Arabic Language, Literature & Culture

2017; 2(3): 60-68

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/allc
doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170203.12

Students’ Attitudes Towards Cooperative Learning (CL) in

EFL Writing Class
Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali
Department of English Language & Literature, Faculty of Social Science & Humanities, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia

Email address:
[email protected]

To cite this article:

Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali. Students’ Attitudes Towards Cooperative Learning (CL) in EFL Writing Class. Arabic Language, Literature &
Culture. Vol. 2, No. 3, 2017, pp. 60-68. doi: 10.11648/j.allc.20170203.12

Received: June 11, 2017; Accepted: June 26, 2017; Published: July 26, 2017

Abstract: This study focused on assessing whether or not there were differences between male and female students’
attitudes towards cooperative learning (CL) in learning writing skills based on English for Ethiopia Grade Seven Pupil’s Book.
The study involved ninety students who were attending their lessons at the same school. The data for the study were gathered
through questionnaires. In order to see the actual happening and to triangulate the findings of the questionnaires, interviews
were conducted and classrooms were observed. The results of the study showed that the students who were administered
questionnaires and interviewed understood the benefits of using CLduring writing though the number of students in each class
was large, and they had poor background knowledge of English. The classroom observations proved that the number of
students in each class was large; the teachers could not follow up and monitor their learners appropriately while the students
were working on the writing activities in groups; the students frequently used their mother tongues rather than English during
group discussions; the teachers did not set a time limit for the discussions, and there was no practice of evaluating the writing
group activities after CL. Moreover, the mean results indicated that female students had better attitudes towards CLin learning
writing skills. However, their difference is not statistically significant. The summary of the findings indicated that the writing
lessons in the students’ English textbook should be taught through CL though there were some problems that have been
mentioned above to practice them in the classrooms.
Keywords: Cooperative Learning, Writing Skills, Social Skills, EFL (English as a Foreign Language)

and start their writing. They also lose confidence in writing.

1. Introduction The second one results from English teachers. They are
Researches conducted on English writing skills at different deficient in ample and suitable teaching technique and lack
schools indicated that many high school, college and appropriate materials in their classes. With regard to this,
university students lack the required competence in writing Sritunyarat (2003) claimed that many teachers are still using
since it has complex processes that require a lot of thinking teacher-fronted method which makes the teaching of writing
and practices. Concerning this, Adipattaranan (1996) boring and ineffective.
explained that writers need skills in language structure and Therefore, CL has changed classrooms from being teacher-
ability to analyse sentences or phrases in the text. centred where the focus is on the teacher imparting
Subsequently, they should cognitively be alert and think knowledge to the pupils to student-centred where the students
critically and logically while reading different texts. Cimcoz are expected to take a more active part in their own learning.
(1999) and Widdowson (1981) identified two overarching In cooperative classrooms, students remain in charge of their
factors that may cause an ineffective teaching and learning of own discoveries and can become truly excited about the
writing skills. The first problem comes from the students learning process (Tsai, 1998 & Yu, 1995).
themselves, i.e. they lack basic writing skills because they do In contrast to the participatory nature of CL mentioned
not have enough chance to practice writing. As a result, they above, teachers at EwketFana Comprehensive Primary
do not know how to clearly express their ideas to their School complained that their students were not good at
readers, use grammatical sentences, choose the right words English language in general and writing skills in particular.
They said that their students did not have proper
 Arabic Language, Literature & Culture 2017; 2(3): 60-68 61

participation in their respective groups. Rather, some understanding of a subject amongst students at different
students did some activities unrelated to the objective of the levels. The idea is that students, in small groups, cooperate to
lessons and others usually sat idle. They also told that the help one another, understand and learn the material together.
students were most of the time taught in line with the Thus, CL, with regard to Slavin (1994), has a powerful effect
traditional ways of teaching where the most important thing in raising pupil’s achievements since it combines the
was the outcome of instruction rather than the process. As dynamics of democratic processes with the process of
the researcher sensed, the teachers might not comprehend academic enquiry. It also encourages active participation in
what CL is and the students seemed to be confused learning and cooperative behaviour by developing social as
probably for not knowing what to do with the writing tasks well as academic skills.
in the textbook.
In the Ethiopian context, some researchers have conducted 3.2. Basic Elements of CL
to check the overall contribution of English language In order for a lesson to be cooperative in an EFL
teaching (ELT) materials in relation to CL. For example, classroom, CL which emphasizes positive interdependence,
Berhanu (2000) tried to see CL focusing on group face-to-face interaction, individual and group accountability,
organization in grade eleven; Seifu (2005) conducted a study social skills and group processing should be applied at any
to assess the group activities in English for Ethiopia Grade 9 grade level with any subject (Kessler, 1992). The elements
in promoting CL focusing on speaking skill; Seid (2012) are further discussed below.
conducted a study on the effects of CL on English as a
foreign language (EFL) reading comprehension achievement 3.2.1. Positive Interdependence
and social skills of tenth graders and Berhanu (2000) studied It is successfully structured when group members perceive
the verbal participation of first year students in group work. that they are linked with one other in a way that one cannot
Since the aforementioned researches have been studies on the succeed unless everyone succeeds. Group goals and tasks,
overall contribution of ELT materials in connection with therefore, must be designed and communicated to students in
group activities at secondary and university levels, this a way that makes them believe they sink or swim together. It
researcher believes the relevance of assessing the students’ is solidly structured to offer highlights that (a) each group
attitudes towards learning writing skills via CLin the lower member’s efforts are required and indispensable for group
grade, that is, in grade seven at EwketFana Comprehensive success and (b) each group member has a unique contribution
Primary School at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. to make to the joint effort because of his/her resources and/or
role and task responsibilities. Doing so creates a commitment
2. Objectives of the Study to the success of group members as well as one’s own, and is
the heart of CL. If there is no positive interdependence, there
The general objective of this study is to assess the is no cooperation (Johnson, Johnson & Houlubec, 1993).
students’ attitudes towards learning writing skills via CL.
Specifically, it attempts to answer the following research 3.2.2. Face-to-Face Interaction
questions: Face-to-face verbal interaction refers to the physical set up
(1) What do the students’ attitudes towards learning of the group. Students need to be clustered together in a tight
writing skills via CL look like? group, facing each other in order to have the kind of
(2) Are their statistically significant differences in the interchange necessary to accomplish the task. In other words,
attitudes of male and female students towards learning learners are provided with abundant face-to-face interaction,
writing skills via CL? where they can explain, argue, elaborate and link current or
previous material. Thus, it is crucial to let students sit in
comfortable places where they can interact face to face easily
3. Literature Review (Tuan, 2010).
3.1. Definition of CL 3.2.3. Individual Accountability
As to the meaning of CL, Dutsc has the following to say: A level of accountability must be structured into
Cooperation is working together to accomplish shared cooperative lessons. Each member must be accountable for
goals and CL is the instructional use of small groups so that contributing his/her share of the work. Individual
students work together to maximize their own and one accountability exists when the performance of each
another’s learning. Within CL groups, students are given two individual is assessed and the results are given back to the
responsibilities: to learn the assigned material and to make group and the individual in order to ascertain who needs
sure that all other members of their group do likewise. Thus, more assistance, and encouragement in learning (Ames &
a student seeks an outcome that is beneficial to him/her and Ames, 1985). Gillies (2007) also explained that individual
beneficial to all other group members. Dutsc (1962) as accountability involves students’ understanding that they will
quoted in Brubacher, et al (1990: 69) be held accountable for their individual contributions to the
According to the definition given above, CL is a teaching group, that free-loading will not be tolerated, and that
strategy designed to promote mutual learning and everyone must contribute.
62 Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali: Students’ Attitudes Towards Cooperative Learning (CL) in EFL Writing Class

3.2.4. Social Skills religion, etc (Slavin, 1994). Thus, CL provides the students
Social skills refer to interpersonal and small group skills. with opportunities to enhance inter-ethnic relations and learn
CL is inherently more complex than competitive or to appreciate differences as their focus of attention is getting
individualistic learning because the students have to engage immersed with the group activities conducted in the
simultaneously in task work (learning academic subject classroom (Creemers, 1994).
matter) and teamwork (functioning effectively as a group).
Social skills for effective cooperative work do not magically 3.3.3. Individualization of Instruction
appear when cooperative lessons are employed. Instead, In traditional classroom, a heavy emphasis is on a lecturing
social skills must be taught to students as purposefully and method and whole class discussions teachers have to cater
precisely as academic skills. Leadership, decision-making, their instruction to the average. If a few students cannot keep
trust-building, communication, and conflict management up with the class, the teachers cannot always stop the class to
skills empower the students to manage both teamwork and help them. On the other hand, with CL groups, there is the
task work successfully (Christson, 1994). potential for the students to receive individual assistance
from teachers and peers (Long & porter, 1985).
3.2.5. Group Processing
Group processing exists when group members discuss how 3.3.4. Increasing Students’ Participation
well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective In a teacher-centred class, the teacher speaks about 80% of
working relationships. Groups need to describe what member the time. However, the students are not empty vessels that
actions are helpful and unhelpful and make decisions about need to be filled in. Instead; they are active learners who
what behaviours to continue or change. Continuous need to construct knowledge by activating their own
improvement of the process of learning results from the schemata. When CL is used, the students receive much more
careful analysis of how members are working together and chance to speak. First, there is an increase in the percentage
determining how group effectiveness can be enhanced. This of time when the students are talking instead of the teacher.
may take five minutes or a whole lesson; it can happen Second, during the time the students are talking, many of
immediately after the classroom interaction or on their next them are speaking at any one time (Brown, 2001).
meeting. Thus, during the group processing, both teacher and 3.3.5. Decreasing Anxiety
students should be equally involved; students must identify Students often feel anxious to speak in front of the whole
how well they have achieved their goals and maintained class. In contrast, there is less anxiety connected with
effective relationships among members (Williams & Burden, speaking in the smaller groups. When a student represents the
1997; Johnson & Johnson, 1985). In general, the success of group and reports to the whole class, he/she feels more
implementing the elements of CL in EFL classrooms depends support because the answer is not just from one student
on the overall relationships among a teacher, learners and a alone, but also from the whole group (Long &Porter, 1985).
textbook. Therefore, Brown (2001:178) says, “In group activities, the
3.3. Benefits of Using CL in the EFL Classroom security of the student will be improved and each individual
is not entirely on public display”.
Many potential benefits arise when CL is used in the
classroom instruction at different levels of grades. Some 3.3.6. Increasing Motivation and Positive Attitude Towards
benefits have been suggested by different scholars in the next Class
section. As CL groups are interactive, the pace of communication
becomes more student-centred than in traditional classroom.
3.3.1. Enhance Social Skills In the traditional classroom, a teacher is bound to proceed too
In real life, people need to collaborate with others. In their slowly for some students and too fast for others. In contrast,
families, on their jobs, and in their social lives, they need to students adjust the pace of their communications in CL
be able to work with others to everyone’s mutual benefits. groups to the understanding level of their peers. They know
Ironically, schools have not done enough to prepare students if they go too fast, the team will suffer. Through time they
to this purpose. Often times, the students are conditioned to develop considerable attention among team members to the
compete with others and view others as enemies who understanding level of others (McKernan, 1996). This, in
obstruct their own success. Other pupils’ failure increases turn, greatly increases motivation and positive attitude
one’s own chances of success. In CL groups, the students can towards their class.
exercise their collective skills and practice working with
others to achieve mutual benefits for everyone rather than 3.4. Writing in EFL Context
thinking competitively and individualistically (Freeman, “Good writers are those who keep the language efficient.
2000 & Scot, 1997). That is to say, keep it accurate and clear,” Ezra Pound in
3.3.2. Appreciating Differences Mandal (2009:95). This motto indicates that writing is an
Students form a pluralistic society should work harder to important tool, which enables one to communicate with
overcome their prejudices against others from different others. To this end, one should write what has been kept in
backgrounds, such as age, sex, culture, learning style, mind clearly and accurately so that the message that is
 Arabic Language, Literature & Culture 2017; 2(3): 60-68 63

supposed to be conveyed would be comprehensible and Another approach to writing is the process approach and its
thereby writing fixes vocabulary, spelling and patterns in focus is on how writer actually do write. Writers are considered as
mind. Therefore, students need to master it at primary, active thinkers who make use of strategies to write a text. The
secondary or tertiary level. In fact, perfection in writing, strategies adopted are used to generate, review, evaluate, focus,
according to Mandal (2009), is based on the abilities in structure, and draft ideas (White & Arndt, 1991). CL strategies
second or foreign language. which could be used during the process of writing has been proven
Although many teachers want to cultivate the skill of to be effective for all types of students because it promotes
expressing oneself, their efforts to produce students who learning and fosters respect and friendships among diverse groups
possess this skill seem to be a difficult task since it requires of students. In fact, the more diversity in a team, the higher the
the students to apply appropriate cognitive strategies, benefits for each student (Colorado, 2007). Moreover, a research
intellectual skills, verbal information and appropriate on CL Methods: A Meta-Analysis conducted by Johnson, Johnson
motivation (Tierney, 1989). Moreover, the students need to and Stane (2000) examined 164 studies and their findings
write a text in line with certain rules and conventions and put indicated that CL methods had significant positive impacts on
the knowledge that they have gathered on paper (Byrne, student achievements.
1993). Byrne (1991) in Leila (2010) states that what makes
writing difficult is that it is written for a reader. The fact that 4. Methodology
the reader is not present, writers have to put all their efforts
on writing. Thus, the writers have to learn how to use words 4.1. Participants of the Study
in writing as skilfully as possible.
In EwketFana Comprehensive Primary School, there
3.5. CL and Writing were 225 students who were being taught in the five
sections. From the 225 students, the researcher used lottery
Legenhausen and Wolff (1990) in Maasum (2010) argued method to select two of the five sections which contained
that writing in small groups is an efficient way to promote ninety students and four of them were selected for the
writing abilities. Their views were supported by a study interview, i.e. randomly taking two students from each
conducted by Kagan and High (2002) which showed that section as Sidhu (1984) said that students are similar in
students performed better in writing when CL was many aspects and therefore, a study on some of them will
incorporated in the classroom. Mariam and Napisah (2005) in throw significant light upon the whole students. All the
(Maasum, 2010) also stated that when peer interaction was students found in the two sections were being observed
incorporated in learning writing, the students generated ideas while they were being taught in their classrooms and thirty
and constructed sentences together. Thus, this will lead to a of them in both classes were selected through simple
better understanding of the topic that they are required to random sampling for the questionnaires. In this research,
write on. The students will also be able to write concrete, mixed research method and descriptive research design
accurate and creative piece of writing. were used to conduct the study.
Kagan (1983) stated that CL work between learners is
promoted to increase motivation and develop positive 4.2. Instruments
attitudes towards the writing activities. The students should
be responsible in their writing and given the opportunity to The data for the study were gathered through
share their work with others. The immediate feedback and questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations. In
positive reinforcement will enhance their motivation to take order to collect the data for the study, the researcher used
part in writing activities. The studies conducted on the likert scale for the students as this method enabled the
incorporation of CL into learning writing showed that CL is researcher to assess the students’ attitudes towards learning
an effective educational approach to improve the students’ writing skills through CL. In order to let the students have a
achievement in writing (Mandal, 2009 & Leila, 2010). better understanding of the questionnaire, the English version
of it was translated into Amharic language.
3.6. CL Strategies To triangulate the information gathered through
questionnaires, the researcher observed the students while
As writing is complex for the learners’ cognitive they were being taught in the class. This helped him check
capability, different approaches are adopted to make teaching what the students thought and did by observing them in
writing an effective pedagogy (Harmer 2006). According to actions. Moreover, the researcher employed semi-structured
Khatijah (2004) and Zamel (1985), writing approaches are of interview to get further information on the questionnaires and
two types: product approach and process approach. The focus observations. The interviewer explained and clarified both
of the product approach is on the different part of words, the purpose of the research and individual questions and he
sentences, paragraphs but there is not much focus on followed upon incomplete or unclear responses by asking
meaning and the role of the teacher is to examine the finished additional probing questions. To avoid lack of information
product focusing more on linguistic accuracy. However, the because of English language difficulties, the students were
scholars believed that this approach is inadequate in interviewed in Amharic.
enhancing the students’ writing performance.
64 Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali: Students’ Attitudes Towards Cooperative Learning (CL) in EFL Writing Class

5. Findings Table 1. Significant Differences between the Mean Gain Scores of the Male
and Female Students’ Attitudes towards Learning Writing Skills via CL (No
The number of population involved filling in the = 30).
questionnaire was 30 students (19 females and 11 males) Sex N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
from two sections of seventh grade. The questionnaires were Males 15 3.50 .421 .109
developed based on the literature review. The items were Females 15 4.08 .400 .103
adopted from Booysen and Grosser’s (2008) notions. The
questionnaire for the students comprised 12 items with likert Table 1 discloses a comparison of the data germane to the
scale. The questionnaires were used to elicit the respondents’ male and female students’ attitudes towards learning writing
views about their CL experiences. Quantitative data were skills via CL. The descriptive statistics in table 1 unearths
analyzed statistically by using SPSS version 20. that the mean score of the males on attitudes towards learning
writing skills via CL is 3.50 whereas that of the females is
5.1. Results of the Questionnaire 4.08. The table also shows that the standard deviations of
males’ and females’ attitudes towards learning writing skills
In order to examine the difference existed among male and via CL are. 421 and. 400 respectively.
female students’ attitudes towards learning writing skills
through CL, an independent samples t-test was used.
Table 2. Independent Samples T-Test for Equality of Means.

95% confidence Interval of the Difference

T DF Sig. (2-tailed)
Lower Upper
Male and Female Students’ Attitudes towards Learning
-3.850 28 .001 -.885 -.270
Writing Skills via CL

*P < 0.05

The independent samples t-test for equality of means in work group-writing activities in the English class. To this
table 2 reveals that the p value is.001 which is lower than the question, three of them said that they were sometimes taught
alpha level. So, there is statistically significant difference writing activities in their English classes. On the other hand,
between the mean gain scores of the male and female the rest respondent said that they were not taught writing
students’ attitudes towards learning writing skills via CL at through groups.
0.05 risk level. Moreover, the effect size for this comparison To the question, “Do you think that the writing activities in
is 0.71 which shows that the difference that exists between the students’ textbook make the students learn from one
the two sexes’ attitudes towards learning writing skills via another when they work together in groups? What kind of
CL is moderate. This result is consonant with Farrah (2011) social skills do the writing activities help you develop?” All
who investigated Palestinian English major students’ the interviewees said that yes the writing group activities in
attitudes towards enhancing the writing skills via the textbook made them learn one another and they would
collaborative learning at Hebron University. The result of his also help them solve difficult questions through cooperation.
investigation indicated that female students had more The other questions were “After you have finished doing the
positive attitudes than male students towards learning writing group activities in the writing sections, do you discuss what
skills through collaborative learning. member decisions or roles are helpful or not helpful, which
behaviour should be continued or changed? Why?” In
5.2. Results of Students' Interview response to these questions, all the interviewees said that they
"Do you like to learn English cooperatively? Why?” were did not discuss their decisions or roles that were helpful or
the first questions to be raised. As to these questions, four of not and they did not also discuss the types of behaviours that
the interviewees unanimously replied that they liked to learn had to be continued or changed after they had finished doing
English cooperatively. This is because; working the group writing activities. Finally, the question that the
cooperatively would help them to comprehend the lessons researcher raised was whether or not the students
better than working alone. The other question the students encountered any problems while working together in groups,
were asked was what their favourite activities were when and if their answer was ‘yes’, they were asked to suggest
they learned writing skills in groups. In response to this some solutions that they thought in relation to the problems.
question two of the respondents said that they would like to In response to these questions, a few problems that were
be clerks of the groups because being clerks would enable mentioned by all the interviewees while working in groups
them to comprehend ideas that were going to be presented. are an unequal participation among members, dependencies
On the other hand, the rest interviewees said that they wanted of some students with poor background knowledge of
to be presenters because presenting what they had prepared English on clever students and unable to arrive at agreement
in groups before their classmates helped them improve stage among members of the group.
fright and practice answering their questions. The next As solutions to the problems raised above, the
question presented for the interviewees was how they often interviewees suggested that their teachers monitor each
member of the groups during discussion, arrange tutorial
 Arabic Language, Literature & Culture 2017; 2(3): 60-68 65

classes and teach them in order to improve their English group assign roles. While the students were writing what they
language, express clearly what the students would do with had been ordered, she was rounding and scaffolding each of
the writinggroup lessons and motivate them to try to do their the groups. She did this in Amharic, the students’ mother
own rather than become dependent on others during group tongue. After about fifteen minutes was over, she randomly
activities. called two students from different groups and made them
present their works. She wrote what the students said on the
5.3. Results of Classroom Observations blackboard and told the entire students the correct version of
Having informed the purpose of the research to the the answers. As soon as the students finished their
principal of EwketFana Comprehensive Primary School, the presentations, she made the class clamp for the presenters.
researcher arranged the dates and the sections with the Before she departed her students, she gave homework on the
English teachers for the classroom observations and two next page. All in all, her teaching style was quite different
sections were observed. Each section was observed once as from the first teacher whom the researcher had observed.
the researcher believed that each teacher might have similar
consistency in teaching different sections. The observed 6. Conclusions
writing group lessons were: ways you save time, write one
thing that is good to do and write one thing that is bad to do. Based on the findings, the following conclusions have
The teacher, after revising what he taught yesterday for five been made.
minutes, he began the lesson by writing the example found in Even though the writing group activities in the textbook of
the textbook on the blackboard as follows: Clean the school grade seven promoted students for CL, they were not
environment and come to school late. This was the sentence uniformly practiced in the EFL classrooms. This is because;
that indicated good and bad things respectively. Then, he the teachers believed that their learners' poor background
asked the class to construct sentences of the same kind knowledge of English and the unmanageable number of
without making them discuss the lesson beforehand in students in each class prevented them from implementing the
groups. Most of the students raised their hands and he writing group activities properly. As a result, they did not pay
randomly called the students by names and asked them to due attention as to how their students formed groups and
answer. They told him what they had constructed. Then he conducted the writing group activities. They ordered the
wrote the students’ responses on the blackboard but did not students to form groups and discussed the writing group
offer appropriate feedback. After this, he gave class work on lessons for the sake of simply conveying order.
identifying positive or negative sentences according to the According to the observations of the classrooms, the
nature of sentences they expressed. And he marked some of teachers did not communicate with their learners in the way
the students’ exercise books. Finally, he wrote his own that they should have done during the teaching and learning
sentences on the blackboard and gave homework before he process. So, it was difficult for them to enable their learners
left the class. to participate actively in the writing group lessons that
Having finished observing the first teacher, the researcher promoted CL. Though all the learners are equally beneficial
went together with the second teacher to observe the other from CL, it was found that low achievers who were
section. She cleaned the blackboard and wrote time saving at dependent on high achievers for their success benefited more
the top of it. Then, she asked the students to let her remember from it without efforts.
what they learned about the previous lesson. The students put The students frequently used their mother tongue while
up their hands and responded that their yesterday's lesson discussing the writing group activities and then translated
was about apostrophe and ‘s’ and ‘s’ and apostrophe. She their thoughts into English for presenting what they had
revised this lesson for about five minutes. Then, she let the prepared for the class. After doing the writing activities in
students form a group of six students and ordered them to groups, the teachers and the students could not make use of
construct as many sentences as possible in connection with an effective way of evaluating what they had done to
‘saving time’. However, she did not let members of each ameliorate future CL situations.

Appendices
Appendix A

Bahir Dar University

Faculty of Humanities
Department of English Language and Literature
Questionnaire to be filled by Grade Seven English Students
Dear students, currently I am conducting a research in TEFL under the title: An Assessment of Students’ Attitudes towards
Learning Writing Skills via Cooperative Learning (CL). The objective of this questionnaire is to examine your attitudes
towards learning writing skills via CL. The success of the study highly depends on your honesty in rating these items and you
are kindly requested to respond accordingly. You don’t need to write your name.
66 Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali: Students’ Attitudes Towards Cooperative Learning (CL) in EFL Writing Class

Thank you in advance!

I. Basic Information
Read the following statements and put tick mark for your option.
1. Gender: □ Male □ Female
2. Number of times English writing is practiced every week: □ 0 □ 0-3 times □ 3-5 times □ 5-7 times □ more than 7 times

II. Instructions
The items in the next page are helpful to rate the degree of your attitudes towards learning writing skills through CL. Read
each item and put tick mark for your option in the table given in the next section. 1= Disagree 2= Strongly disagree 3= Neutral
4= agree 5= Strongly agree

Table 3. Cooperative learning Questionnaire on Writing.

No Items 1 2 3 4 5
1 I think teacher’s explanations can facilitate the process of my writing in English.
2 I like sharing my writing with my classmates and receiving their feedback for revision.
3 I feel embarrassed to share my writing with others.
4 I think my writing content is poor, because I have no ideas.
5 I know English writing is a tool to communicate with others.
6 While working in groups, we spent more time revising than I do when I write alone.
7 While working in groups, we spent more time generating ideas than I do when I write alone.
8 While working in groups, we spent more time checking spelling, punctuation and grammar than I do when I write alone.
9 Writing in groups increased my comprehension.
10 Writing in groups enabled us to help weaker learners in the group
11 I enjoy writing more than I did before due to cooperative learning.
12 Writing in groups made problem-solving easier.

Appendix B

The Students’ Interview Questions on an Assessment of their Attitudes towards Learning Writing Skills via Cooperative
Learning
1. Do you like learning English in cooperatively? Why?
2. What are your favourite activities when you learn writing skills in groups?
3. How often do you work group-writing activities in the English class?
4. Do you think that the writing activities in the students’ textbook make the students learn from one another when they
work together in groups? What kind of social skills do they help develop?
5. After you have finished treating the group activities in the writing sections, do you discuss what member actions are
helpful or not helpful, or which behaviours continue or change? Why?
6. Have you ever come across any problems in relation to the writing group lessons? If your answer is yes, what would be
the solutions?

Appendix C

Classroom Observation Checklist

I. Personal Information
1. Name of the school: ___________________________
2. Sex: __________
3. Number of observed students in the class: __________
II. Evaluation Checklist
4. Assigning the students to reasonable groups: ________________________________________________
5. Arranging the room to be conducive for group activities: ________________________________________________
6. Making students assign roles before they start to begin writing group activities: _____________________________
7. Briefing the academic tasks: ______________________
8. Providing task assistance: _______________________
9. Giving feedback on the writing group activities: _________________________________________________
10. Having groups process the causes of their effectiveness or failure of the writing group activities that they have discussed
________________________________________
11. Other remarks: _______________________________
 Arabic Language, Literature & Culture 2017; 2(3): 60-68 67

Recommendations [14] Harmer, J. (2006). The practice of English language teaching.

England: Pearson.
If CL is to be successful, teachers need to be trained on it.
[15] Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T. & Holubec, E. (1993). The new
It is not enough to simply give teachers textbooks. Teachers circles of learning: Cooperation in the classroom and school:
should know that CL works in similar situations to their own. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Otherwise, they will continue to use what they feel as Development.
reasonably successful in their own classroom without
[16] Kagan. (1983). Cooperative learning. New York: Longman.
understanding what CL can do for their students.
As English is the medium of instructions, teachers should [17] Kagan, S. & High, J. (2002). Kagan structures for English
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