The Impacts of Cooperative Learning on Anxiety and

Proficiency in an EFL Class

◆ ◆ Presenter: Joanne HoPresenter: Joanne Ho

◆ ◆ Instructor: Dr. Pi-Ying HsuInstructor: Dr. Pi-Ying Hsu

◆ ◆ Date: Dec, 3, 2012Date: Dec, 3, 2012

Citation

Suwantarathip, O., & Wichadee, S. (2010) The Impacts Of Cooperative Learning on Anxiety and Proficiency In An EFL Class Journal of College and Learning, 7 (11), 51-57.

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Contents

Introduction1

Literature Review2

Methodology3

Result & Discussion4

Limitation5

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Introduction

Anxiety can create a divided attention scenario for anxious students; they are focused on both the task at hand and their reaction to it.

(MacIntyre 1995; 96)

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Literature Review

The important role of language anxiety in foreign language learning has been demonstrated in several studies showing a negative correlation between high levels of anxiety and language achievement.

(Saguanpong, 2007)

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Literature Review

Cooperative approach creates a supportive learning setting; it decreases competitiveness and individualism but increase opportunities to actively construct or transform the knowledge among students.

(Johnson &Johnson 1995)

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Objective of the Research

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To compare the mean score of learning score of learning anxiety before and after learning with cooperative learning activities.

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To examine the students’ opinions toward cooperative learning.

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To compare the mean scores of English proficiency before and after learning with cooperative learning activities.

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Research Methodology

40 studentsEN 211

2009

Data Collection

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Pre-testPost-test

Research Design

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Research Methodology

Instruments

1.1.Communication Apprehension

2.2.Test Anxiety (FLCAS)

3.3.Fear of Negative Evaluation

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Results

The reduction in the FLCAS mean score of all statements reached statistical significance.

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Results

Language anxiety in each group is presented below.

Anxiety of the three groups form pre-FLCAS was not significantly different.

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Results

Anxiety of the three groups form post-FLCAS was not significantly different.

Students’ anxiety between the pre and post-FLCAS was significantly different.

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Results

Students’ anxiety decreased significantly in each group.

Results show that cooperative learning helped students to have lower anxiety.

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Results

Results show that cooperative learning approach

used in class proved rather effective.

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Discussion and Conclusion

Teachers’ Job

Previous Study

Findings

The findings support the use of cooperative learning as part of the language learning method due to students’ reduction of anxiety and higher language proficiency.

Teachers are responsible to find techniques or method that don’t cause any anxiety in class.

Results are supported by previous study that cooperative learning can contribute to the improvement of students’ language proficiency.

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Limitation

In addition to cooperative learning approach, other techniques dealing with anxiety should be investigated for their effectiveness.

A study of strategies to cope with foreign language anxiety employed by students should be conducted to analyze their effectiveness.

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