Cooperative Learning Concluding Sentence

2.4 Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is one of the teaching techniques that can be applied in teaching learning process. Cooper 1999:273 defines, “cooperative learning as an instructional task designs that engages students actively in achieving the objective of a lesson with their own group ”. Moreover, Richards and Rodgers 2002: 192 describe Cooperative learning as “an approach to teaching that makes maximum use of cooperative activities through small group of learners in the classroom ”. In addition, Jolliffe 2007:3 suggests, “cooperative learning requires pupils to work together in small groups to support each other to improve their own learning and that of others ”. Considering the above definitions, it can be concluded that cooperative learning is a teaching strategy that focuses on cooperation rather than competition of each member in a group to achieve the shared goal. Besides, the team member has responsibility to each other in completing the material given by the teacher. Consequently, it can improve both in academic learning where they work by sharing ideas to obtain a good score, and in social skill, they have to work together to solve the task given. In teaching reading, cooperative learning gives great opportunity to the students in comprehending the reading text, because this technique force the students to cooperate and work together with their group member. Cooperative learning provides unique learning experience to the students and offers a competitive model of teaching. It can enhance students’ enthusiasm for learning in the classroom.

2.4.1 Types of Cooperative Learning Groups

Johnson et al, 1994 in Richard and Rodgers, 2001: 196 describe three types of cooperative learning groups. They are: 1. Formal cooperative learning Formal cooperative learning consists of students working together, for one class period to several weeks, to achieve their goal and complete the specific tasks and assignments. 2. Informal cooperative learning Informal cooperative learning consists of students work together to achieve a joint learning goal in temporary, that last from a few minutes to one class period. Informal cooperative learning can be used to focus student attention on the material to be lea rned. The teacher’s role is keep students more actively engaged intellectually entails having focused discussions before and after the lesson. 3. Cooperative base groups Cooperative base groups consist of heterogeneous learning group that have stable membership that support academically within the group

2.4.2 Basic Principles of Cooperative Learning

Arnold 1999:227-228 points out that there are five basic principles to make successful learning in Cooperative Learning, those are: positive interdependence, face to face interaction, individual accountability, interpersonal and small group skill, and grouping process. The following are the explanation of the principles: 1. Positive interdependence Positive interdependence can be successfully structured when all members of the group feel that they are linked each other in a way that one cannot succeed unless everyone succeeds. Group goals and task must be design and communicated to the students to make them believe they can success or fail together. 2. Face-to-face interaction Students need to work together to ensure each other success by sharing knowledge, idea, supporting, encouraging each other. Small groups consist of 3-6 students can encourage all the members to participate but large benefits from multiple ideas. 3. Individual and group accountability In cooperative learning, the whole member of the group should be accountable for achieving the goal, and each member should be accountable for contributing or share their idea in order to completing the task. 4. Development of small group skill Cooperative learning is more complex rather than competitive learning, here the students should engage simultaneously in task work and teamwork. To empower both of task work and teamwork successfully, individual members need to develop not only linguistic but also social skill which facilitate teamwork, they should have ability in leadership, trust building, decision making, teamwork, communication and conflict management. 5. Grouping processing Grouping process occur when the member of the group discuss about how far they can achieve the goals and maintaining effective working relationships. Groups need to describe what member action and make decision about what behavior to be continued or to be changed. Through this processing, learners acquire or refine metacognitive and socio-affective strategies of monitoring, learning from others, and sharing ideas and turn. In this research, the researcher used NHT Technique in informal cooperative learning type. It was an interesting way in cooperative learning that can help the students to comprehend the reading text and avoid boredom as well. It helped the students to cooperate with their group to solve the problem and compete to be the winner. If necessary, the competition motivates the students to cooperate and learn faster and efficiently as a result, they could be the winner of the competition.

2.5 Numbered Heads Together NHT Technique