The Effect Of Cooperative Learning-based Continuation Task On Senior High School Students’ English Writing Self-efficacy

The continuation task,introduced to the National Matriculation English Test(NMET),is more challenging than previously used writing items and exerts more impact upon students’ English writing self-efficacy.At the same time,cooperative learning was highly recommended as a learning method to facilitate affective strategies in the newly released Curriculum Standards for Senior English(CSSE).Hence,the author hypothesized that cooperative learning-based continuation task might exert a positive effect on senior high school students’ English writing self-efficacy.Based on the social interdependence theory,interactive alignment model as well as self-efficacy theory,the author intends to dig into the questions:(1)What effect does cooperative learning-based continuation task have on senior high school students’ English writing self-efficacy?(2)Are there any differences in English writing self-efficacy among students of different genders and from different score groups in terms of the effect of cooperative learning-based continuation task?(3)What effect does cooperative learning-based continuation task have on senior high school students’ scores in the continuation task?The teaching experiment was conducted with 101 Senior Two students from Quanzhou,Fujian to find the answers.The questionnaire,tests of the continuation task,and a follow-up interview were employed in this research.The major findings of this study are:(1)In terms of the improvement in English writing self-efficacy,students who received cooperative learning-based continuation task performed better.The author attributes the significant improvement to the positive vicarious experience and affective states generated by the interaction of the teams.(2)The effect of cooperative learning-based continuation task on students’ English writing self-efficacy showed no significant difference in gender.Although some studies found significant differences in English writing self-efficacy across genders,the author thinks differences may vary due to different regions and age groups.At the same time,students from the low-score group benefited the most in their English writing self-efficacy after the experiment.As for them,a larger space for improvement was left,and they could receive help from both medium-score and high-score group students.However,further research is needed to test if this kind of help is effective in the long run.(3)Cooperative learning-based continuation task positively affected students’ scores in the continuation task.The author thinks the positive effect was mainly due to alignment effects that were amplified by cooperative learning in the teams.Students might have access to various perspectives in text interpretation,language correction,or coherence in writing in an interactive environment.As a result,compared to the controlled group,students in the experimental class got higher scores on the continuation task.The author suggests that teachers use cooperative learning to increase students’ English writing self-efficacy and writing scores in the continuation task.Both male and female students should be treated equally.Teachers must also demonstrate consideration for students from different score groups.