linguistic sense, as well as their imagination.

After class, in order to enlarge their reading, it is suggested that there are reading assignment for them. Students are grouped to carry out their tasks (especially about the background of the reading text). The emphasis is on sharing the tasks and duties. Each member of groups set out to find out information and collect their gain. In this process, language is becoming practical and full of communicative function.

In conclusion, group work is not only an effective learning style but also a vital teaching strategy. In co-operative groups, students are given more chance to practise English in real-life situation. The students work together to achieve a common goal or solve problems. They develop co-operation. Although there are many benefits involved in working in groups, the students should be guided by the teachers. The teachers should well prepare for the group work in a varies of activities, which are to improve the students language reading, which are to foster the students comprehensive and communicative abilities.

References:

[1]Doff,Adrian.Teach English A training course for teachers Trainers Handbook.New York:Cambridge University Press,1989.

[2]Wang Qiang,and others, A Course in English Language Teaching.Beijing: Advanced Education Press,2004.