Teaching Writing in Senior High School

languages as it is not difficult to find a text on instructional methods, a teacher’s journal, or instructional material that do not discuss cooperative learning. Mandal 2009 proposes the notion of cooperative learning is an instructional strategy based on the human instinct of cooperation. It is the utilization of the psychological aspects of cooperation and competition for curricular transaction and student learning. There are some other definitions of cooperative learning made by some eminent scholars. As cited in Syafini Rizan 2010, Slavin 1980 states cooperative learning is student working in small groups and are given rewards and recognition based on the group’s peformance. Goodsell, Maher and Tinto 1992 define cooperative learning as a learning approach which falls in the more general category of collaborative learning which is described as students in groups of two or more working together mutually to find an understanding, solutions or meaning and create product. In the ideal classroom, students would learn how to work cooperatively with others, compete for fun and enjoyment, and work autonomously on their own. Students are given some goals and encouraged to work cooperatively to accomplish the goals. Cooperative learning can maximize their own and each other’s learning Johnson Johnson 1998. Johnson Johnson 1988 describe a cooperative learning situtation interaction is characterized by positive goal interdependence with individual accountabiliy. Positive goal interdependence requires acceptance by a group that they sink or swim together. Students work in a small group to help each other to learn before they are engaged in a individual test. Their score of the test later would contribute to their own group. Conducting cooperative learning could enhance students’ performance. Firstly, the teacher would get the students achieve more than in competitive or individualistic interaction. Secondly, students are more positive about school, teachers, subject areas. Thirdly, students are more positive about each other when they learn cooperatively than when they learn alone, competively or individualistically. Lastly, students are more effective interpersonally as a result of working cooperatively than when they work alone. Johnson Johnson, 1988.

b. The Elements of Cooperative Learning

According to Goodsell, Maher Tinto 1992 cooperative learning is an approach under the umbrella of collaborative learning. However it is different from collaborative learning or group work. In cooperative learning, the teacher plays a significant role to incorporate the elements of cooperative learning and ensure that the students know how to work cooperatively in a cooperative learning situation. The elements are different from one approach to another depending on the model that is being implemented. Johnson Johnson 1988 proposes cooperative learning model ‘Learning Together’ which focuses on five elements namely prositive interdependence, individual accountabiliy, face-to-face interaction, social skills and group processing. Meanwhile Slavin 1995 and his colleagues suggest the use of group reward to enhance students’ performance. The five elements proposed by Johnson Johnson 1988 are all essential to all cooperative systems, no matter what their size. 1 Positive Interdependence The teacher puts the students work in groups and work cooperatively. When the teacher gives a clear task and a group goal, the students would learn how they sink or swim together. The students have to consider that they are one in a team, they will not succeed if there is one students fails. Postive interdependence creates a commitment to others’ success as well as one’s own. It is the heart of cooperative learning as there would be no cooperation if there is no positive interdependence. 2 Face to Face Interactions The group member should share resources and help, support, encourage, and praise each other’s effort to learn. Cooperative learning groups are both an academic support system and a personal support system. Academic support system is that every student has someone who is comitted to help him or her to learn while personal support system means that every student has someone who is committed to him or her as a person. During they work cooperatively, students orally explain how to solve