The Nature of Cooperative Learning and Differentiated Instruction Practices in English Classes

Abstract

Cooperative learning and differentiated instruction have recently attracted a lot of attention as they are considered by educators and teachers to play significant roles in motivating learners and promoting interactive learning. The present study aims to examine English teachers' views about the effectiveness of the practice of cooperative learning and differentiated instruction in enhancing students' learning in English language classes. A sequential mixed method was used to collect the necessary data to answer the research questions. A questionnaire was first sent to 200 English language teachers, and then the researchers conducted focus group interviews with eight teachers. The findings of the study reveal that English language teachers consider cooperative learning as a valuable instructional procedure for promoting learners' engagement, classroom social interaction, cultural appreciation, and differentiated instruction. The present study's findings may have implications at all levels, such as teacher training, academic administration, curriculum designing, and decision making. Applications of those findings may attract the attention of others beyond the English classes. In addition, the findings may provide valuable guidance for researchers and educators to carry out large scale studies on the practice of cooperative learning and differentiated instruction in English language classes within the present study's context and beyond.

Differentiated Instruction for Efl Classroom

“…Students are taught with their style, preference, and ability to understand the material given because differentiated instruction proposes that each student will learn the same learning objectives and stay on the same page of learning, even when treated with different approaches (Naka, 2017). Ismail & Al Allaq (2019) argue that differentiated instruction has been deemed to significantly improve classroom management, creating a class that motivates learners in a setting where students and teachers constantly interact to determine what is best for the students. There will always be alternative teaching strategies in differentiated instruction to best fit a given student (Magableh & Abdullah, 2020).…”

Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction on Primary School Students’ English Reading Comprehension Achievement

“…Reading comprehension is a significant skill, and the development of this ability for EFL learners in EFL classes is significant because it influences students' achievement at all students' proficiency levels; it is essential to students' knowledge achievement (Ismail & Al Allaq, 2019;Kent, 2005). However, teachers face a problem when teaching to a group of heterogeneous learners in the same classroom and want to address the diversity of individual learners (Kotob, & Abadi, 2019).…”

Dynamics and Causal Factors of Team Satisfaction in an Open and Distance Learning Collaborative Writing Class

“…Vygotsky's concept of ZPD postulates that learning is a naturally social act, and it occurs through collaborative interaction with more knowledgeable peers, attempting to solve problems, and seeking to understand the world (Kaur, 2017;Lasmawan & Budiarta, 2020). He highlighted that interaction and collective attempts to learning is the first step towards learner autonomy and noted that what children can do collectively today, they can do independently tomorrow (Ismail & Al Allaq, 2019;Kaur, 2017;Lasmawan & Budiarta, 2020). Besides, learners are guided towards reasoning, solving problems, drawing conclusions, and constructing knowledge by working cooperatively.…”

“…It can effectively accommodate their individual differences and preferences to better address their needs based on the theory of multiple intelligences (Ismail & Al Allaq, 2019). In a wider perspective, Chatterjee and Correia (2020) also found collaborative learning to positively develop learners' communication competence in a range of dimensions such as affection, cognition, social, and metacognition.…”