Abstract

THE EFFECT OF USING THE COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH ON THE ACQUISITION OF VOCABULARY

Hems Ali Hasan Asst. Prof. Dr. Bushra Saadoon M. Al-Noori

Volume: 8 Issue: 4 2018

Abstract:

Cooperative Learning is based on using groups that are structured to encourage members to learn from their peers and also to assist the less proficient learners. Learners in such groups are trained to be aware of their responsibility to maximize their individual as well as their peers’ learning potential in social contexts. This paper tries to show the positive effects of Cooperative Learning on foreign language teaching, specifically concerning the acquisition of vocabulary. The study is restricted to second intermediate students in Al-Qahira High School for girls in Baghdad, Iraq, during the second term of the academic year 2018– 2019. The sample of the study consists of 60 students selected from a total population of (185) and divided into two groups: Experimental Group and Control Group. To achieve the aim of the study, both groups were taughtunit seven from their curriculum for a period of two weeks, five lessons a week, using two different approaches: Cooperative Learning and traditional learning. A pre-test and a post-test were applied as an instrument to collect the results. In addition to the teacher's remarks and feedbacks regarding the students' interaction in both groups. The results show that during the pre-test both groups have low and nearly similar percentages in answering correctly (27% Control Group, 26% Experimental Group). Whereas the results of the post-test show a huge difference between the two groups in favor of the Experimental Group (59% Control Group, 90% Experimental Group).

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