Attitudes of Jordanian Students Towards Using Group Work in EFL Classrooms

Sana' Ababneh

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.8n.1p.233

Abstract

This paper addresses itself to the outcomes of a field study which was carried out to identify Jordanian EFL students' attitudes towards using group work in EFL classrooms. The study sample consisted of 179 students enrolled in English 101, an elementary language skills course taught at Al- Huson University College, Al -Balqa' Applied University, Jordan. A questionnaire was used to investigate the subjects' attitudes. The findings show that approximately two-thirds of the participants are either very extrovert or somewhat extrovert, i.e. they have positive attitudes towards participating in group work in EFL classes. In contrast, only a third are either somewhat introvert or very introvert, i.e., they do not like to take part in group work in EFL classes. Moreover, the data show that neither the subjects' gender nor their secondary school stream (vocational, scientific, or literary) has any significant effect on their preferences.

Highlights

Language is a means of communication between people who share a common code, their mother tongue (L1), through which they exchange messages, i.e., send ideas from one head to another and express their feelings concerning their life experiences
The third question examined the effect of the participants' secondary school stream on their attitudes towards using group work in English classroom
In order to answer this question ANOVA test of variance was applied to their responses to see if it has an effect on their attitudes

Summary

Introduction

Language is a means of communication between people who share a common code, their mother tongue (L1), through which they exchange messages, i.e., send ideas from one head to another (or others) and express their feelings concerning their life experiences. Most people acquire this L1 from their social environment (family, peers, etc.). Especially adults, prefer to work alone by habit since that is what they are used to do since they were young In such situations the task of teachers is to persuade such learners that language is a means of communicating with others and that the more they get into face-to-face interaction, the more they will improve in using the language properly (Brown 2001: 181). Working in groups is a simulated version of real life situations since real life involves working with others

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Conclusion