Cooperative learning and its benefits in efl social speaking classes from the perceptions and experiences of second year english majored students

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION

GRADUATION PAPER

COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND ITS BENEFITS
IN EFL SOCIAL SPEAKING CLASSES
FROM THE PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF
SECOND-YEAR ENGLISH-MAJORED STUDENTS

Supervisor : Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng (M.Ed)
Student

: Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hạnh

Course

: QH2017.F1.E7

HÀ NỘI - 2021


ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH

KHĨA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

HÌNH THỨC HỌC TẬP HỢP TÁC VÀ
NHỮNG LỢI ÍCH CỦA NĨ TRONG LỚP HỌC

TIẾNG ANH GIAO TIẾP XÃ HỘI TỪ NHẬN THỨC
VÀ TRẢI NGHIỆM CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM HAI
CHUYÊN NGÀNH TIẾNG ANH

Giáo viên hướng dẫn : Th.s Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng
Sinh viên

: Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hạnh

Khóa

: QH2017.F1.E7

HÀ NỘI - 2021


Signature of Approval:
NGUYỄN THỊ KIM PHƯỢNG
Supervisor’s Comments and Suggestions:
APPROVED


I hereby state that I: Nguyen Thi Thuy Hanh, class QH2017.F1.E7, being a
candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (TEFL) accept the requirements of the
College relating to the retention and use of Bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited
in the library.
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in
the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in
accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan
or reproduction of the paper.

Signature

Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hạnh
Date: June 8th, 2021


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor,
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong, whose expertise was invaluable throughout the
process of the thesis. Had it not been for her whole-hearted support and infinite
patience, this research would not have been completed.
I would also like to pay my special regards to Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Linh, whose
first lessons on doing research and assistance along my research journey were
milestones in the completion of this paper.
I wish to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to all of the participants
in the research. It was their detailed responses that enriched the data and enabled this
study to be possible.
Getting through my dissertation required more than academic support, and I
had my greatest groupmates, Nguyen Quynh Nga and Pham Ha An, to thank for
supporting me during the earliest and most difficult stage of the research project. I
would also like to thank my research mate, Mai Thu Phuong, for being such a
wonderful companion along this challenging journey.
Most importantly, none of this could have happened without my family and
my boyfriend. To my parents, who always supported me emotionally and financially,
and my sister, who always expressed her genuine sympathy for all of the difficulties
that I encountered, had it not been for your unconditional love, understanding and
even tolerance, I would have never had enough time and strength to complete the
thesis. And to my boyfriend, Trinh Dang Huy, every time I was ready to quit, it was
your unwavering belief and encouragement that pushed me forwards so that I could
make this dream come true.

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ABSTRACT
This study aims to determine university students’ perceptions of and experiences
with Cooperative Learning’s elements and benefits in EFL social speaking classes.
The research utilizes an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design to
assist the achievement of goals. The findings from the research indicate students’
incomplete awareness of Cooperative Learning’s characteristics and benefits despite
their frequent and positive experiences with the learning process in their EFL social
speaking classes. Specifically, the majority of the students perceive individual
accountability, promotive interaction, and appropriate use of social skills as key
features of Cooperative Learning, and consider higher achievement, improved social
skills, self-confidence, motivation to learn, and personal responsibility to be the
benefits that Cooperative Learning can bring to EFL social speaking classes.
Meanwhile, this paper illustrates the students’ frequent participation in properly
structured Cooperative Learning and positive experiences with its expected
outcomes including personal responsibility to the group, peer group acceptance and
friendships, and self-confidence in their EFL social speaking classes. The results also
indicate a mismatch between the perceptions and experiences of the participants,
which is due to their scarce knowledge of the concept. Important actions are advised
to be taken into consideration to raise students’ awareness of Cooperative Learning
to enhance the effectiveness of its application in EFL speaking classes in universities
in Viet Nam.

Keywords: Cooperative Learning, EFL speaking classes, perceptions, experiences,
key elements, benefits

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................ iii
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................. iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................. vii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ....................................................................... vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 1
1.1

Rationales for the study................................................................................ 1

1.2

Research aims and research questions ......................................................... 2

1.3

Scope of the study ........................................................................................ 3

1.4

Expected contributions of the research ........................................................ 3

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................ 4
2.1

Cooperative Learning ................................................................................... 4

2.1.1

Definition of CL .................................................................................... 4

2.1.2

Underlying theory of CL: Social interdependence theory .................... 4

2.1.3

Essential elements of CL ....................................................................... 6

2.2

Cooperative Learning in EFL classes .......................................................... 8

2.3 Related studies about CL and its benefits in EFL speaking classes from
students’ perceptions and experiences ................................................................. 11
2.4

Summary .................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 15
3.1

Research context ........................................................................................ 15

3.2

Research design .......................................................................................... 15

3.3

Research samplings .................................................................................... 16

3.4

Data collection ........................................................................................... 16

3.4.1

Data collection instruments ................................................................. 16

3.4.2

Data collection procedure.................................................................... 18

3.5

Data analysis .............................................................................................. 19

3.5.1

Data analysis instruments .................................................................... 19

3.5.2

Data analysis procedure ...................................................................... 20

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS .......................................... 22
4.1

Findings ...................................................................................................... 22

4.1.1

Personal information ........................................................................... 22
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4.1.2 Research question 1: Students’ perceptions of CL and its benefits in
EFL social speaking classes .............................................................................. 22
4.1.3 Research question 2: Students’ experiences with CL and its benefits in
EFL social speaking classes .............................................................................. 27
4.2

Discussion .................................................................................................. 38

4.2.1 Research question 1: Students’ perceptions of CL and its benefits in
EFL social speaking classes .............................................................................. 38
4.2.2 Research question 2: Students’ experiences with CL and its benefits in
EFL social speaking classes .............................................................................. 40
4.2.3

Summary ............................................................................................. 41

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................... 42
5.1

Major findings of the research ................................................................... 42

5.2

Implications ................................................................................................ 43

5.3

Limitations and suggestions for further research ....................................... 44

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 45
APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... 49
APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................................................... 49
APPENDIX 2: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL......................................................... 55

vi


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CL:

Cooperative Learning

EFL: English as a Foreign Language

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1: Benefits of Cooperative Learning in EFL classes ............................... 11
Table 2: A summary of the questionnaire ......................................................... 18
Table 3: Students’ overall experiences with CL’s characteristics..................... 28
Table 4: Students’ experiences with “Positive interdependence” ..................... 28
Table 5: Students’ experiences with “Individual accountability” ..................... 30
Table 6: Students’ experiences with “Promotive interaction” .......................... 31

Table 7: Students’ experiences with “Appropriate use of social skills” ........... 32
Table 8: Students’ experiences with “Group processing” ................................. 32
Table 9: Students’ overall experiences with CL’s benefits ............................... 34
Table 10: Students’ experiences with CL’s benefits “Efforts to achieve” ........ 35
Table 11: Students’ experiences with CL’s benefits “Quality of relationships”
........................................................................................................................... 36
Table 12: Students’ experiences with CL’s benefits “Psychological health” ... 37

Figure 1: Data collection procedure .................................................................. 18
Figure 2: Students' awareness of CL ................................................................. 22
Figure 3: Students’ perceptions of CL’s characteristics .................................... 23
Figure 4: Students’ perceptions of CL’s benefits .............................................. 24
Figure 5: Students’ awareness of the application of CL in class ...................... 26

vii


CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the rationales behind the researcher’s decisions of
conducting the study. Besides, the research aims, the research questions, the scope,
as well as expected contributions of the study are also stated in detail.
1.1 Rationales for the study
The first two decades of the 21st century have witnessed a growing need for
students to be equipped with a set of skills for success called “The 21st -century
skills” such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. To
help students develop those skills, educational institutions are required to foster
innovation in teaching methods, so that students are provided with opportunities for
more active knowledge acquisition (Loh & Ang, 2020). With that increasing demand,
there is a fundamental shift from teacher-centered teaching approaches to learnercentered approaches. Among several learner-centered approaches, recent preference
is given to Cooperative Learning which is currently being applied “in every part of

the world, in every subject area, and with every age student” (Johnson & Johnson,
2008, p.9).
Cooperative Learning is a type of learning process in which students work in
groups for the accomplishment of common goals and the maximization of each
member’s learning. Since Cooperative Learning is a learner-centered teaching
approach, learners are the subjects of communication, interaction, and cooperation
who decide the effectiveness of applied teaching strategies. Therefore, although
Cooperative Learning is believed to provide a more enjoyable and meaningful
environment for learning (Bronet & Eng, 2008), the success of its application in
classrooms still largely depends on the way class participants perceive it. If it is
viewed as “ineffective, wasteful, or inefficient” (Bronet & Eng, 2008, p.19) by some
students, these opinions may destroy the classroom atmosphere and affect its
implementation. Thus, there is an imperative need for teachers to get well informed
of how their students perceive Cooperative Learning applied in their classrooms.
In addition, according to Palupi (2018), a person’s perception about

1


something is influenced by his/her experience with it: “If the students have some
good experiences learning on group, the result will be positive” (p.10). Therefore,
the researcher of this study also seeks students’ experiences with Cooperative
Learning in EFL social speaking classes and takes it as a helpful source of
information to explain their perceptions of the learning method.
Research has explored students’ perceptions of and/or experiences with
Cooperative Learning in different educational contexts in the curriculum. However,
not much has produced an in-depth insight into the context of EFL classes in Viet
Nam where students have been used to traditional teaching methods for such a long
time that they may find accepting new teaching methods difficult. Therefore, it is an
urgent need for this study to be carried out in order to gain insights into how students

view and experience Cooperative Learning in the current context of teaching and
learning EFL in Viet Nam, especially in Vietnamese language universities where
students are educated for the masterly use of English for their future English-related
jobs.
All stated reasons above put forward a demanding need for the researcher to
conduct a study named “Cooperative Learning and its benefits in EFL social
speaking classes from the perceptions and experiences of second-year Englishmajored students”.
1.2 Research aims and research questions
This study is conducted to:
- Explore second-year English-majored students’ perceptions of Cooperative
Learning’s characteristics and benefits in EFL social speaking classes.
- Explore second-year English-majored students’ experiences with
Cooperative Learning’s characteristics and benefits in EFL social speaking classes.
The research is expected to answer the following question:
- What are students’ perceptions of Cooperative Learning and its benefits in
EFL social speaking classes?
- How do students experience Cooperative Learning and its benefits in EFL
social speaking classes?

2


1.3 Scope of the study
Due to the limitation of time, it is not feasible to cover all aspects of
Cooperative Learning in EFL classes; therefore, the researcher focuses on the
characteristics and benefits of Cooperative Learning in EFL social speaking classes
as perceived and experienced by the students. While the term “perception” may have
multiple layers of meaning, in this study, it refers to the students’ awareness and
understanding of Cooperative Learning. Besides, the scope of the study is restricted
to second-year English-majored students who are currently taking the course English

for social purposes 4A/4A* at an English faculty in a language university in Ha Noi,
Viet Nam during the time of the research that falls in February 2021.
1.4 Expected contributions of the research
The study is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge about the current
situation of Cooperative Learning in EFL classes in the educational context of
Vietnam and the world. Besides, it is anticipated that the results of the study will
inform university teachers about students’ current awareness and understanding of
Cooperative Learning as well as their experiences in EFL social speaking classes, so
that appropriate actions would be taken to improve the situation.

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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviews the literature on the term Cooperative Learning (CL). It
first provides definitions of CL, underlying theory of CL, and some key features of
CL, following which is a discussion of CL in the context of EFL classes. Finally,
prior research on the issue will be reviewed to identify the research gap of the studies.
2.1 Cooperative Learning
2.1.1 Definition of CL
As Cooperative Learning (hereafter called CL) is becoming a widely-used
instructional method, there have been a large number of definitions given.
Oxford (1997) refers CL to a group learning activity in which emphasis is
placed on students’ interdependence in the exchange of information and their
accountability for both their own learning and others’, and for the achievement of
group learning goals.
In a more specific way, Laal & Laal (2012) includes both CL’s structure and
outcomes in their definition of CL, in which CL is considered as “an educational
approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of learners working together
to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product” (p.1). However, methods

for working in cooperative groups to achieve final goals have not been clarified.
This study viewpoint is consistent with the definition of CL by Johnson &
Johnson (1999) who view CL as a learning process in which “students work together
to accomplish shared goals […] to maximize their own learning and to maximize the
learning of all other group members” (p.3). Students participate in CL through
discussing materials in groups, helping each other to understand the knowledge, and
encouraging each other to work hard to perform better than each would if they
worked individually.
2.1.2 Underlying theory of CL: Social interdependence theory
Underpinning the term CL is Social interdependence theory that is developed
by Johnson & Johnson (2008). Their theory is going to be summarized in this section.
Firstly, they state that “Social interdependence exists when the
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accomplishment of each individual’s goals is affected by the actions of others”
(p.11). Social interdependence can be positive or negative, which respectively form
cooperation and competition. Positive interdependence exists when individuals are
aware that they can only reach their goals when others in the group also reach their
goals. Meanwhile, negative interdependence exists when individuals perceive that
they can reach their goals only if the other individuals that are competitively linked
with them fail to do that. Apparently, CL is structured based on the cooperation that
is promoted by positive interdependence.
Secondly, related to interaction patterns in Social interdependence, the
authors take the view that it can be promotive or oppositional. Positive
interdependence creates promotive interaction while negative interdependence
results in oppositional interaction. Positive interaction can be seen through
individuals’ encouragement and facilitation of each other’s efforts to achieve a
common goal. Meanwhile, oppositional interaction exists when individuals try to
discourage and obscure each other’s efforts to accomplish their goal so that they can

be the one who succeeds. As stated in the theory, outcomes of the learning process
are determined by the interaction patterns, which means that promotive interaction
created by positive interdependence is essential to the positive results of cooperation
or CL.
Thirdly, Johnson & Johnson include psychological processes formed by either
positive or negative interdependence in the theory. Positive interdependence results
in psychological processes, including the investment of positive mental energy that
benefits the group work and relationship among members, the capability to be a
substitute for other group members, and the readiness to be influenced and influence
others so that the goals can be effectively achieved. In contrast, negative
interdependence leads to psychological processes that discourage the joint efforts to
group work and worsen relationships among members, the inability to substitute for
other members, and the resistance to being influenced by others. The formation of
positive psychological processes is among prerequisites for the construction of CL.
In brief, Social interdependence theory provides a framework for cooperation

5


and competition among individuals, according to which CL is structured by
cooperation through positive interdependence, promotive interaction patterns, and
positive psychological processes. “Social interdependence theory provides a
foundation for CL” (Johnson & Johnson, 2008, p.19). Thanks to Social
interdependence theory, essential elements of CL are identified to support the study
on the structure of this learning process in classrooms.
2.1.3 Essential elements of CL
CL is not simply putting students into groups to learn, but structuring
interdependence among group members (Johnson, 1984). Various attempts have
been made to determine optimal elements for the success of CL (Chan, 2004).
Slavin (1995) provides the theory of six characteristics of CL, including

“group goals”, “individual accountability”, “equal opportunities for success”, “team
competition”, “task specialization”, and “adaption to individual needs” (p.12).
Meanwhile, Chan (2004) puts his central focus on only three essential components
of CL, namely “positive interdependence”, “individual accountability”, and “group
goals” (p.48). Another model of CL’s key elements is proposed by Johnson &
Johnson (2008) who are considered to be “leaders of cooperative learning” (Chan,
2004, p.47). Their theory stands out as a preeminent model as it has been supported
by a variety of related studies such as Johnson et al. (2014), Ling (2015), and
McLeish (2009). Therefore, the researcher bases this study on the theory of CL’s
elements by Johnson & Johnson (2008) to explore students’ perceptions of and
experiences with CL’s characteristics. As clarified in their theory, the structuring of
CL needs to be based on five basic elements including positive interdependence,
individual accountability, promotive interaction, the appropriate use of social skills,
and group processing, which are going to be reviewed in detail as follows.
Element 1: Positive interdependence
Positive interdependence is the most important element of CL (Johnson &
Johnson, 2008). To build positive interdependence in a cooperative group, members
need to be linked together in a way that one’s success is only possible when the others

6


succeed, and vice versa (Johnson et al., 2014). Positive interdependence is structured
by mutual goals, joint rewards, and shared resources among group members
(Johnson & Johnson, 2008). Those conditions create the feeling of “one for all, all
for one” among group members (McLeish, 2009). Apparently, positive
interdependence is the key to effective CL.
Element 2: Individual accountability
The second element considered in the theory is individual accountability
(Johnson & Johnson, 2008). In CL, each individual is responsible for his or her share

of the work (McLeish, 2009). At the same time, each is accountable for “facilitating
the work of other group members” (Johnson & Johnson, 2008, p.22). Learners bear
in mind that learning their own materials and making an active contribution to the
group by helping other members are both essential (Luu, 2010). Individual
accountability is structured by teachers’ assessing the performance of each group
member, and giving the results back to both the individual and the group against a
standard of performance (Johnson & Johnson, 2008).
Element 3: Promotive interaction
Promotive interaction is deemed essential to the success of CL (Johnson &
Johnson, 2008). Promotive interaction occurs when individuals verbally interact with
each other to interchange information, discuss problems, and encourage group
members to accomplish the group’s common goals (Johnson & Johnson, 2008).
Face-to-face interaction among group members during CL activities provides
students with opportunities to not only receive meaningful input from peers but also
be motivated to produce meaningful output (Ling, 2015).
Element 4: Appropriate use of social skills
Another crucial component of CL included in the theory is the appropriate use
of social skills (Johnson & Johnson, 2008). Social skills in group work indicate the
way students interact with each other as groupmates, such as leadership, decisionmaking, trust-building, conflict-management, encouraging, and praising (Luu,
2010). To successfully work in cooperative learning groups, students need guidance

7


on how to appropriately use those skills by their teachers (Johnson & Johnson, 2008).
Element 5: Group processing
The final element required for an effective CL is group processing or group
reflection (Johnson & Johnson, 2008). During CL, group members are advised to
regularly reflect on the groups’ learning process by (a) identifying helpful and
unhelpful actions during group work and (b) deciding on which actions can and

cannot continue (Johnson & Johnson, 2008). Through this reflection process, each
member’s degree of effectiveness in the contribution to group efforts to achieve the
common goals can be clarified and improved.
In brief, among different models of CL developed by several theorists, the
theory proposed by Johnson & Johnson (2008) is considered to be a widely supported
model. Those components included in the theory can be used as “the base for the
identification of whether and how” (Nguyen, 2019, p.38) students perceive and
experience those characteristics of CL in their classes.
2.2 Cooperative Learning in EFL classes
CL brings various benefits to teaching and learning EFL in different
educational contexts (Nguyen, 2019). The appropriate implementation of CL’s five
components can lead to multiple outcomes which can be categorized in different
ways by several theorists.
According to Slavin (1980), the benefits of CL fall into three broad categories:
“academic achievement”, “race relations”, and “mutual concern among students”
(p.323). The author disregards the positive impacts of CL on others such as liking
for school, self-esteem, time on-task, and ability to take the perspective of other
people. Meanwhile, some other authors consider CL to be advantageous to learners
in only two main aspects: pedagogical and social benefits (Dalziel & Peat, 1998), or
academic and social benefits (Almulla, 2016). However, as this study puts its focus
on the application of CL in the context of Vietnamese EFL classes, specific attention
is drawn to the theory of CL’s benefits related to EFL learners, and specifically,
Johnson & Johnson’s three broad categories of CL’s benefits: effort to achieve,

8


quality of relationships, and psychological health (Johnson & Johnson, 2008). These
three aspects subsume and specify all of Slavin’s, Dalziel & Peat’s, and Almulla’s
ideas respecting the benefits of CL. Moreover, the theory of CL’s expected outcomes

by Johnson & Johnson (2008) has been supported by a variety of researchers,
including Hilk (2013), Laal & Ghodsi (2012), and Pedersen & Digby (2014).
Three aspects of CL’s benefits included in the theory by Johnson & Johnson
(2008) are also going to be reviewed as follows.
Aspect 1: Efforts to achieve
Previous research is in good agreement with the theory by Johnson & Johnson
(2008) in terms of CL’s positive results in students’ academic achievement. Firstly,
CL supports the improvement of scores in speaking skills (M. Al-Tamimi &
Attamimi, 2014). Along with higher academic achievement, CL assists students in
gaining longer retention of learnt knowledge (Johnson & Johnson, 2008) because
when given space for the exchange of knowledge in groups, students find learning
easier and retain exchanged information longer (Orey, 2010). Besides, since students
are required to focus on and be responsible for the group’s shared goals in
cooperative group tasks, there is an increase in purposeful and on-task
communication during language learning activities (E Coelho, 1992a, as cited in
Nguyen, 2019). In addition, CL helps provoke students’ motivation to learn (Johnson
& Johnson, 2008) generated through their participation in meaningful
communication with others (Nguyen, 2019).
Aspect 2: Quality of relationships
CL is believed to result in positive interpersonal relationships among students.
The first signal of positive relationships among students is their increased class
attendance. Railsback (2004) notes that one significant reason for students’
absenteeism and dropouts is uneasy or even negative relationships with teachers or
other students. Therefore, CL assists students in building and maintaining
harmonious relationships with others which helps with an improvement in their
attendance. Together with that, students possess greater personal responsibility to

9

their group goals and other members’ success in learning (Johnson & Johnson, 2008).
Besides, the involvement of students in cooperative groups strengthens peer
acceptance within groups, which helps students form and develop valuable
friendships with their groupmates (Alghamdy, 2019). CL also reinforces its
participants’ willingness to be cooperative members of the groups who eagerly (a)
undertake group difficult tasks, and (b) defend their group against extrinsic attack or
criticism (Johnson & Johnson, 2018).
Aspect 3: Psychological health
Researchers also acknowledge CL’s benefits in promoting EFL students’
psychological health included in the theory by Johnson & Johnson (2008). Firstly,
Alghamdy (2019) states that students show considerable self-confidence when
dealing with difficult tasks, taking part in discussions, and sharing opinions during
CL in EFL classes. Self-confidence also grows among students when solving
problems (Farzaneh & Nejadansari, 2014). With high self-confidence, EFL students
trust in themselves and in their ability to accomplish the assigned tasks. Secondly,
CL holds students in high self-esteem during its implementation (Modaber & Far,
2017). It is believed that the practice of different roles within a group during CL
results in students’ awareness of their importance in the group, which leads to their
belief in their own value and worth (Nguyen, 2019). Thirdly, CL benefits in the
reduction of anxiety among students during classes. Students can feel relieved and
happy when knowing that they are not alone in learning tasks, and enjoy CL activities
in class (Suwantarathip & Wichadee, 2010). Finally, multiple social skills are
fostered when students take part in CL in EFL classes (Giedrė & Svetlana, 2006,
Johnson & Johnson, 2008, Johnson & Johnson, 2018, Nguyen, 2019, Alghamdy,
2019). Significant social skills mentioned in the research are leadership, decisionmaking, trust-building, and conflict management.
All of the abovementioned benefits (or expected outcomes) of CL in EFL
classes are summarized in the following table.

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Aspects

Benefits
1. Higher achievement

Efforts to achieve

2. Long-term retention
3. On-task communication
4. Motivation to learn
5. Increased attendance
6. Personal responsibility to group

Quality of

7. Peer group acceptance and friendships

relationships

8. Willingness to undertake group difficult tasks
9. Willingness to protect the group against
extrinsic attack or criticism
10. Self-confidence

Psychological health

11. Self-esteem
12. Reduced anxiety
13. Social skills

Table 1: Benefits of Cooperative Learning in EFL classes
The aforementioned benefits of CL have been proved in previous studies
through either experiments or action research. Little research looks into its outcomes
in EFL classes through students’ perspectives. Therefore, this study utilizes the
above framework as a base for the exploration of students’ perceptions of and
experiences with those outcomes when applied in EFL social speaking classes.
2.3

Related studies about CL and its benefits in EFL speaking classes from

students’ perceptions and experiences
Prior research in the world and in Viet Nam generally confirmed students’
perceptions of and experiences with CL in EFL speaking classes. However, not many
studies covering all five key elements and expected outcomes of CL from students’
perspectives are available in the literature of the field.
One significant study that investigated multiple aspects of Cooperative
Learning in EFL contexts from Vietnamese university students’ perceptions and

11


experiences was named “EFL Collaborative Learning in a Vietnamese university:
perceptions and experiences of students and teachers” by Nguyen (2019). Relating
to students’ perceptions of CL and its crucial elements, although the study’s results
confirmed the implementation of CL in EFL classes, the students showed little
awareness of its presence in the lessons, which was due to their scarce knowledge of
the term and its main features that it was unrecognizable to students when applied.
In contrast, students perceived many of group work’s benefits including the
enhancement of linguistic and communicative competencies, the extension of

knowledge about both English and the learning content, and the creation of a warm
learning environment where they received more opportunities for practicing the
language. However, this study viewed “CL” and “group work” as two identical
terms, which was shown in the use of “pair/group-work” instead of “Cooperative
Learning” in its survey and interview questionnaires. Therefore, students’
perceptions of CL reported could be their perceptions about “pair/group work”, not
exactly about the term “CL” about which this current research is seeking to learn.
Besides, reported in the study, students’ reflections on their experiences with CL
included both positive and negative points which covered CL’s expected outcomes
that were reviewed by Johnson & Johnson (2008). CL was confirmed to help broaden
students’ English vocabulary and provide more opportunities for English practice,
which improved their speaking and communicative skills. Also, students felt an
increased liking and motivation for learning English and developed valuable
relationships with their classmates and groupmates when they participated in
Cooperative Learning. However, although students mentioned a continuous change
in their assigned roles throughout group work, they did not confirm that it was a
positive effect of the learning process. Overall, the study (Nguyen, 2019) revealed
that although students had experienced CL and its benefits in their EFL classes, they
did not have a full and thorough understanding of CL.
Nguyen & Nguyen (2020) noted Vietnamese students’ reports on the benefits
that Cooperative Learning brought to their English speaking classes. In terms of
effort to achieve, CL was considered to facilitate students’ learning experiences,

12


positive attitudes towards learning English, better speaking performances, and
increased creativity in group tasks. Concerning the quality of relationships, the study
agreed that CL enhanced students’ participation in the class activities, improved
relationships among peers, and increased students’ socialization and willingness for

cooperation. CL also resulted in improved psychological health as students showed
greater confidence when speaking English in their classes. This research, however,
disregarded how students understood CL’s characteristics and benefits in EFL
speaking classes, and whether they experienced key elements of CL during its
application or not. The results of students’ attitudes and views of using Cooperative
Learning in class were much related to students’ experiences with benefits of CL
which would be investigated in the current research.
Putting CL in a more specific context of EFL speaking classes, Palupi (2018)
documented Indonesian university students’ positive reflections on the benefits of
CL in English play performance classes at Sanata Dharma University. The students
reported an improvement in their speaking skills with increased frequency of using
English in their classes, fluency when speaking English. By learning English through
using it, students were motivated to engage in English speaking activities. Besides,
students showed a willingness to cooperate and take responsibility for solving all the
problems together. They also agreed that CL fostered acceptance of divergence of
opinions among group members. The study also suggested CL’s effectiveness in
improving students’ confidence when expressing ideas in class, and social skills
through frequent opportunities for socializing and sharing ideas. Moreover, CL made
students feel happy when goals were achieved and enjoy working together, which
helped improve their liking for school and the subject and reduce stress among
students. However, the term “perception” used in this study was referred to as
students’ “point of view” (Palupi, 2018, p.5) on the use of CL in their English
speaking classes, not their awareness and understanding of this learning process.
2.4 Summary
Overall, this chapter has reviewed the literature on the field including CL’s
key elements, main benefits for learners in EFL classes, and previous research on the

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topic, which is assumed to provide the researcher with a firm foundation for the study
on students’ perceptions of and experiences with CL in EFL social speaking classes.
The literature review also indicates a research gap in the study area that although
prior research has thoroughly investigated students’ opinions about their experiences
with the benefits or effectiveness of CL in EFL speaking classes, very little has been
sought to explore students’ understanding of CL and its expected outcomes, as well
as their experiences with its crucial features. Moreover, research has evidenced
students’ lack of knowledge about CL which led to their unawareness of its
incorporation in EFL classes; however, details on what they are aware and unaware
of have not been clarified. In the hope of addressing those problems, this study is
conducted to shed light on how students perceive and experience features and
benefits of CL in EFL social speaking classes.

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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, details about the research context, design, samplings, methods
and procedure of the data collection and data analysis process are going to be
clarified.
3.1 Research context
The study was carried out at an English faculty of a language university in Ha
Noi. The faculty consists of six affiliated divisions with approximately 2000 Englishmajored students who undergo four years of learning. In the first two years, they are
required to attend courses in English skills acquisition, including English for
academic purposes and English for social purposes, whose contents are integrated
with all four English skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
The faculty comprises 23 classes of approximately 600 second-year Englishmajored students who are currently in their fourth semester at university and studying
the course of English for social purposes 4A/4A* (4A is for students of the standard
program, and 4A* is for those of the fast-track program). Among them, six classes
were confirmed to have participated in CL in their social speaking classes by their

teachers in the speaking session of the course English for social purposes 4A/4A*.
3.2 Research design
The research applied an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design that
employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions
(Creswell, 2014). This research design involved the collection and analysis of
quantitative data, the use of previously-analyzed quantitative results for qualitative
data collection, and analysis of qualitative data for the explanation for initial
quantitative results (Creswell, 2012). The explanatory sequential mixed-methods
design was selected because it was one of the most feasible ways for the researcher
to have both a general idea and a detailed understanding of students’ perceptions of
and experiences with CL in EFL social speaking classes.

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3.3 Research samplings
Phase 1: Subjects in this phase were approximately 120 students from six
second-year English-majored classes at the university. To select students for this
phase, the researcher made use of stratified sampling (Creswell, 2012) in which only
the classes confirmed by their teachers to have experienced CL during their EFL
social speaking classes were included in the study. This research aimed exclusively
at these participants because up to the research time that fell in February 2021, they
had experienced CL in the course of English for social purposes 4A/4A* in nearly
two months which was quite sufficient time for them to build awareness of and have
experiences with CL in their English social speaking classes.
Phase 2: Participants in this phase were selected using typical sampling
(Creswell, 2014). Subjects of the semi-structured interviews were representatives of
the major trends and those of opposing sides in perceptions and experiences. The use
of typical sampling helped the researcher better understand the results of phase 1.
3.4 Data collection

3.4.1 Data collection instruments
The data of this research was collected using two different instruments which
were: a structured questionnaire in the quantitative stage and a semi-structured
interview in the qualitative stage.
3.4.1.1 Structured questionnaire
To collect large-scale data about students’ perceptions of and experiences
with CL and its benefits in EFL social speaking classes, the researcher used a
structured questionnaire. With the assistance of the Internet and Google form, a webbased questionnaire would “allow effective and economical surveying of the entire
population” (Creswell, 2012, p.384). Besides, a structured questionnaire would not
take the respondents much time to complete, hence suitability for the tight study
schedules of sophomore students at the university and the probability of a high survey
response rate. Besides, the software program would help the researcher with the data
collection and arrangement, and the result generation and report (Creswell, 2014).

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