A Study Of Guide Paper In Senior English Learning

Cooperative learning refers to the instructional use of small groups in which learners work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. When learners work cooperatively in small groups, they divide labor and share resources among themselves in order to achieve common goals, ensuring that all members learn assigned material. All the assigned material is based on the guide paper designed by the cooperative group of teachers. As such, well-designed guide papers may be one approach to increase learners’ academic achievement and their awareness of being cooperative as well.This action research investigated the relationship between the use of guide paper in English learning and the academic achievement of senior high school learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Students from two classes, who enrolled in the eleventh grade of a senior high school in Wuxi, participated in the study. The participants were involved in various adapted cooperative learning activities based on the designed guide papers during two semesters of studying English. Before and after the study, each participant completed questionnaires on English learning and cooperative learning and receive the interview. The teachers were asked to keep teaching journals and write down their reflections.This action research is based on the theory of cooperative learning, in combination with task-based teaching in high schools. This action research is divided into two stages, of which the first stage mainly carried out the necessary preparation and initial attempt to adopt group cooperative learning in English class. On this stage, the researchers carried out a variety of cooperative learning and task-based teaching activities, for example, the students were divided into groups and collected information in different ways for one task, then they communicated with team members and drew the conclusion; The second stage focused on the problems arising from the first stage, and then the corresponding adjustment was made to better the design of cooperative learning tasks.The analysis of the data reveals that the use of guide papers in English learning was positively correlated with students’ academic achievement. The discussion of the results leads to the conclusion that the guide paper-based teaching model helps arouse the interest and motivation of learners and boost their academic achievement accordingly.