Classroom Research On Group Work In English Language Teaching

Abstracts This article describes the features of group work and studies the factors that affect the performance of group work in authentic class. The research is carried out through the observation inside classroom. Case study and questionnaires are also used to carry out the study of group work. Group work does entitle the students to improvement of English ability. However the degree and specific item on English ability is different. There is a need of innovation in ELI. Because of traditional teaching approach such as grammar-translation, teaching is focused on the grammar structure analysis. Examination is the main task to fulfill for both teacher and students. Teacher抯 talk occupies most of the class time. These mentioned influence training of students~ communicative competence. Hence, there is a need of innovation in ELI. Communicative approach features student-centered, activity-based, group-centered. Students are in the center of the class rather than teacher. They dominate the talk. There are many different kinds of activities in group work in order to complete the task set in the textbook. So group work is demanding in authentic classroom. Group work is defined as a number of people who interact with one another. There are different types of group work such as whole group and small group, group discusion. group debate, role-play. The characteristics of group work can be understood as collaborative learning arid cooperative learning. In group work, both the teacher and the students have different roles from traditional approach. Teacher抯 role changes from an organizer a controller and evaluator to a co-learner. facilitator, acting as a guide and a coach. On the other hand, students change their role from a listener, observer, and note taker to problem solver, contributor, and discussant. II ~kSTER S ?HES~S There are four forms of practical classroom working possible in language teaching. Some doubts arise from the observation in classroom. All the doubts about the completion of group work reflect some factors affect the fulfillment of group work in class. In order to get rid of these doubts. I did some research. I chose two experimental classes that I taught from September 1999 to July 2000. They have weak English level. They both use New College English as textbook. In authentic classroom, group work has been arranged in all the four teaching aspects such as speaking. listening, reading and writing. According to some doubts, questionnaire and observation, it is hypothesized that both external and internal factors affect group work. For instance, the proper relationship between teacher and students, and students and students affect the group work, students individual differences affect group work. For example. the extrovert learns more quickly in group work than introvert does. Field independent students perform better than field independent students do in group discussion and debate. Questionnaires are involved in two parts. The first part is to find out individual differences from students themselves apart from classroom observation. The second part is about students?field independence or dependence. In case study there are two students among the ten students I choose to observe and research their differences that affect their performance. Through the observation. students?grades in the examinations, I analyze the fact...