RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN READING ATTITUDES, ACHIEVEMENT, AND LEARNERS PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR JIGSAW II COOPERATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between reading attitudes, achievement, and learners perceptions of their Jigsaw II cooperative learning (CL) experience. One hundred eleven (n = 111) eighth grade students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) enrolled in four sections in two branches of a middle school in Lebanon participated in the study. The participants completed two questionnaires and a semantic differential scale that assessed their reading attitudes and perception of their Jigsaw II CL experience. In addition, the participants took a pretest and a posttest specifically designed for the purpose of the study. Descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients were computed and two multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) tests were conducted in order to address the questions raised in the study. Results indicated that reading attitudes and reading achievement were positively internally related, but not related to the perception of the Jigsaw II cooperative experience. Furthermore, the results revealed certain statistically significant differences between high and low achievers and between males and females across the variables of reading attitudes, achievement, and perception of the Jigsaw II cooperative experience. The results are discussed in light of previous research findings and with reference to the cultural context of the present study.