Teaching reading through cooperative learning : a case study of adults learning EFL

النوع : Mémoire

Despite the progress and the change in the field of language-teaching methodology where the student has become the center of the teaching/learning process, one may still witness traditional reading classes where a teacher reads and students repeat, or students read aloud and in turn a passage. I chose to study both cooperative learning and classroom management techniques in order to teach reading in EFL classes. This research study sums at finding more feasible means to promote better reading techniques among EFL learners that involve interest and positive attitudes. This involves reconsidering traditional classroom techniques where we have a teacher-centered class towards a learner-centered approach. My hypothesis is that if EFL teachers apply cooperative learning using certain classroom management techniques, students will perform better in the reading skill. In order to prove my hypothesis, I implemented an action research study on tenth-grade students of Modern Community School (MCS) and College Technique Superieure (TS2) students of Ecole Hoteliere (Hotel Management Institute- HMI). Their educational backgrounds fluctuated since they belonged to institutions that taught English as a foreign language. Their ages varied from 15 to 22 years. Some students had nationalities other than the Lebanese nationality. I started the research study by implementing a pre-test to all students to find out their proficiency. Then, I monitored them in their reading tasks through cooperative learning and classroom management techniques. In this research, I answered whether reading proficiency is attained more successfully and easily through cooperative learning and classroom management techniques. I answered whether teacher-talk leads to an interactive learning environment, and whether classroom techniques enhance the student's engagement and interaction. I also discussed if pair/group work leads to more participation and if reading cooperatively leads to more comprehension and understanding. Data gathered from pre­tests, post-tests and questionnaires distributed to students have been analyzed using the SPSS 16.0 version software. Results are presented in tables and graphs and show that subjects who undertook reading through cooperative learning and classroom management techniques showed significantly better performance in post-tests and showed more interest in the EFL classroom.