An Empirical Study Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies In Primary English Reading Teaching In The Classroom Of Grade Six

Many studies have been introduced that Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) is a significant peer tutoring methodology for reading. PALS has been implemented and evaluated successfully across grade levels by many foreign researchers. Many empirical studies in both England and America have proved its effectiveness in improving the reading skill acquisition and reading abilities of native English-speaking students and second language learners of high-, average-, and low-achievers, including students being labeled learning disabled, from kindergarten through high school. But less is done on the examination of PALS effects on students’ reading performance in the foreign language learning (EFL) especially in the English class of primary schools in China.The purpose of this study is to shorten the research gap by assessing the effects of PALS on students’reading ability in the classroom of Grade Six in China. This paper mainly focuses on the following four questions:(1) Can PALS improve the students’ability in English reading and thus their whole English level?(2) In what ways can we effectively apply PALS in primary English reading teaching?(3) Is PALS effective for pupils in all levels?(4) What are the pupils’attitudes toward PALS?This thesis tries to indicate PALS effects on students’reading ability and their whole English level. Because there’re only three English classes per week in primary schools, the research was implemented three times a week for each class for one semester in the2010school year.Firstly, the participants for the study are chosen from the four classes in Grade Six of Qingtai Experimental School, which is a school with students from Grade One to Grade Nine in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, where more than80%of the students are the children of migrant workers from different regions, coupled with the lack of primary school English teachers. Therefore, there are many students with learning difficulties in English. The author has been arranged to do connective English teaching between elementary schools and junior high schools in each sixth grade ever since the2009school year. Secondly, the pupils in the total four classes which have145students are trained to use PALS. Thirdly, to know the effect of PALS on English reading ability, the research applies the tests given by Shangcheng Teaching Evaluation Department to know the changes of students’reading ability and their whole English level. The tests include the second semester final exam of the fifth grade (pre-test) and the first semester final exam of the sixth grade (post-test). And it’s very necessary to make it clear that the degree of difficulty of the both tests given by Shangcheng Teaching Evaluation Department is0.8, with the same kinds of components. Fourthly, some teaching designs and classroom observation records help the teacher to know what ways are effective to apply PALS in class. Besides, a questionnaire and some interviews help the teacher know the students’learning attitude toward the PALS program. Finally, the comparison of the results of the tests and the data analysis will be discussed.The finding can be briefly summarized as follows:(1) The comparison of the results of the growth rate between the pre-test and the post-test showed that the students improved fast both in English reading comprehension and their whole English learning;(2) PALS can be effectively implemented in various cooperative learning activities. And its prominent feature is that it is not simple cooperative learning but the procedure of being tutors and being tutees with the reciprocal benefit of role reversal and it can be implemented in the form of a pair, a group or even class wide. Enabling the pupils to learn in collaborative environments in all aspects of the learning process also makes it different from those cooperative learning based on forms;(3) Besides the progress in English learning, low especially average-performing students gained greater progress in interest and self-confidence while high-performing students made greater progress in expression and leadership;(4) Students generally agreed that PALS helped them read better and thus facilitate the increase of their interest in English and their English scores; and also they liked participating in PALS activities.The limitations of the study and what need to do in the future research are as follows:(1) If the teacher can’t introduce the PALS instruction well, monitor well or evaluate well, PALS reading program in English class of Grade Six may cause classroom disorder;(2) The roles of tutors and tutees should and must be reciprocal so that the program can maximize the benefit of the pupils irrespective their levels. So how to pair the tutors (coaches) and tutees (players) in a wide range needs further research;(3) It’s no doubt that PALS is an effective tool for improving reading skill acquisition and reading comprehension across various reading levels and grades. Hence, how to develop a full range of peer-learning effective strategies and techniques in English learning content but not only English reading is worth researching;(4) How to implement pluralistic evaluation on the students using PALS needs further exploration and research.