A Study of the Application of Cooperative Learning to English

邢新華

Abstract：The current level of teaching English at vocational schools is not sufficient to meet the economic and social demands of the future.In this thesis the author puts forward that by forming a learner-centered atmosphere and carrying out comprehensive language practice，the situation，the efficiency and the effectiveness of vocational school English teaching can be improved.

Key Words：Secondary vocational school；English teaching and learning；Cooperative Learning

一、Cooperative learning overview

The cooperative learning is a method that allows students to engage in individual and small-group thinking before they are asked to answer questions in front of the whole class.There are four steps to this method.The first step，each group students listen to a question posed by the teacher.Secondly，individual students are given time to think and then write their responses.Thirdly，pairs of students read and discuss their responses.Finally，a few students are called on by the teacher to share their thoughts and ideas with the whole class.

二、Analysis of vocational school students lack of interest in English learning

（一）Students own factors

Most of the secondary vocational school students are those who get low scores in the Entrance Examination to Senior High School.That means most of them are the low achievers in elementary or junior schools，and they are habitual losers in more criticisms than encouraging remarks about themselves and their learning（Moskowitz，1999）.All these go against the teaching objectives of the vocational schools：to train high-quality technical personnel who can speak fluent English，as all is mentioned above.

（二）The teaching factors

Most English teachers are still only using the traditional teaching approach which is duck-filling or teacher-centered.Teachers usually take more than twenty minutes to explain each class.So there is no good situation for students communication in English class.Owning to the mechanism of teachers explanation of grammar or phrases and the big size of class（usually fifty students or even more a class），students usually do not be given enough opportunities to practice oral English in class，let alone having equal participation.

三、The advantages of cooperative teaching method in Secondary Vocational English Teaching

（一）Create atmosphere for English teaching

Teacher training course should stress the need for teacher to develop a second language classroom atmosphere so that student will not feel intimidated at the prospect of using the language，and，even when not using it themselves，will be interested in what their classmates have to say.In such a classroom，it will also be easier to accustom the students to the organization necessary for less controlled classroom activities.

（二）Teachers personal charming

A teacher who has great personal charming can easily attracts students attention，and it is a potential force to stimulate student to learn English.English teaching in vocational school is more special and difficult than in any other schools and the reason is，what the situation the teachers facing is the compulsory education and essentially，it is a kind of compelling education，so like other main subjects，English is treated as one of the most important and required course.Teacher will have to play of the controller，promoter，participate，resource，tutor and investigator according to the teaching situation.Of course，teachers methodology is important in the whole process of students foreign language learning.

四、The elements of cooperative learning in Secondary Vocational English Teaching

1.The first and most important element in structuring cooperative learning is positive interdependence.Positive interdependence is successfully structured when group members perceive that they are linked with each other in a way that one cannot succeed unless everyone succeeds.Group goals and tasks，therefore，must be designed and communicated to students in ways that make them believe they sink or swim together.Doing so creates a commitment to the success of group members as well as ones own and is the heart of cooperative learning.If there is no positive interdependence，there is no cooperation.

2.The second basic element of cooperative learning is promotive interaction，preferably face-to-face.Students need to do real work together in which they promote each others success by sharing resources and helping，supporting，encouraging，and applauding each others efforts to achieve.There are important cognitive activities and interpersonal dynamics that can only occur when students promote each others learning.This includes orally explaining how to solve problems，teaching ones knowledge to others，checking for understanding，discussing concepts being learned，and connecting present with past learning.Each of those activities can be structured into group task directions and procedures.It is through promoting each others learning face-to-face that members become personally committed to each other as well as to their mutual goals.

五、Conclusion

Cooperative learning methods hold great promise for accelerating students attainment of academic learning，motivation to learn，and the development of the knowledge and abilities necessary for their life-time.Cooperative learning can create supportive environments that will enable students to succeed academically，enhance their oral communicative competence，boost their motivation toward learning English as a foreign language，and improve their interpersonal relationships.

References

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