Proseminar Cooperative Learning in the EFL Classroom

Cooperative l earning is seen as one –very effective- way to prepare students for the challenges of life by developing competencies such as the ability to work in a team, the taking on of accountability, helping, explaining, metacognitive thinking, and so forth. Most researchers confirming this view point to the difference between randomly seating students in groups for the accomplishment of a task (=traditional group work) and purposeful, aim-oriented cooperation among students. Since the latter concept goes along with high aims it demands a lot of students as well as of teachers. Can these requirements be met in the context of foreign language learning? How can cooperative methods be implemented in the EFL classroom? And after all, can cooperative learning really help promoting the acquisition of academic and social skills? These and other questions will be focused on in this class. Next to theoretical approaches several practical methods will be introduced, tried out, and discussed for relevance and applicability with respect to the EFL classroom. Topics will be for example: - elevance and aims of cooperative learning - esearch on cooperative learning • possible examples for the implementation in the EFL Classroom (partner puzzle, structured controversy, jigsaw, reciprocal reading, …) • c ooperative learning and intercultural education • f oreign language texts in a cooperative setting A course reader will be available at CopyBlitz at the beginning of the semester (Cooperative Learning – Olson). Cohen, E. G. (1994). Designing Groupwork. Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom. New York: Teachers College Press Konrad, K. & Traub, S. (2005). Kooperatives Lernen. Theorie und Praxis in Schule, Hochschule und Erwachsenenbildung. Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren. Leistungsnachweis - regular and active participation - presentation - term paper FB 02 Institut für Anglistik / Amerikanistik - regular and active participation - presentation - term paper Uni Kassel SS 2009 Anglistik/Englisch Wirtschaftspädagogik Olson Agnes