Developing Cooperative Learning through Tasks in Content and Language Integrated Learning

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study on teachers’ perceptions regarding specific work with tasks in the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) classroom, a context where academic content and a foreign language are learnt simultaneously. A questionnaire consisting of closed and open questions was administered to 25 teachers working in a school participating in an innovative project based on the implementation of tasks used as an instrument to promote cooperative learning. Following an interdisciplinary approach, the teachers worked in collaboration to design tasks that were organised and linked around a common topic. These crosscurricular themes were selected in the different subjects with the objective of making students work towards a common final goal through several developmental stages. The results of the study show that the teachers are concerned about the methodological difficulties that the use of tasks entail, about their own ability to cope with them, and about the problems that they encounter to collaborate. However, the teachers also value the benefits of this strategy in terms of achievement of learning objectives, and display a high degree of motivation to continue working with this model.

Practices and Challenges of Cooperative Learning in Selected College of Arsi University: As a Motivational Factor on Enhancing Students' Learning

“…In general, we can conclude that majority of the respondents have good perception of CL. Similar findings were reported by [27,30,33,37], who argue that CL increased their participants' motivation to learn in comparison to traditional lecture instruction due to the interactive and goal shared nature of the activities performed in class. [5] also found that working in teams where group members feel that their individual contributions are relevant to the group's success resulted in increased motivation to learn.…”

“…There is consensus among CL reviewers that individual accountability and positive interdependence are actually essential components for successful CL [13]. CL is a teaching method, in which students of diverse background are assembled in groups to accomplish a common task [37]. It helps students to build rapport with other students [39].…”

“…CL tasks promote interaction and cooperation among group members that leads to gain more academic and social competencies than working as an individual [35,41]. [37] that CL promotes students` learning motivation and critical thinking. According to [8] Cooperative learning facilitates to develop better relationship among gifted, average and below average learners, enhance their self-esteem and improve their attitude towards teaching subject.…”

“…According to [8] Cooperative learning facilitates to develop better relationship among gifted, average and below average learners, enhance their self-esteem and improve their attitude towards teaching subject. CL is an extensive research based strategy [31,37].…”

Analysing teachers' roles regarding cross-curricular coordination in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

“…CLIL also boosts teachers' self-esteem and motivation by triggering "rethinking of their teaching vision" (D'Angelo and García 2012: 76). In this context, teachers' perceptions of their actual performance may significantly affect their understanding of the challenges that CLIL entails (Halbach 2009;Ramos Ordóñez and Pavón 2015), how to construct teacher collaboration (Meyer 2010), and how to scrutinise teachers' profile and competences (D'Angelo and García, 2012;Hylliard 2001;Pavón and Ellison 2013). A lot of attention then has been given to reviewing teachers' opinions of their role in CLIL and a number of studies have specifically investigated teachers' perceptions of CLIL in different European contexts (Hüttner et al 2013 [Austria]; Infante, Benvenuto and Lastrucci 2009 [Italy];Moliner 2013;Pena and Porto 2008;Travé 2013 [Spain]; Viebrock 2012 [Germany]).…”