STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUP WORK IN AN EFL TERTIARY CLASSROOM
YEN-CHI FAN *
Department of Applied English, I-Shou University, Taiwan
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine students’ perspectives on the effectiveness of group work in a large EFL tertiary classroom with regard to instructional procedures as well as collaborative structures in terms of role assignment, optimal group size and English ability grouping formation for peer collaboration. The participants were a class of 54 Engineering Taiwanese students. This study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods including a Likert-scale questionnaire and group interviews about students’ perceptions of effective group work implemented in the class. The results of this study indicated that structured group work can be an alternative instructional approach in large EFL tertiary classrooms to provide students with an environment for the engagement of the classroom activities, to help them develop a positive attitude in English learning, and to encourage them to take the initiative of their own learning.
Furthermore, it is interesting to find that the group size and ability grouping formation do not seem to be determining factors for effective group work. It is more important for EFL teachers to provide assistance, guidelines and instructional framework for learners to foster productive peer collaboration.
Keywords: Group work, collaborative structure, English learning