Applying Slavin's Cooperative Learning Techniques to a College EFL Conversation Class

Abstract

Whenever cooperative learning is applied, oral skills and conversational skills come into play. In this study, the teacher as researcher introduced Slavin’s teaching techniques of cooperative learning to focus on conversational skills. First the researcher applied the Slavin’s principles of cooperative learning to second language learning in college, and indicated its roots in motivational, cognitive, and social independence theories. The researcher used STAD procedure (Slavin, 1995) adopted Jigsaw II (Slavin, 1995) and Think-Pair Share (Lynan, 1992) techniques to teach conversation. Next, the teacher played the CD of the unit presenting keywords, grammar notes, useful patterns and important ideas. The students should listen carefully for sequence, for gist, and for details to learn and practice imitating words and conversation, then creating dialogues from Soundwaves Book in model authentic situation. Three main exercises were done attentively and repeatedly to have Slavin’s cooperative learning techniques applied in small groups to build the student’s linguistic and conversational competence. It was found that the students had experienced learning motivation to listen and to speak, interpersonal relation, and collaborative work to go toward a common goal. However, the teacher needed to monitor and intervene in the groups.

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