Abstract

Teaching must be targeted at students. At present, there are a very large numbers of learners stand on uneven levels. So that a lesson in forty minutes cannot take all of them into account, nor conform their individualized development. In this case, group work is required to help students complete the task by means of cooperation. Based on previous studies of the classification and usage of group work, this paper focuses on investigating the situation of group work in English class. The author invites fifty students, and three English teachers to help her finish the research.

By learning from the previous research and analysis, the researcher aims to improve students interests in English learning. What’s more, class observation, interview, and questionnaire are also used in this paper to help investigate the status of English teaching. The research questions are: Do teachers usually use group work in English class? In what types of class do teachers use group work? What are students’ reactions on group work in English class? And the researcher finds that teachers commonly use group work in an aural-oral lesson. Most of the learners are satisfied with group cooperation, and strongly want teachers join them.

Here are some suggestions: First, each group needs an excellent leader. Second, group work must be built on students’ autonomous learning. Thirdly, Teachers should act as guides or coaches. Fourthly, the contents of the discussion in the group work should be valuable. Lastly, establishing a scientific evaluation mechanism is the guarantee for the success of the group work.

Key words: group work; English class; students in Grade Eight 

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction.1

1.1 General description of the research.1

1.2 Purpose of the research1

  1.3 Significance of the research2

  1.4 Construction of the present research.2

2 Literature review.3

 2.1 Theoretical basis3

2.1.1 Cooperative learning .3

2.1.2 Interactive theory3

  2.2 Definition4

 2.2.1 Definition of group work4

  2.2.2 Types of group work .4

  2.2.3 Important factors in group work .5

2.3 Previous researches related to the present research.6

2.3.1 Researches abroad .6

  2.3.2 Researches at home .7

3 Methodology7

  3.1 Research purposes.8

3.2 Research subjects8

3.3 Research questions8

  3.4 Research instruments.9

 3.4.1 Class observation9 

3.4.2 Questionnaires9

  3.4.3 Interviews.………9

  3.5 Data collection10

4 Results and discussion11

4.1 Results and analysis.11

4.1.1 Group work in different types of classes11

4.1.2 Students’ reactions on group work.12

 4.1.3 Analysis15

  4.2 Discussion.16

 4.2.1 Advantages of group work used in class16

4.2.2 Problems of group work used in class17

5 Conclusion18

5.1 Major findings.18

5.2 Implications to English teaching and learning18

5.3 Suggestions to future researches.20

References….21

Appendix …22