A case study of group work management in an efl classroom m a

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE A CASE STUDY OF GROUP-WORK MANAGEMENT IN AN EFL CLASSROOM A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfilment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By PHAM NHU QUYNH Supervised by TRAN THI MINH PHUONG, PhD HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2015 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: “A CASE STUDY OF GROUP-WORK MANAGEMENT IN AN EFL CLASSROOM” in terms of the statement of Requirements for the Thesis in Master’s Program issued by the Higher Degree Committee This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other situation Ho Chi Minh City, August 20, 2015 Pham Nhu Quynh i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, Pham Nhu Quynh, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the library for the care, loan or reproduction of theses Ho Chi Minh City, August 20, 2015 Pham Nhu Quynh ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am truly indebted and thankful to a number of people who helped me to make this thesis possible First and foremost, I would like to show my sincerest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Tran Thi Minh Phuong, who has supported me throughout my thesis with her great patience, knowledge and empathy Without her, I could not have been able to understand how far I could reach in doing research I owe earnest thankfulness to all of my classmates in TESOL and my colleagues who directly and indirectly helped me to fulfill my thesis My special thanks also go to Ms Vu Thi Ngoc Hai for patiently helping me record the classroom observation during the study In addition, I would like to send my thanks to Ms Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong who was always willing to answer my questions and share with me a lot of experience in doing scientific research My deep gratitude goes to the teacher who agreed to be my major participant unconditionally and her students who willingly let me observe their activities I also would like to acknowledge two teachers who allowed me to attend their class and participated in the interview This thesis would not be possible without their kindness and willingness Last but not least, I am truly indebt to my beloved father, mother, and sister who always stand by me Their love and support has been the greatest inspiration for me to successfully complete this study iii TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF CHARTS AND FIGURES x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xi ABSTRACT xii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theoretical background 2.1.1 Cooperative learning 2.1.2 Outcomes of Cooperative learning 11 2.1.2.1 To learners 11 2.1.2.2 To teachers 13 2.1.3 Group work in Cooperative learning 14 2.1.3.1 Group types 16 iv 2.1.3.2 Group assignment 17 2.1.3.3 Group roles 18 2.1.4 Roles of the teacher 20 2.2 Related research on cooperative learning 22 2.3 Conceptual framework 26 2.4 Chapter summary 28 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 29 3.1 Context of the study 29 3.2 Participants 30 3.2.1 Teacher participants 30 3.2.1.1 Observation participants 30 3.2.1.2 Questionnaire participants 31 3.2.2 Student participants 31 3.3 Research design 333 3.4 Instruments 33 3.4.1 Observation 33 3.4.2 Interview 34 3.4.3 Questionnaire 35 3.4.3.1 Questionnaire to teachers 35 3.4.3.2 Questionnaire to learners 36 3.5 Data collection procedure 37 3.5.1 Observations 38 3.5.2 Questionnaire 39 v 3.5.3 Interview 39 3.6 Data analysis procedure 40 3.6.1 Classroom observations and interview data analysis 40 3.6.2 Questionnaire data analysis 40 3.7 Chapter summary 40 CHAPTER RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 41 4.1 Results 41 4.1.1 Class observations 41 4.1.1.1 Lesson one: September 19th, 2013 41 4.1.1.2 Lesson two: October 3rd, 2013 43 4.1.1.3 Lesson three: October 10th, 2013 46 4.1.1.4 Lesson four: November 7th, 2013 48 4.1.2 Questionnaire 51 4.1.2.1 Questionnaire to teachers 51 4.1.2.2 Questionnaire for learners 56 4.2 Discussions of results 65 4.2.1 The teacher’s management 65 4.2.1.1 Lesson one 65 4.2.1.2 Lesson two 68 4.2.1.3 Lesson three 72 4.2.1.4 Lesson four 74 4.2.2 Students’ attitude toward group work 77 vi 4.2.2.1 Students’ concern in studying in groups 77 4.2.2.2 The fact of groups’ labor distribution 78 4.2.2.3 Students’ opinions about group work’s disadvantages and advantages 79 4.2.2.4 Students’ recommendation to help CL to be successfully applied in their classroom 82 4.3 Chapter summary 84 CHAPTER CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 86 5.1 Summary of major findings 86 5.2 Recommendations 88 5.2.1 For the administrators 88 5.2.2 For the teachers 89 5.3 Limitations 92 5.4 Suggestions for further studies 92 5.5 Chapter summary 93 REFERENCES 94 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE TO LEARNERS (English version) 98 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE TO LEARNERS (Vietnamese version) 103 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE TO TEACHERS 108 APPENDIX TRANSRIPTION OF INTERVIEW 110 APPENDIX TRANSCIPTION OF INTERVIEW 111 APPENDIX TRANSCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW 114 APPENDIX DESCRIPTION OF GROUP WORK IN TEACHER 1’S CLASS 116 APPENDIX DESCRIPTION OF GROUP WORK IN TEACHER 2’S CLASS 119 vii APPENDIX OBSERVATION FORM 121 APPENDIX 10 INTERVIEW 123 APPENDIX 11 SAMPLE PAGES OF TOEIC COURSE BOOK 124 viii LIST OF TABLES Chapter Table 2.1 The differences between CL groups and traditional groups 14 Table 2.2 Possible group roles 19 Chapter Table 3.1 Description of student participants 32 Table 3.2 Summary of observation form’s content 34 Table 3.3 Distribution of questions in the interview to teachers 35 Table 3.4 Description of the questionnaire to teachers 35 Table 3.5 Content and aims of the statements and questions in the questionnaire to learners 37 Chapter Table 4.1 Summary of teacher and students’ activities in Lesson one 41 Table 4.2 Summary of teacher and students’ activities in Lesson two 44 Table 4.3 Summary of teacher and students’ activities in Lesson three 46 Table 4.4 Summary of teacher and students’ activities in Lesson four 49 Table 4.5 Students’ opinions about learning in groups 56 Table 4.6 Students’ problems for not joining group work 58 ix R: I often mention the mistakes of each group in details and after that I give general feedback to all of them I also let the students comment on the other groups’ products I: Do you have enough time to let all of the groups perform their work? R: No, that is the reason why I often have only or groups present in front of the class I: How about the rest of the class? R: I just ask them to listen to their friends and correct their own mistakes if necessary I: How you grade the groups’ work? Do you have any criteria to grade them? R: Yes I usually base on the content of the products, and the presenting skills to give marks I also pay attention to their grammar and pronunciation I: And the whole groups get the same marks, right? R: Yes 115 APPENDIX DESCRIPTION OF GROUP WORK IN TEACHER 1’S CLASS Date: October 23rd, 2013 Number of students: 50 students, 2nd year Lesson: Unit – Grammar and Listening (part I, II) Time: 45 minutes Teacher’s activities Students’ activities Group work I: Before: - Asked the students to close - Did as told their books - The students at three - Showed a short paragraph on first rows grouped the screen quickly - Required students sitting near - Students at the back to work in groups of four or moved slowly five members to find the adjectives and adverbs in the paragraph During - Went round once to reminds - Some denied to group some boys to focus on the with their friends and group work did the task - Explained the task again the individually some learners - Some asked the - Did not pay attention to the teacher to explain the groups at back rows task again - Learners at the far corner of the class kept chatting with each After other - Stopped the group work after - The groups stopped minutes discussing as told - Called on some groups at - Groups chose the random to give the answers presenter by - Helped the class to draw the themselves to explain positions of adjectives and their answer adverbs in sentences - Gave examples for each rule then asked a student to give - Listened to the another similar example requirement The observer’s notes - Activity was explained shortly in Vietnamese - Groups are formed based on the students’ position in class - The time for discussing was not mentioned The paragraph: “My favorite football team is Manchester United I have never missed any game of this team They played extremely well last weekend The second goal of Juan Mata was completely amazing Hopefully, they can get a position in the top of the league at the end of the season” - - Some learners still felt confused about the task The teacher walked to some groups containing more males than females, but not to the others The teacher did not control those sitting at the back and avoiding joining groups 116 Group work II: Before: - Asking the students to count number for to (8 groups) - The same number formed the same group - Showed a list of sentences on the screen and required the groups to raise questions for all those sentences During: - Looked through all the groups and checked their working process - Reminded the students that they had to take notes everything their group did After: - Complained the class that they did not cooperate well that day, and only some groups did their job as told - Asked some members of each group to move to another group to share their questions - Since the students did not get the requirement, the teacher called on two members from two different groups to ask and answer to sentences - Moved automatically to the next part of the lesson - Some students didn’t understand the requirements, so they asked the teacher to explain it again - Students kept looking at the screen, not really discussing in groups - Students moved as told but did not completely understand what they had to - - Since the teacher did not make clear explanation, many learners couldn’t get the task - The class seemed not to be familiar with this kind of group work - The class was confused with this kind of task Three pairs were called to raise their questions 117 APPENDIX DESCRIPTION OF GROUP WORK IN TEACHER 2’S CLASS Date: October 31st, 2013 Number of students: 66 students, 2nd year Lesson: Unit – Listening part I, II, III Time: 45 minutes Teacher’s activities Group work I: Before: - Asked the questions: “Do you like painting?” “What you like to paint?” - Required students to work in groups of three or four members, discussing seven given questions on the screen in 10 minutes - Explained the meaning of all the questions - Emphasized that students must talk, not write down the answers During - Went to two first-rows tables of each side to supervise the students - Went back to the board after helping two tables in front After - Asked the whole class: “Have you finished?” - Immediately had the class move to page 147 of their book: Short conversation Group work II: Before: - Asked the students to work in groups, each group chose a certain theme (flowers/ people) to draw a picture in 10 minutes Students’ activities The observer’s notes - Answered the questioned - - Listened to the requirement - Activity was explained clearly and shortly in both languages - Copied down all the - Group forming was questions uncontrolled - Each desk (about to Questions for discussion: students) Do you like to paint? automatically formed a When you were a child, group did you paint a lot? What you like to paint? (Animals, flowers, people, etc.) Which colors you like to use for your paintings? - Some (2 groups of Do you have any artistic each class side) at the talents? front rows asked and What was the last answered the questions painting/ poster/ piece of while the others (5 last art you bought? Why did tables of each class you buy it? side) did not Describe the pieces in - Half of the class said: your house “Yes” The rest said - The teacher did not pay “No” much attention to the groups at the back tables The instruction for group work was clear and easy to for learners to understand 118 - - - and then present their picture’s meaning to the class During: Moved along and looked through all the groups’ work After: Collected back all the pictures Chose one strange picture and asked the group to present its meaning Asked the class to give the presenter big hands Some worked in groups, some worked individually Only one student presented his group’s product - - - The class joined the activity more excitingly The teacher seemed to move and control the class more enthusiastically Not all groups had a chance to present their work No feedback was given 119 APPENDIX OBSERVATION FORM Date: Time: Skills: Before group work 1.1 - Giving instructions Does the teacher provide students with necessary vocabulary, structures, grammatical points, and group work skills? - What language does the teacher use to instruct students? - Does she check students’ understanding? - Does she set the time limit? 1.2 Group organization - How many members are there in a group? - How does the teacher instruct students into their groups? - What is the position of each member in a group (are they face to each other? Do they sit close enough to hear each other?) During group work 2.1 The teacher’s activities - Where does the teacher when groups start working? - Does she move around the groups? - Does she contribute ideas or quietly listen to the groups? - What language does she use to join or intervene the group? - Does she note down the mistakes or correct the mistakes immediately? - How does she manage the noise of the whole class? - Other observations: ………… 2.2 Students’ activities - Do students understand the instructions? - Do they ask the teacher for help? 120 - Do they focus on the task or their own business? - What language they use to interact with each other? - Do they encourage each other and share ideas to complete the task? - How many members actually contribute ideas to their groups? - Are there strong members who everything? - Do they help each other to understand the task and the answers as well? - Are there groups that finish the task earlier than the others? What they then? - Other observations: ……… After group work - How are groups chosen to perform their answers? - How does the teacher give feedback to students? - How does the teacher assess students? (in groups or individual? Based on what criteria?) - Do the groups and the teacher discuss how well the groups work together and what needed to be improved for the next group work? - Other observations: ……… 121 APPENDIX 10 INTERVIEW How often you organize group work in your class? How are the groups formed? 2.1 How are the members chosen? Freely or depending on the teacher’s decision? 2.2 Are specific roles assigned for each group member? For example: leader, secretary, reporter … Are the groups kept constant or frequently changed? Why? How you instruct the group tasks to students? 4.1 Which language you use to explain the task requirement? 4.2 Do you set any ground rules for the groups? 4.3 How you assure that students understand clearly what they are going to do? How you manage group work in the class? 5.1 What you often when groups are working? 5.2 How you control the group work? What kinds of tasks and activities to you often have the groups work? How you give feedback to the group work? How you grade the groups work? (in groups/ individually, based on what criteria) 122 APPENDIX 11 SAMPLE PAGES OF TOEIC COURSE BOOK 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 ... difficulties of group work as the demanding syllabus, teaching materials, learners’ awareness, and time limit, the teachers’ classroom management can be a big obstacle decreasing the effects of cooperative...STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled: ? ?A CASE STUDY OF GROUP- WORK MANAGEMENT IN AN EFL CLASSROOM? ?? in terms of the statement of Requirements... writing 29 3.2 Participants As the current study aims to investigate and evaluate the group work management of a teacher of English, it is important that the reason why case study is chosen as