Learning language in cooperatively structured groups in a first-year level university classroom: A case study of Japanese as a foreign language

This study takes the form of action research investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of learning Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) in cooperatively structured groups at the university beginners' level. The evaluation of incorporating cooperatively structured group activities in JFL classes is framed by theoretical and empirical studies in the fields of SLA and cooperative learning. It embraces the idea that a theory of SLA should integrate various aspects of the L2 learning process and that cooperatively structured group work facilitates SLA by providing more input/output and scaffolding among learners and a more constructive affective and social environment for learning.; An experimental and a comparison JFL beginner's level classes at a university in Southern Ontario framed the context of this study. I taught both experimental and comparison classes giving a variety of cooperatively structured group activity treatment over a 16 week period in the experimental class while giving comparison class a more teacher-fronted treatment. Results of the vocabulary and kanji quizzes I administered after each vocabulary and kanji learning activity in both experimental and comparison classes were compared quantitatively between the two classes. Data collected from questionnaires, interviews, teacher's journal in the experimental and comparison classes, and audio- and videotapes made in the experimental class were also used to qualitatively evaluate the experimental students' interactional patterns, attitudes towards cooperative group learning, and group cohesiveness, and to compare with the patterns and attitudes observed in the comparison class.; The results of vocabulary and kanji quizzes and the post-test indicated that cooperatively structured activities seemed not to have differentially affected the linguistic performances of the students in the experimental class. Further investigation indicated, however, that a significant amount of linguistic input/outputs and scaffolding among students was present in their discourses. The results of questionnaires and interviews suggested that cooperatively structured groups provided the students with a favourable affective and social learning environment. These findings suggest that cooperatively structured group work may be valuable for beginner university level learners of a second language, and that pedagogical merits of second language learning using cooperatively structured groups should be further evaluated at this level.