1. Cooperative Learning: The Benefits for Content-Area Teaching Mary McGroarty Northern Arizona University José Ramón Prieto Rodríguez Judit Santiuste Hernando

2. Introduction Competitive classroom environments do not promote learning for all students equally. Competitive classroom environments do not promote learning for all students equally. Scholars have developed theoretical foundations and practical strategies for encouraging the use of cooperative learning groups. Scholars have developed theoretical foundations and practical strategies for encouraging the use of cooperative learning groups.

3. Academic outcomes: Relevant to language learning development: Relevant to language learning development: more complex language inputmore complex language input more opportunities to refine communication through natural talk or production of “comprehensible output” (Swain,1985)more opportunities to refine communication through natural talk or production of “comprehensible output” (Swain,1985)

4. Academic outcomes Relevant to all academic skills: Relevant to all academic skills: Increased frequency and type of practiceIncreased frequency and type of practice Better differenciation of the learning taskBetter differenciation of the learning task Evaluation structure that rewards improvementEvaluation structure that rewards improvement

5. Social outcomes: Provision of a more democratic, less competitive classroom environment. Provision of a more democratic, less competitive classroom environment. Improved race relations Improved race relations Development of the prosocial skills Development of the prosocial skills

6. 5 Models: 1. Peer tutoring: Mutual assistance in the mastering of predetermined consent. 2. Jigsaw: students divided into teams with each member having responsibilities for a single part of the learning task. 3.Cooperative Projects: require groups to work together to produce a final collective project.

7. 4.Cooperative/Individualized Methods: student’s individual progress contributes to a team grade. 5.Cooperative Interaction: students work on individual assignments requiring interaction although no group grade is given.

8. ‘Norm of cooperation’ Students must: Students must: identify the skills of group membersidentify the skills of group members assume responsibilities for asking questionsassume responsibilities for asking questions explain things to each otherexplain things to each other

9. Benefit 1: In multicultural classrooms cooperative learning as exemplified in small-group work provides frequent opportunity for natural L2 practice and negotiation of meaning through talk. In multicultural classrooms cooperative learning as exemplified in small-group work provides frequent opportunity for natural L2 practice and negotiation of meaning through talk.

10. Possibilities for practice in both comprehension and production of the L2 increase, even if language is not always grammatically well formed. Possibilities for practice in both comprehension and production of the L2 increase, even if language is not always grammatically well formed. Scaffolding: adjust communication strategies to interlocutor competence through frequent self- and other-correction regardless of proficiency level, modelling and supporting target language use Scaffolding: adjust communication strategies to interlocutor competence through frequent self- and other-correction regardless of proficiency level, modelling and supporting target language use

11. Benefit 2: In multicultural classrooms, cooperative learning can help students draw on primary language resources as they develop second language skills. In multicultural classrooms, cooperative learning can help students draw on primary language resources as they develop second language skills.

12. Bilingual students as intermediaries encouraging the peer interaction Bilingual students as intermediaries encouraging the peer interaction Primary language as a bridge rather than a barrier Primary language as a bridge rather than a barrier

13. Benefit 3: In multicultural settings, cooperative learning offers additional ways to incorporate content areas into language instruction. In multicultural settings, cooperative learning offers additional ways to incorporate content areas into language instruction.

14. Principal curricular benefit of cooperative learning approaches Principal curricular benefit of cooperative learning approaches Ways to help students master academic content while they improve language skills Ways to help students master academic content while they improve language skills Successful topics are those within intrinsic interest and no single right answer Successful topics are those within intrinsic interest and no single right answer

15. Benefit 4: Cooperative learning tasks require a variety of group activities and materials to support instruction; this whole array of changes in traditional classroom technology creates a favourable context for language development. Cooperative learning tasks require a variety of group activities and materials to support instruction; this whole array of changes in traditional classroom technology creates a favourable context for language development.

16. Activities and Materials must tap: Spatial Visual Manual Spatial Visual ManualAbilities to facilitate the Verbal abilities

17. Benefit 5: Cooperative learning models require redefinition of the role of the teacher in ways that allow teachers to expand general pedagogical skills and emphasize meaning as well as form in communication. Cooperative learning models require redefinition of the role of the teacher in ways that allow teachers to expand general pedagogical skills and emphasize meaning as well as form in communication.

18. Teacher as a facilitator rather than supervisor Teacher as a facilitator rather than supervisor Teacher training in practical and philosophical foundations Teacher training in practical and philosophical foundations Chance to deal with the meanings as well as the forms through natural exchange of information Chance to deal with the meanings as well as the forms through natural exchange of information

19. Benefit 6: Cooperative learning approaches encourage students to take an active role in acquisition of knowledge and language skills and to encourage each other as they work on problems of mutual interest. Cooperative learning approaches encourage students to take an active role in acquisition of knowledge and language skills and to encourage each other as they work on problems of mutual interest.

20. Pretraining students is vital Pretraining students is vital Students must develop the norm of cooperation and the understanding of such roles as leader, facilititor and recorder Students must develop the norm of cooperation and the understanding of such roles as leader, facilititor and recorder Emphasis on meaning and selective tolerance for grammatical and lexical errors Emphasis on meaning and selective tolerance for grammatical and lexical errors

21. From a psychological standpoint: a way to empower language minority students From a psychological standpoint: a way to empower language minority students Interaction and student control have positive individual as well as social consequences Interaction and student control have positive individual as well as social consequences