The Effect of Instructions for Teachers' Practices to Promote Cooperative Learning in EFL Classrooms

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore the effect of instructions for promoting cooperative learning (CL) in EFL classroom. The purpose of this study is to explore teachers’ behaviors and perceptions while applying procedures and instructions to encourage CL in their teaching practice. A total of nine teachers participated in the study. This study adopted 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 revealed that most of the teachers found that the instructions helped them support their students and encourage them to work effectively and cooperatively in groups. Further, 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.