The Effect of Cooperative Learning Activities on Writing Skills of Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

Recent trends in second and foreign language pedagogy reflect a shift of focus from traditional teacher-dominated classes to more learner-centered contexts. Cooperative learning as opposed to individualistic and competitive learning, has been proclaimed as an effective and fruitful teaching method to improve the learner's linguistic, social and communicative competence. Cooperative learning requires learners to work together in groups to achieve a common goal and have the same measure of success. Maximizing the opportunities for student-student interaction with meaningful input and output in a supportive environment, cooperative learning has been confirmed as a desirable method for teaching all language elements. This study has investigated the impact of cooperative learning through Learning Together Model, proposed by Johnson and Johnson in 1987, on the writing skills of Iranian EFL learners. Thirty learners who were selected based on their English proficiency scores participated in this study. They were divided into two groups of experimental and control that took a pre-test and post-test in writing. The results of comparing their pre-test with their post-test scores indicated statistically significant differences between the control and experimental groups on the dependent variable and lent empirical support to the language teachers using cooperative learning as their teaching system. Some pedagogical implications can be offered as the results of the study. Language teachers by using cooperative learning techniques can create an enjoyable class of maximized participation and outcome. EFL learners in a cooperative learning environment, explore the language knowledge that they want to master.

Collaborative Learning: An Assessment of the Students’ Essay Writing Skills

“…The studies conducted by Chen (2006) in Taiwan, Khan & Ahmad (2008) in Pakistan, and Ahangari and Samadian (2014) in Iran hard found a significant effect on the student's writing skills of the Taiwanian, Pakistani, and Iranian EFL/ESL learners respectively.…”

“…The very language is taught as a compulsory subject in Pakistan until graduation in all the educational institutions. English language learners are supposed to master and have a sound grip on all four English language communication skills, i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking (Ahangari & Samadian, 2014). Though there is no doubt that all these four skills are highly significant for efficient and lifelong learning of the English language, writing skill is highly significant among the other three as it is considered one of the most powerful tools for expressing one's perceptions, ideas, and thoughts (Harmer, 2006).…”

Improving EFL Learners’ Collaborative Skills Through A Writing Module

“…The plurality of research and studies have indicated that collaborative writing makes students' writing production far beyond expectations (Chen, Xie & Loui, 2012;Dobao & Blum, 2013;Ong & Maarof, 2013). Collaboration in the writing classroom is an effective method that can improve students' social and linguistic skills as it supports student-student interaction with considerable input and output in an encouraging atmosphere (Ahangari & Samadian, 2014). Collaborative writing contributes to enhancing students' writing performance in five writing areas: vocabulary (choice of proper vocabulary), grammar (proper use of grammar and sentence structure), organization (maintaining coherence and order of ideas), and content (expanding of ideas that are written via facts and opinions, illustration and personal experience) (Yusuf, Jusoh & Yusuf, 2019).…”