Could the Procedures and Instructions for Promoting Cooperative Learning Affect Teachers' Practices in EFL Classrooms?

Abstract

This study aims to explore how teachers’ application of the procedures and instructions for promoting cooperative learning (CL) affects their practices. The purpose of this study is to explore teachers’ behaviors and perceptions while applying procedures and instructions to encourage CL in their teaching practice. The problem is that the application of CL in Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) educational environments tend to be used more in group arrangements than as an effective technique to encourage learners’ communication and interaction. Still, the EFL literature has recommended appropriate procedures to promote CL for teachers. In this study, nine participating teachers were provided these CL procedures to apply in their daily teaching practice. The researcher applied mixed methods as follows: quantitative data from structured observations during EFL lessons and qualitative data from the teachers’ daily reports and open-ended questionnaire answers. The findings told that most of the teachers felt that the procedures helped them support their students and encourage them to work effectively and cooperatively in groups. Moreover, the findings indicated that the instructions helped the EFL teachers increase their students’ interaction and communication by prompting them to apply CL procedures. However, the majority of the teachers did not appropriately encourage their EFL learners to engage in CL even though they were aware of the procedures.