Teachers' perceptions & their practices regarding cooperative learning in teaching EFL in large multilever classes at Vietnam National University, University of Economics and Business

Teachers' perceptions & their practices
regarding cooperative learning in teaching EFL
in large multilever classes at Vietnam National
University, University of Economics and
Business
Quan điểm của giáo viên về việc sử dụng
phương pháp học hợp tác để dạy tiếng Anh tại
các lớp Đông Đa trình độ và việc thực thi trên
lớp tại trường Đại học Kinh tế,
Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội

Hoàng Việt Hà

University of Languages and International Studies
M.A. Thesis. English Teaching Methodology; Mã số: 60 14 10
Supervisor : M.Ed. Đỗ Bá Quý
Năm bảo vệ: 2012

Abstract. Cooperative learning has been recognized as the most successful learning
strategy in educational history. Therefore, it has been widely adopted in many Asian
countries recently. Although there is substantial research on the benefits of cooperative
learning, little is known about how teachers implement cooperative learning under
typical school conditions. The purpose of the present case study was to reach three
aims. First, it aims to investigate EFL teachers’ perceptions of different aspects of
cooperative learning in their classroom at VNU, UEB. Second, it aims to explore how
the teachers implemented cooperative learning in their classroom. Final, it aims to
explore how teachers’ practices in their classroom reflect their perceptions. Data was
collected by means of teacher interviews and systematic classroom observation. Results
showed that teachers applied cooperative learning in most of their lessons. There were
some similarities and differences between teachers’ perceptions and their actual
classroom practices regarding different aspects of cooperative learning including

implementation, group composition, task construction, student preparation, student
motivation, assessment and teachers’ reflection on CL. The findings emphasize all of
these results and present pedagogical suggestions from teachers for further
implementation of cooperative learning in their large multilevel classroom. In addition,
the researcher’s major recommendations are also listed out to enhance the effectiveness
of implementing cooperative learning in teaching English in large multilevel classes at
VNU UEB.
Keywords. Phương pháp giảng dạy; Giáo viên; Tiếng Anh
Content.
This initial part states the rationale for the study, the aims, the scope and methods of the
thesis. More importantly, the research questions are identified to work as clear
guidelines for the whole research. Lastly, this part concludes with an overview of the
rest of the thesis, serving as a compass to orientate the readers throughout the study.
The rest of the thesis includes four chapters
Chapter 1 (Literature review) provides the background of the study including
definitions of key concepts, aspects of cooperative learning, multilevel classes and
previous findings of cooperative learning.
Chapter 2 (Methodology) describes the aims, research questions, context, participants
and instruments of the study, as well as the procedures employed to carry out the
research.
Chapter 3 (Results of the study) presents all results collected from data from the
interviews and classroom observations
Chapter 4 (Discussion of the study): summarizes main findings, analyzes the findings,
and compares them with previous research to answer three research questions.
Conclusion summarizes the main issues discussed in the thesis, the findings that the
researcher found out from the data collected according to three research questions, the
limitations of the research, several pedagogical recommendations concerning the
research topic as well as some suggestions for further studies. Following this chapter
are bibliography and appendices.
Summary

In this chapter, the researcher has elaborated the following points:
1. Rationale
2. Aims of the study
3. Research questions
4. Scope of the study
5. Significance of the study
6. Methods of the study
7. An overview of the rest of the study
In brief, these elaborations have not only justified the major contents and structure of
the study but it also works as the guidelines for the rest of the thesis.
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