An Adoption Of Cooperative Learning Approach In The Development Of The Writing Capacity

Cooperative learning approach, one of the various teaching methodologies, is warmly welcomed by most scholars abroad and at home. It is well applied to the teaching practices in many areas, which is glaringly shown in its adoption in the second language teaching and learning (SLL). Scholars at home concentrate on the researches of improving students'English learning capacities, most of which are from the directions of developing listening, speaking and reading capacities in middle schools and colleges. Seldom is there a research on improving the English writing capacity of students of non-English majors in independent colleges.The purpose of the study is to explore how to well combine cooperative learning approach with English writing learning as well as the effects on the development of students'English writing capacity. In addition, the influence on the non-cognitive factors is a part of exploration as well as students'attitudes towards the approach and the benefits to the teaching skills it will bring to the teacher.Thus, a series of hypotheses were made by the author in this case study on the application to the improvement of students'English writing capacity in one independent college. The author in this case study mainly concentrated from three aspects on training students'English writing capacity: content, English language, cohesion and coherence. The subjects in the study were 108 students from the same department in one independent college. Several methods were adopted to collect data, for example, questionnaire, interview and diary.The result of the study indicates that students improve most in contents, then the language and the least in cohesion and coherence. What is more, cooperative learning approach motivates students'desire to learn, improves their learning strategies, strengthens their senses of responsibility and increases their self-confidence. In addition, students hold a positive attitude towards it and the teacher benefits a lot on teaching skills for future adoption. However there are problems still found to be solved: the distribution of time, the atmosphere for discussion, the deviation of contents in discussion, over-dependence on Chinese and suspicions in peer assessment, communicative behaviors lagging behind cooperative awareness. Thus, several suggestions are given by the author for further studies.