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US-China Education Review A, ISSN 2161-623X September 2013, Vol. 3, No. 9, 702-706

DAVID

PUBLISHING

The Research of Cooperative Learning Effects on College Students’ Learning Anxiety Ma Yan-hong Qufu Normal University, Shandong, China

Since Krashen put forward the Affective Filter Hypothesis, more and more concern has been paid to the anxiety problem in second and foreign language teaching and learning. Meanwhile, CL (cooperative learning) has gained much attention in recent years, both at home and abroad. Most researches (Oxford & Ehrman, 1993; Kagan, 1994; Slavin, 1995) on CL indicated that CL is a classroom procedure which can lower anxiety and improve learning outcomes. Although the researches abroad have suggested that CL has a positive impact on reducing foreign language learning anxiety, few empirical researches on CL have been conducted in China. Moreover, according to the author’s observation, anxiety is most obvious in oral English activities. Therefore, this thesis attempts to investigate some Chinese non-English freshmen’s foreign language learning anxiety. Two classes are involved in the study: one as the experimental class instructed with CL method, the other as the control class taught with the traditional teaching method. By using a classical instrument, the FLCAS (foreign language classroom anxiety scale), this study examined the subjects’ foreign language learning anxiety. According to the analysis and comparison of the first and second FLCAS, the author finds CL has a significant effect on reducing students’ foreign language learning anxiety. Keywords: foreign language learning, anxiety, CL (cooperative learning)

Introduction Since the 1970s, with the shift in second and foreign language learning from teachers’ teaching to learners’ learning, the individual differences leading to the different learning outcomes have become the heated topics in academic research. Under this circumstance, researchers start to rediscover the value and importance of affective factors in language learning and teaching. It has been realized that affective factors are at least as important as cognitive factors, because in the presence of overly negative emotions, our optimal learning potential may be compromised. According to Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis, learners with low anxiety, high motivation, and self-confidence have low filters and so obtain and let in plenty of inputs. Learners with high anxiety, low motivation, and low self-confidence have high filters and so receive little input and allow even less in. Therefore, as one of the important affective variables, anxiety plays a fundamental role in creating individual differences in second and foreign language learning. Language anxiety poses potential problems “because it can interfere with the acquisition, retention, and production of the new language” (MacIntyre & Gardner, 1991, p. 86). Ma Yan-hong, M.A., lecturer, Department of Foreign Language Teaching, Qufu Normal University.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING EFFECTS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ LEARNING ANXIETY 703 With the shift in language instruction from teaching to learning, CL (cooperative learning) based on student-centered educational philosophy has become one of the popularized models of instruction in second and foreign language classrooms. CL has been proved to be one of the most creative and practical approaches and strategies in classroom. Many countries, like America, Australia, and Japan, have employed this approach in the teaching of various subjects, especially, in the language classroom. Although, most of the researches abroad have suggested that CL has a positive impact on reducing foreign language learning anxiety, very few investigations have been made to look at the effectiveness of CL in oral English teaching in China’s context. According to many researchers (Price, 1991), speaking a foreign language in front of other students results in the most anxiety. Based on the author’s observation, anxiety is most obvious when students express themselves in English in public. Therefore, research is needed to apply CL in Chinese college oral English teaching, and look at the effectiveness of CL on Chinese college students’ foreign language learning anxiety.

Models of CL Think-Pair-Share The most basic but useful cooperative activity is think-pair-share, developed by Kagan (1994). In this activity, a question is posed or an issue is presented (by other learners or the teacher), and learners are given some time to reflect, take notes, or engage in free writing before turning to another learner and sharing what they have just thought and written about. After sharing in pairs, the members of the pair share their ideas with a larger group. It results in increased student participation and improved retention of information. STAD (Student Teams Achievement Division) STAD, developed by Slavin (1980), is an extremely well researched, effective approach for students to master the basic facts and information. An essential component of STAD is competition among groups. STAD is made up of five interlocking components: class presentations, teams, quizzes, individual improvement scores, and team recognition. These components are described below, which are adapted on the base of the description by Kagan (1992, p. 176). Class presentations. Materials in STAD are initially introduced in a class presentation. This is most often in a lecture discussion conducted by the teacher. Teaching materials must be clearly focused on the STAD unit. In this way, students realize that they must pay careful attention during the class presentation, because that will help them do well on the quizzes, and their quiz scores determine their team scores. Teams. A team is composed of four or five students who represent a cross-section of the class in academic performance, sex, and race or ethnicity. The major function of a team is to prepare its members to do well on the quizzes. After the teacher presents the material, the team meets to study worksheets or other materials. Most often, the study takes the form of students quizzing one another back and forth to be sure that they understand the content, or working out problems together and correcting any misconceptions if teammates make mistakes. Quizzes. After the teacher presentation and team practice, the students take individual quizzes. The quizzes are composed of course content-relevant questions, which students must answer. They are designed to test the knowledge gained by students from class presentations and during team practice. Individual improvement scoring. In addition to the quiz score, students receive an improvement score each week indicating how well they are performing compared to their usual level of performance.

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COOPERATIVE LEARNING EFFECTS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ LEARNING ANXIETY

Team recognition. Every week, teams receive recognition for the sum of the improvement scores of the team members. The teacher prepares a newsletter to announce team scores, which also recognizes individuals who showed the greatest improvement or got perfect papers, and reports cumulative team standings. In addition to the newsletter, many teachers use bulletin boards, special privileges, small prizes, or other rewards to emphasize the idea that doing well as a team is important. To sum up, the team is the most important feature of STAD. At every point, emphasis is placed on team members doing their best for the team and helping their members. The team provides the peer support for academic performance that is important for effects on learning, and the team provides the mutual concern and respect that are important for effect on such outcomes as inter-group relations, self-esteem, and acceptance of mainstreamed students.

Methodology Two classes are involved in the study: one as the experimental class instructed with the CL method, the other as the control class taught with the traditional teaching method.

Tools Used The instrument used in this study is the FLCAS. From Table 1, we can get the information of foreign language learning anxiety in the two classes before the experiment. Table 1 Independent Samples T-test of Anxiety Between the Two Classes From the First FLCAS Communication apprehension Fear of negative evaluation General feeling of anxiety Overall anxiety

Class EC CC EC CC EC CC EC CC

N 35 33 35 33 35 33 35 33

Mean 38.2286 39.0000 24.1714 23.8788 39.5429 38.7879 101.9429 101.6667

T

Sig. (2-tailed)

-0.524

0.602

0.284

0.777

0.477

0.635

0.080

0.936

Notes. EC: experimental class and CC: control class.

For communication apprehension, the mean scores of the two classes in the above table told us that students in the control class had more communication apprehension than students in the experimental class had. However, the p value indicated that the difference between the two classes was not significant. As for fear of negative evaluation, it can be seen that experimental class students’ fear of negative evaluation was higher than that in the control class. Judging from the p value, students in the two classes indicated no obvious difference in fear of negative evaluation. As far as general feeling of anxiety was concerned, students in the experimental class had more general feeling of anxiety than those in the control class had. But the p value proved that the difference in general feeling of anxiety between the two classes was not significant. For the overall anxiety, the mean scores of the two classes were very close, and the p value indicated there

COOPERATIVE LEARNING EFFECTS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ LEARNING ANXIETY 705 was no significant difference in foreign language learning anxiety between the two classes. From the above discussion, we can come to the conclusion that the experimental class and the control class were more or less at the same anxiety level before the experiment. The results (see Table 2) show that the experimental class made great progress in the reduction of communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and general feeling of anxiety after experiencing CL activities. Table 2 Independent Samples T-test of Anxiety Between the Two Classes From the Second FLCAS Communication apprehension Fear of negative evaluation General feeling of anxiety Overall anxiety

Class EC CC EC CC EC CC EC CC

N 35 33 35 33 35 33 35 33

Mean 35.0286 39.3939 20.0571 23.9394 36.0000 38.2121 91.0857 101.5455

T

Sig. (2-tailed)

-2.860

0.006

-3.891

0.000

-1.434

0.045

-2.954

0.005

Notes. EC: experimental class and CC: control class.

Conclusions CL reduced students’ communication apprehension. Under CL, various oral activities provided a communicative environment for learners to engage in conversations and discussion. The increased cooperation and interaction in student-student relationship and student-teacher relationship created a relaxing and harmonious learning atmosphere. The safety of small groups not only encouraged students’ participation, but also ultimately changed their psychology, since it saved students from being exposed to a large number of audience alone. CL reduced students’ fear of negative evaluation. Fear of failing or appearing foolish is a constant threat to the interaction in the language classroom, especially, when the teacher asks questions which only a few students can answer. However, with the introduction of CL in the oral English classroom, this debilitating anxiety was reduced when the possibility of providing a correct or acceptable answer was increased and when learners had an opportunity to try out their contributions with each other before being asked to offer them to the entire class. CL also reduced students’ general feeling of anxiety. General feeling of anxiety refers to students’ apprehension over academic evaluation and other general anxiety about the English class. In CL activities, students’ concern was drawn to the cooperation and interaction rather than the competition among group members. The various forms of activities motivated students’ participation and aroused their interest in English learning. Evaluations were conducted in a very relaxing and enjoyable way, such as interviews, role-plays, etc.. Since students knew they could get support both from the teacher and peer in looking for the answers, they were not as worried about the test result as before.

References Arnold, J. (2000). Affect in language learning. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

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Crandall, J. J. (1999). Cooperative language learning and affective factors. In J. Armold (Ed.), Affect in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ghaith, G. M., & Yaghi, H. (1998). Effect of cooperative learning on the acquisition of second language rules and mechanics. System, 26, 223-234. Kagan, S. (1994). Cooperative learning (2nd ed.). San Juan Capistrano, C.A.: Kagan Cooperative Learning. Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press. MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1991). Methods and results in the study of anxiety and language learning: A review of the literature. Language Learning, 41, 85-117. Oxford, R. (1999). Anxiety and the language learner: New insights. In J. Arnold (Ed.), Affect in language learning (pp. 58-67). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Oxford, R. L., & Ehrman, M. (1993). Second language research on individual differences. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 13, 188-205. Price, M. L. (1991). The subjective experience of foreign language anxiety: Interviews with highly anxious students. In E. K. Horwitz, & D. J. Young, Language anxiety (pp. 101-108). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Slavin, R. E. (1980). Using student team learning. Baltimore, M.D.: Kopkins Learning Project. Slavin, R. E. (1995). Cooperative learning (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.