Definition of Cooperative Learning

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d. Cooperative Learning in Teaching Writing and Learning Process

In teaching writing using cooperative learning, teacher will find many specific terms like cooperative writing activities. Those are the type of activities in teaching and learning process that combines cooperative learning procedures and writing process Sargent, 2004: 1. Cooperative writing activities have two aims. The first one is focusing on messages and targeted communication function which is related to fluency and the second one is focusing on form or structure which is related to accuracy. If teacher decides to focus on the first aim, they can use several types of activity such as brainstorming, speed writing, story sequences, etc. However, if they want to focus more on the second aim, they can use tasks like group letters or group timeline projects.

B. Relevant Studies

Karen Sanderson Cole 2012 reported that there are cooperative learning which can be actively used to help students dive into the learning process of writing and offers immediate opportunity for practice. This opportunity to practice is significant in developing mastery. Based on her research, the significant of practice was confirmed by students’ own responses to the questionnaire she distributed. Fifty-four percent of the students felt that group work within the lecture was significant in helping them to understand the subject matter. Keiko Hirose 2008 conducted a study on cooperative learning in English writing instruction through feedback. This researcher found out that through cooperative learning students were able to interact with each other in such a 28 dynamic way. Not only that, they also engaged in various positive interactions during the teaching and learning process. These findings were clearly reflected on students’ written and spoken feedback data. Their feedback covered multiple functions such as asking questions, giving additional related information, making suggestions, and reacting to numerous aspects of their peers’ compositions. The results also suggest that peer feedback is a promising activity for students to work cooperatively, benefit from each other, and improve their writing, or more broadly, communication skills in English. Sumarsih 2011 did a research on improving students’ writing achievement by using cooperative learning. She specifically used Think-Pair- Share technique in her research. The results show that there was a real im provement in students’ writing achievement after she incorporated cooperative learning in the process of teaching writing.

C. Conceptual Framework

From learners’ point of view, writing is considered by many as the most difficult skill to master. It is not easy to master because one has to also use other language skills in writing. In order to produce a good writing product, one must go through many writing stages and pay attention to many complex sets of rules. Teacher also finds teaching writing kind of difficult. Firstly, they have to give full attention to each individual and their writing. Secondly, writing activity takes up a lot of time so teacher has to be really good in time management. Thirdly, teacher needs to be smart in choosing appropriate methods and techniques that can help them improving the quality of teaching writing process.