The implementation of cooperative learning activities in the fifth grade English speaking classes - Primary school teachers' perceptions and practices

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STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that this thesis entitled “The Implementation of Cooperative Learning

Activities in the Fifth Grade EFL Speaking Classrooms: Primary School Teachers’

Perceptions and Classroom Practices” is my own work.

Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains material

published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have

qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma.

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text

of the thesis.

This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other

tertiary institution.

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2018

TRAN LUU THI HUYEN, MRS.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This Master of Arts in TESOL thesis is the result of a fruitful collaboration of all the

people who have kindly contributed with an enormous commitment and enthusiasm in

my research. Without the help of those who supported me at all times and in all possible

ways, it would not have been feasible for me to complete my M.A. thesis.

First of all, I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Vu Phi Ho,

from Van Hien University of Ho Chi Minh City, whose compassion, encouragement and

guidance throughout the research have helped in the completion of this thesis. I have

truly learned from the excellence of his skills and from his wide experience in research;

no words are adequate to describe the extent of my gratitude.

I am also sincerely grateful to all lecturers of the Open University in Ho Chi Minh City

for providing me with invaluable sources of intellectual knowledge during my study

there. This knowledge was very useful when I conducted this research.

Besides, a big thank you goes to my friend TESOL M.A. Truong Minh Hoa for his

valued friendship and for his assistance, comments, proofreading, and encouragement

throughout the study.

I owe a great debt of gratitude to the anonymous participants who contributed data to this

thesis. Without them the data collection for this study could not properly been carried out.

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ABSTRACT

One of many factors that cause difficulty in developing primary students’ speaking skill

is their low or uneven participation. Indeed, children need both to participate in

communication and to build up knowledge and skills for participation in order to learn

speaking skills. Accordingly, Cooperative Learning activities have been proved to be an

effective teaching strategy to the primary students. By the nature of an exploratory study,

this current study aimed at investigating the primary English teachers’ perceptions and

classroom practices of implementing these activities to develop the fifth graders’ English

oral productions.

To achieve this purpose, a body of literature on Cooperative Learning activities including

definitions, types, principles, benefits and challenges were reviewed in the theory chapter

to shape the theoretical framework of the study.

Based on this conceptual framework, the study was conducted at the eight public primary

schools in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City with the sample of 35 teachers. Data were

collected through the two instruments of a 34-item questionnaire and a semi-structured

interview. Quantitative results from the questionnaire were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 while

qualitative results from the interview were thematically analyzed.

The findings of the study indicated that although the participants believed in the effects of

Cooperative Learning activities in the development of their students’ EFL speaking skills

apropos of two aspects including learning psychology and oral performance, they were

reluctant to implement these activities, which was ultimately found by the extent, the

principles and the types of Cooperative Learning activities which they employed in

reality.

Based on the research findings, the paper concluded with some pedagogical implications

and a recommendation for further study in the line of research on Cooperative Learning

activities.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Page

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENT iv

LIST OF TABLES viii

LIST OF CHARTS, FIGURES ix

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1. Background of the Study 1

1.2. Statement of the Problem 3

1.3. Aims of the Study 5

1.4. Research Questions 5

1.5. Significance of the Study 5

1.6. An Overview of the Study 6

Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1. Teaching Speaking 8

2.1.1. Definitions of Speaking Skill 8

2.1.2. Importance of Speaking Skill 9

2.1.3. Principles of Teaching Speaking 9

2.2. Background of Cooperative Learning 12

2.2.1. Definitions 12

2.2.2. Typical Activities 12

2.2.2.1. Discussion 13

2.2.2.2. Role-Play 14

2.2.2.3. Storytelling 14

2.2.2.4. Jigsaw Activities 14

2.2.2.5. Three Steps Interview 15

2.2.2.6. Think Pair Share 15

2.2.3. Teachers’ and Learners’ Roles in Cooperative Learning 16

2.2.3.1. Teachers’ Roles 16

2.2.3.2. Students’ Roles 16

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2.2.4. Benefits and Challenges of Cooperative Learning Implementation 17

2.2.4.1. Benefits 17

2.2.4.2. Challenges 19

2.2.5. Principles for the Implementation of Cooperative Learning 20

2.2.5.1. Positive Interdependence 20

2.2.5.2. Individual Accountability 21

2.2.5.3. Group Formation 21

2.2.5.4. Simultaneous Interaction 22

2.2.5.5. Appropriate Use of Social Skills 22

2.3. Background of Young Learners 22

2.3.1. Definitions 22

2.3.2. Characteristics 23

2.4. Previous Studies 25

2.5. Research Gaps 29

2.6. Conceptual Framework 29

2.7. Chapter Summary 32

Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY 33

3.1. Overall Research Approach 33

3.1.1. Research Design 33

3.1.2. Research Procedure 34

3.1.3. Sampling Technique 36

3.2. Research Settings and Participants 37

3.2.1. Research Settings 37

3.2.2. Research Participants 39

3.3. Research Instruments 40

3.3.1. Questionnaire 41

3.3.1.1. Rationale for Questionnaire 41

3.3.1.2. Description of the Questionnaire (see Appendix A) 41

3.3.1.3. Administrating the Questionnaire 44

3.3.2. Interview 46

3.3.2.1. Rationale for Interview 46

3.3.2.2. Description of the Interview (see Appendix B) 46

3.3.2.3. Conducting Interviews 47

3.4. Data Analysis Framework 48

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3.4.1. Quantitative Analysis for the Questionnaire 48

3.4.2. Qualitative Analysis for the Interview 49

3.5. Methodological Issues 49

3.5.1. Validity 50

3.5.2. Reliability 50

3.5.3. Ethical Considerations 51

3.5.3.1. Consent Form 51

3.5.3.2. Anonymity and Confidentiality 51

3.6. Chapter Summary 52

Chapter 4: DATA ANALYSIS 53

4.1. Questionnaire Reliability Analysis 53

4.2. Theme Analysis 54

4.2.1. Teachers’ Perceptions about Teaching Speaking Skills at Primary Level 54

4.2.2. Teachers’ Perceptions about Effects of Cooperative Learning Activities on Primary

Students’ Affective States

58

4.2.3. Teachers’ Perceptions about Effects of Cooperative Learning Activities on Primary

Students’ Oral Performance

62

4.2.4. Teachers’ Perceptions about Challenges of Implementing Cooperative Learning

Activities at Primary Schools

66

4.2.5. Frequency Rate of Actually Implementing Cooperative Learning Activities 70

4.2.6. The Types of the Actually Implemented Cooperative Learning Activities 72

4.2.7. The Principles for Implementing Cooperative Learning Activities in Actuality 76

4.3. Chapter Summary 81

Chapter 5: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 82

5.1. Teachers’ Perceptions on the Implementation of Cooperative Learning Activities in

Fifth Grade EFL Speaking Classes

82

5.2. Teachers’ Classroom Practices on the Implementation of Cooperative Learning

Activities in Fifth Grade EFL Speaking Classes

90

5.3. Chapter Summary 95

Chapter 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 96

6.1. Summary of Key Findings 96

6.1.1. Research Question 1 96

6.1.2. Research Question 2 97

6.2. Evaluation of Methodology 98

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6.2.1. Strengths 99

6.2.2. Limitations 99

6.3. Recommendations for the Teachers 99

6.4. Recommendations for Further Research 101

6.5. Chapter Summary 101

RFERENCES 102

APPENDIX A.1: TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH VERSION) 108

APPENDIX A.2: TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE (VIETNAMESE VERSION) 112

APPENDIX B.1: TEACHER INTERVIEW PROMPTS (ENGLISH VERSION) 116

APPENDIX B.2: TEACHER INTERVIEW PROMPTS (VIETNAMESE VERSION) 117

APPENDIX C: TEACHER PARTICIPANT CONSENT LETTER (ENGLISH VERSION) 118

APPENDIX D.1: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 1 (ENGLISH VERSION) 119

APPENDIX D.2: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 2 (ENGLISH VERSION) 121

APPENDIX D.3: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 3 (ENGLISH VERSION) 123

APPENDIX D.4: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 4 (ENGLISH VERSION) 125

APPENDIX D.5: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 5 (ENGLISH VERSION) 127

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LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 3.1 The Results of the Preliminary Interviews 35

Table 3.2 Description of the Research Settings 37

Table 3.3 Description of Speaking Section of Family and Friends Special Edition Grade 5 38

Table 3.4 Description of the Research Participants 39

Table 3.5 The Link between Research Questions and Instruments 40

Table 3.6a Description of Questionnaire (Section 2) 42

Table 3.6b Description of Questionnaire (Section 3) 43

Table 3.7 Delivery and Collection Procedure of Questionnaires 45

Table 3.8 Demographic Information of Interviewees 47

Table 4.1a Reliability of the Teacher Questionnaire for Total Items (Items 1-34) 53

Table 4.1b Reliability of the Teacher Questionnaire for Perception Group (Items 1-22) 54

Table 4.1c Reliability of the Teacher Questionnaire for Practice Group (Items 23-34) 54

Table 4.2 Teachers’ Perceptions on Teaching English Speaking Skill at Primary Schools 55

Table 4.3 Teachers’ Perceptions about the Effects of Cooperative Learning Activities on

Students’ Affective States

59

Table 4.4 Teachers’ Perceptions about the Effects of Cooperative Learning Activities on

Students’ Oral Performance

62

Table 4.5 Teachers’ Perceptions about Challenges of Implementing Cooperative Learning

Activities at Primary Schools

66

Table 4.6 Teachers’ Implementation Frequency of Cooperative Learning Activities 70

Table 4.7 The Types of the Actually Implemented Cooperative Learning Activities 73

Table 4.8 The Principles for Implementing Cooperative Learning Activities in Actuality 77

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LIST OF CHARTS, FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1 Conceptual Framework 30

Figure 3.1 Research Procedure 34

Chart 4.1 The Teachers’ Implementation Frequency of Cooperative Learning Activities 71

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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

Speaking in a second language, involving a complicated process of constructing

meaning, has been deemed to be the most challenging of four language skills (Celce￾Murcia & Olshtain, 2000). It is implied that speaking skill is the most important

productive skill to be mastered when people learn English language, covering almost all

of language components. Language learners can express their minds, ideas, and thought

freely and spontaneously through speaking process. In addition, purpose of teaching

speaking is to orient both the teachers and students to utilize the target language as a

means of communication in teaching-learning process even in their daily life.

Alternatively saying, speaking involves producing language rather than receiving it. We

usually speak to communicate with others by expressing all what we have in our mind

using different strategies. It also comprises producing words to ask and answer questions,

ask for information and repetition, self-correction, turn-taking in a conversation, greet

people, tell stories, etc. (Spratt, Pulverness, & Williams, 2011).

Marcela and Rodrigo (2014) posit that driving students to use the target language

orally at an early stage remains one of the biggest issues that English teachers confront.

In other words, oral production can be extremely difficult for young learners like primary

students. It is generally accepted that knowing a language and being able to speak it are

not homogeneous because speaking is a productive skill which must be acquired,

developed and practiced both inside and outside the language classroom. Unfortunately,

the majority of students of English have many difficulties to speak it and use it whether

inside or outside the classroom and this weak production may be a result of many reasons

but the most important one is because of the lack of practice of the language, especially at

primary school contexts (Alimi, 2015).

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According to Ur (1996), one of many factors that cause difficulty in developing

primary students‟ speaking skill is their low or uneven participation. In other words, only

one participant can talk at a time because of large classes and the tendency of some

learners to dominate, while others speak very little or not at all (Hosni, 2014). Besides,

this author also points other reasons causing difficulties in primary students‟ oral

production, including Inhibition (i.e., students are worried about making mistakes, fearful

of criticism, or simply shy); and Nothing to say (i.e., students have no motive to express

themselves). Furthermore, while teachers seem to mostly talk and act as the only source

of knowledge to students, their young students become passive receivers of language

inputs in their learning process at the primary school context (Ning, 2011). In fact, young

learners must learn by practicing not merely listening passively, they must put themselves

in problems and find out their solutions by themselves. They should be provided with a

supportive environment in order to sharpen and bring to lime light their oral skills

(Chickering & Gamson, 1987). The lack of a target language environment for oral

practice can be considered another problem, which of course results from a lack of

involvement in real-life situations. Children need both to participate in communication

and to build up knowledge and skills for participation in order to learn speaking skills

(Cameron, 2001). The fact that language is best learned when the learners‟ attention is

focused on understanding, saying and doing something with language, and not when their

attention is focused explicitly on linguistic features (Kumaravadivelu, 2003).

Given the alarming situation above, teachers of English as a foreign language

(EFL) are in a constant search of what may help their learners increase their level of

language proficiency because using the language in class frequently should be through

active participation techniques and procedures, by using the appropriate method to

enhance the learners level of language fluency, in the same line with what Atma (2010)

concluded in his paper. Moreover, teaching a foreign language is an interactive process,

which involves active participation of both teachers and learners since language is

learned best when students interact with each other in groups. In doing so, Cooperative

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Learning activities have been proved to be an effective teaching strategy to the language

learners. The implementation of Cooperative Learning activities in teaching speaking has

been the subject of extensive research (Liang, 2000; Zhang, 2010; Soraya, 2010;

Maldonado, Banoy & Quinche, 2011; Pattanpichet, 2011; Attamimi, 2014; Marcela &

Rodrigo, 2014; Alimi, 2015). This big portion of studies indicates that the use of

Cooperative Learning activities can lead to positive attitudes towards language learning

and increased oral productions. Once again, Cooperative Learning activities, which differ

from activities under traditional learning methods, have some benefits generating from

social interaction among students. It has been documented that students could achieve

better oral skills in most cases if they interact and speak together frequently than those

who always remain their silence and passivity in their classrooms. Pair work and group

work actually can bring out a lot of benefits to all young learners. To give some

examples, the young learners learn from and with one another until they actively

participate in interactive tasks; they can learn to clarify and revise their thoughts and to

work out their ideas by working within groups. Alimi (2015) also emphasizes that

Cooperative Learning activities help develop students‟ self-confidence and reduce their

classroom inhibition and anxiety to make them speak and participate easily without fear

of making mistakes, which are considered as hindrances to students‟ speaking skill

development.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Oral language acquisition is a natural process for children. The ability to speak

grows with age, but it does not entail that such development will automatically lead to

perfection. To speak in more effective ways requires several decisive factors. Ning

(2011) avows that speaking remains the most difficult skill to master for almost all young

learners, and they are still incompetent in communicating orally in English. Therefore, to

be able to communicate in the target language is the main objective of learning process.