STUDENT INTERACTION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JIGSAW TECHNIQUE IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
University of Groningen Student interaction in the implementation of the jigsaw technique in language teaching Tamah, Siti Mina
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and investigate your claim.STUDENT INTERACTION
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE JIGSAW TECHNIQUE
IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Siti Mina Tamah Groningen Dissertations in Linguistics 91
ISSN 0928-0030
ISBN 978-90-367-4902-2 © 2011 by Siti Mina Tamah Cover design by Agung Asalie
Printed by Wöhrmann Print Service, Zutphen, the Netherlands
RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN
STUDENT INTERACTION
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE JIGSAW TECHNIQUE
IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de
Letteren
aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
op gezag van de
Rector Magnificus, dr. E. Sterken,
in het openbaar te verdedigen op
donderdag 19 mei 2011
om 13:15 uur
door
Siti Mina Tamah
geboren op 25 juni 1962
Lombok, Indonesië Promotor: Prof. dr. C.L.J. de Bot Copromotor: Dr. H. I. Hacquebord Beoordelingscommissie: Prof. dr. C.M. de Glopper Prof. dr. H.P.M. Creemers
Prof. dr. W.J.C.M. van de Grift
To
Billy Asalie
Arini Asalie
Agung Asalie
TABLE OF CONTENT
Table of Content ….…….…….…..……………………………..……..….……............ vii List of Appendices …………….…...……………………………..……..……………... xii List of Tables ………………………………………………………..….….…………... xii List of Figures ……………………………..…………………………...….…….……... xiii Acknowledgements …….…………………………………………..…...……………… xv
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ………………..……………………….…..…….…
1
1.1 Background of the Study ...……………………………………………
1 1.2 Research Questions …..……………………………………………….
5 1.3 Significance of the Study …...………………………………………...
6
1.4 Preview of the Thesis Chapters ….……………………………………
7 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE …………………….........
9 2.1 Constructivism ……..…………………………………………….…...
9 2.2 Social Interactionism ….…………………………………….………...
11 2.3 Interaction Components in Language Teaching …………….………...
13 2.4 Initiation-Response-Feedback in Classroom Discourse ..….………….
18 2.5 Cooperative Learning …...…………………………………………….
20 2.5.1 Benefits of Cooperative Learning .…………………………….
22
2.5.2 Drawbacks of Cooperative Learning ……………..……………
23 2.5.3 Essential Components of Cooperative Learning ......………......
25 2.5.4 Grouping Considerations ..…………………………………......
30 2.5.5 Cooperative Learning Techniques ...……………………….…..
31 2.6 Jigsaw ...………………….………………………………………..…..
32 2.7 Previous Related Studies ………………………………………….…..
34 2.8 Summary …..…..……………………………………………………...
36 CHAPTER 3 PILOT STUDIES …………………………………………………...... 37
3.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………...…
37 3.2 Pilot Study 1 …………………………………………………………..
39
3.2.1 Research Questions of Pilot Study 1 ……………………………
39
3.2.2 Research Method for the First Question of Pilot Study 1 ………
39 3.2.2.1 Research Design …………………………………….
39 3.2.2.2 Variables …………………………………………….
39 3.2.2.3 Population and Sample ……………………………...
40
viii 3.2.2.4 Treatments ………………………………………......
55
45
46
47
47
47
48
48
48
49
49
49
50
58
45
60
60
61
61
61
61
61
63
64
65
65
65
65
45
45
3.2.2.5 Research Instrument ………………………………...
3.2.6 Summary ……………………………………………………......
3.2.2.6 Data Collection Procedure ……………………….....
3.2.2.7 Data Analysis Procedure …………………………… 3.2.3 Research Method for the Second Question of Pilot Study 1 …….
3.2.3.1 Subjects …………………………………………......
3.2.3.2 Data ………………………………………………… 3.2.3.3 Research Instruments ……………………………….
3.2.3.4 Data Collection Procedure ………………………….
3.2.3.5 Data Analysis Procedure ……………………………
3.2.4 Research Method for the Third Question of Pilot Study 1 ……… 3.2.4.1 Subjects …………………………………………......
3.2.4.2 Data ………………………………………………… 3.2.4.3 Research Instrument ………………………………...
3.2.4.4 Data Collection Procedure ……………………….....
3.2.4.5 Data Analysis Procedure …………………………… 3.2.5 Findings of Pilot Study 1 ……………………………………......
3.2.5.1 Findings Related to the First Research Question …...
3.2.5.2 Findings Related to the Second Research Question ….
3.2.5.3 Findings Related to the Third Research Question ......
3.3 Pilot Study 2 ………………………………………………………......
44
3.3.1 Research Questions of Pilot Study 2 ……………………………
3.3.2 Research Method for the First Question of Pilot Study 2 ……… 3.3.2.1 Research Design …………………………………….
3.3.2.2 Variables …………………………………………….
3.3.2.3 Population and Sample ……………………………...
3.3.2.4 Treatments ………………………………………......
3.3.2.5 Research Instrument ………………………………...
3.3.2.6 Data Collection Procedure ……………………….....
3.3.2.7 Data Analysis Procedure …………………………… 3.3.3 Research Method for the Second Question of Pilot Study 2 ......
3.3.3.1 Subjects ………………….………………………….
3.3.3.2 Data ………………………………………………… 3.3.3.3 Research Instruments ……………………………….
40
43
44
65
ix 3.3.3.4 Data Collection Procedure ……………………….....
66
3.3.3.5 Data Analysis Procedure ……………………………
66 3.3.4 Research Method for the Third Question of Pilot Study 2 …….
66 3.3.4.1 Subjects …………………………………………......
66
3.3.4.2 Data …………………………………………………
67 3.3.4.3 Research Instrument …………………………….…..
67 3.3.4.4 Data Collection Procedure ……………………….....
68
3.3.4.5 Data Analysis Procedure ……………………………
68
3.3.5 Findings of Pilot Study 2 ………………………………………
68 3.3.5.1 Findings Related to the First Research Question …...
68
3.3.5.2 Findings Related to the Second Research Question …
69 3.3.5.3 Findings Related to the Third Research Question ......
74 3.3.6 Summary ……………………………………………………….
77
3.4 The Main Study under Report ………...………………………………
78 CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH METHOD ………..……………….………………….... 81
4.1 Nature of the Study …....………..………………………….…………
81 4.2 Ethical Considerations …..………….……………………….………..
81 4.3 Research Design …………….…….………………………….……….
82 4.4 Data Collection ………………………………………………….…….
82 4.4.1 Setting ………………………………………………………….
82 4.4.2 Subjects and Key Informants ……………………………….....
83 4.4.3 Research Instruments ………………………………………….
84 4.4.4 Cooperative Learning Techniques Implemented ……………...
86 4.4.5 Group Size ……………………………………………..............
86 4.4.6 Group Composition ………………………………….………...
87 4.4.7 Role Assigning ……………………….………………………..
89 4.4.8 Materials ..………..…………………………………………….
90 4.4.9 Task Structure ………………………………………….............
91
4.4.10 Models of Group Work .…………..………….………………
93 4.4.11 Procedure of Data Collection .………………..……………....
96
4.4.11.1 Reading Course Access ……...………………………
96
4.4.11.2 Main Data Collection Procedure ...…………….…..... 100
4.5 Data Analysis Procedure ……………………………………….…….. 102
4.6 Summary ……………………………………………………………... 105
x
6.2 Students’ Involvement in Group Interaction ……………….………… 6.2.1 Data Analysis ………………………………………………….
CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS …………………………………………..…………. 161
127 127 127 134 138 138 139 143 143 146 152 152 154 160
6.6 Summary ………………..…………………………………………….
6.5.2 Findings and Discussions ……….……………………...……...
6.5.1 Data Analysis ……………………………………………..…...
6.5 Scaffolding Categories Related to Different Ability Levels ………….
6.4.2 Findings and Discussions ……….……………………………..
6.4.1 Data Analysis ………………………………………………….
6.4 Helping Behavior in Group Interaction ……..………………….……..
6.3.2 Findings and Discussions ……….…………………………......
6.3.1 Data Analysis ………………………………………………….
6.3 Types of Information Used to Understand a Text ………….…….…..
6.2.2 Findings and Discussions ……….…………………………......
CHAPTER 6 DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ……………. 127
6.1 Obtained Data …………..………………………………….………….CHAPTER 5 INTERACTION ANALYSIS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIES …………..……………...…………...……………….. 107 5.1 Macro Interaction Analysis Classification …………….………….…..
5.4 Summary …………………………………………………………...… 107 109 109 110 113 113 116 116 117 118 119 120 120 122 126
5.3.3.2 Integrated Exemplification …………………...…….....
5.3.3.1 Discrete Exemplification ……………………………..
5.3.3 Second Micro Interaction Analysis Exemplified ………….…..
5.3.2.4 IRF Exemplification ……………………...………......
5.3.2.3 Feedback Exemplification …………………………….
5.3.2.2 Response Exemplification …………………………….
5.3.2.1 Initiation Exemplification …………………….……….
5.3.1 Macro Interaction Analysis Exemplified ……………………… 5.3.2 First Micro Interaction Analysis Exemplified ………………….
5.3 Interaction Analysis Exemplified …………………………………......
5.2.2 Second Micro Interaction Analysis Categories ………………...
5.2.1 First Micro Interaction Analysis Categories ………….………..
5.2 Micro Interaction Analysis Categories …………………………….….
7.1 Summary ………………..…………………………………....………. 161
xi
7.2 Theoretical Implications …………………………………...….……… 166
7.3 Pedagogical Implications …….…………………………..…….……... 167
7.4 Limitations of the Study …………………………...…..……………... 169
7.5 Recommendations for Further Research ….…………..……….……... 169 References …...………………...……………………………………….…...…………. 173 Appendices ……………………………………………………………..….…………... 185 Dutch Summary ………………………………….………...………..….………........... 253 Grodil ……………………………………………………...………...………………… 255
xii List of Appendices
Appendix 1 K-W-L .……………………………………...……….….….………. 185 Appendix 2 Individual Worksheet 1 (For Expert Team) …....…………..………. 186 Appendix 3 Group Worksheet (For Expert Team) ...………...………..………… 187 Appendix 4 Individual Worksheet (For Home Team) ..………...……..…………. 188 Appendix 5 Group Worksheet (For Home Team) ..…..………...….……………. 189 Appendix 6 Course Outline …………………..….………………...……………. 190 Appendix 7 Individual Worksheet (Non-Jigsaw) ..…………………...…………. 195 Appendix 8 Group Worksheet (Non-Jigsaw) ………………….……..…………. 196 Appendix 9 Table of Grouping and Role Assigning ……..…………..…………. 197 Appendix 10 Reading Materials Discussed …………………...………................. 199 Appendix 11 Forms and Notes Used in Cooperative Learning Implementation …. 205 Appendix 12 Research Data ……………………………………………................ 207 Appendix 13 An Instance of Forming a Cohesive and Heterogeneous Group …… 237 Appendix 14 Data and Research Instruments of Pilot Studies ……………............ 238
List of Tables Table 3.1 Treatment in the Experimental Group ……………………………......
41 Table 3.2 Treatment in the Control Group ……………………………................
42 Table 3.3 Scenario During Data Collection for the Second Question ………......
47 Table 3.4 Self-perceptions on Sharing Ideas ……………………….……………
50 Table 3.5 Self-perceptions on Listening to Others ………………….…………...
51 Table 3.6 Self-perceptions on Helping Others ……………….…….…................
51 Table 3.7 Group-perceptions on Sharing Ideas ………………………………….
51 Table 3.8 Group-perceptions on Listening to Others ……………………………
52 Table 3.9 Group-perceptions on Helping Others ………………….….................
52 Table 3.10 Self-perceptions on Explaining Ability ……………….……................
52 Table 3.11 Group-perceptions on Explaining Ability …………………………….
52 Table 3.12 Preference for Jigsaw ……………...………………………………….
53 Table 3.13 Willingness to Be Taught Using Jigsaw ……………………………...
53 Table 3.14 Perceptions on One’s Own Role ……………………..……………….
74 Table 3.15 Perceptions on One’s Own Role Related to the Other Roles (1) ………
75 Table 3.16 Perceptions on One’s Own Role Related to the Other Roles (2) ………
75
xiii Table 3.17 Preference for Role Assigning ……………...…………………….......
Table 6.7 Scaffolding Categories Revealing Support of Assistance …................ 145Figure 6.7 Students in Need and Support of Assistance ………………................ 153Figure 6.6 Group Interaction by Roles (Data 4) …………………………………. 132Figure 6.5 Group Interaction by Roles (Data 3) …………………………………. 132Figure 6.4 Group Interaction by Roles (Data 2) …………………………………. 132Figure 6.3 Group Interaction by Roles (Data 1) …………………………………. 132Figure 6.2 Students’ Moves in Group Interaction …………………..................... 129Figure 6.1 Data Classification (in percentages) ……………………...…….......... 128List of Figures
Table 6.9 Students’ Scaffolding Categories Revealing Assistance Providing ….. 152Table 6.8 Students’ Scaffolding Categories Revealing Requests for Assistance . 152Table 6.6 Scaffolding Categories Revealing Need of Assistance ........................ 14576 Table 3.18 Perceptions on Role Assigning for Better Discussion ……………......
Table 6.5 Scaffolding Categories ………………………………...……………... 144Table 6.4 Types of Information in Text Understanding Interaction ……………. 139Table 6.3 Students’ Involvement With Regard to Different Ability Levels ……. 131Table 6.2 Students’ Involvement …….….……………………………................ 130IRF Moves in Group Interaction …….……………………................. 130
Table 6.1
Table 5.3 Scaffolding Interaction Analysis Categories …………...……………. 111Table 5.2 Micro Interaction Analysis Categories ……………………………….. 11090 Table 5.1 Interaction Analysis Classification …………………………………... 108
90 Table 4.2 Roles Executed by Key Informants …………………………………..
76 Table 4.1 Predetermined Roles for Key Informants …………………………….
Figure 6.8 Students in Their Overall Need and Support of Assistance ………...... 154xiv
Acknowledgements
The composing process of this thesis is the most precious journey I have ever had. It all started with my dream to obtain my Ph.D. degree outside my country to experience different challenging academic atmosphere. With this journey, I then realize more how much love God has endowed me. He has provided me with so many people to whom I would like now to express my sincere gratitude. Foremost, my deep appreciation goes to my remarkable promotor, Prof. Kees de Bot. for opening the first road in my journey. His initial interest in my research topic and his letter of acceptance had enabled me to convincingly take the first step on the road. He once opened my mind with his fatherly advice when I acted childish at the beginning of the journey – when I was afraid of losing the ‘sandwich’ program in the journey. His prompt feedback and critical comments to my work had been very valuable. He also attended to details in his proofreading for the final stage of the dissertation completion, gave me valuable corrections and suggestions and even assisted me with the Dutch summary. He was also generous supporting me financially for a seminar I attended – using his own research budget. I am also much obliged to my co-promotor, dr. H.I. Hacquebord. Though at first she thought she could not assist me much with my qualitative study, she in fact spent her precious time on providing me with constructive feedback on my work. I have learnt a lot from both of them – their logical ways of thinking. From interactions with them, I saw the power of human brains that can focus on the overall research globally, and at the same time, attend to the fine points in the study. They indirectly taught me how to be a serious scholar by being one themselves. I am also indebted to Dr. Marjolijn Verspoor who established the Ph.D. support group and provided me with the opportunity to present part of my Ph.D. study. I got additional insights to improve my dissertation after the presentation by considering the comments from Kirsten Kolstrup, Wander Lowie and Steve Thorne. Besides, I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Wyke van de Meer who prepared the facilities for my study especially in finding an equipped room every time I came back to Groningen, Nella Scholtens who helped me with the completion of the form “Defence ceremony date application” while I was in my home country, and Diana Muller who checked the details of the title page of my thesis.
xvi
I am indeed grateful for the vital contribution of the study participants, especially those involved as the key informants without whom there would be no data. In turn, I would also like to express my thankfulness to my colleagues, Trianawaty and Maria Ignatia. The reliability of the data would not have been obtained without their assistance as being the coders. Thanks also to all my colleagues at the English Department of Widya Mandala University, Surabaya, Indonesia for their encouragement. My short life in the Netherlands has been colored by Eva and Wan Hiang to whom I cannot forget to be thankful. Knowing I stayed far away from my family, they cheered me and offered their warm hospitality. They even bothered themselves to take a train to visit me in Groningen. I am especially indebted to Eva and her husband, Ernst, for their invaluable assistance during the hard time I experienced as my flight back to my country was cancelled when Schiphol airport was closed due to the Iceland’s volcano eruption. My special thanks also go to Saakje, a quiet and nice woman working as a volunteer at the Frisian Department. She generously lent her bike which then made me have a healthier life. She assisted me with the knowledge of making book style page layout for my dissertation. I will always remember the once-a-week brief walk we took together during lunch break, and the escort to the northern part of the Netherlands she and her sister, Annie, provided me. I also owe special thanks to Xiaoyan Xu for the valuable information on things to do when the defence was approaching. She also gave me a big hand to distribute the books to the Ph.D department so that I did not miss the deadline. I am very grateful to my husband, Billy Asalie and my daughter, Arini who became my ‘special’ paranymphs assisting me particularly on the defence day. I am also thankful for the friendship with Gulsen, Hana, Hong, Kirsten, Laura, Tal, Teddy, Tuba, and Yuni. I am also grateful to get acquainted with Oom Bonard and Meity who showed their hospitality during my stay in Groningen. My sincere thanks also go to Mbak Tina, Tante Panca, and Tante Voni who once became my kind landladies, and also to all Indonesian students in Groningen, among others, Ari, Hadi, Lia, Nurul, Pita, Puri, Wisnu, and Yuli for the precious friendship. Special thanks also go to my sisters, brothers, and relatives who have given me love and strong support in every way that they can. My sisters and brothers had especially been proud of me when they knew I got the prestigious scholarship – the tuition fee waiver from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and the living cost from the
xvii
Finally, my greatest debt of thanks must be to my family. Many thanks to my husband, Billy, for his continued and unfailing love, understanding and support during my study life, and, not to forget, to my dearest daughter, Arini, and son, Agung. Both have been especially encouraging – giving me their moral as well as practical support during the journey. The lovely family I have makes my journey even much more precious. In general, I wish to thank all who sustained me in many different ways over the journey. Eventually, I discovered that I am the most fortunate person in the world for the advantageous ‘sandwich’ program available in the journey – the one which enables me to grow academically and socially experiencing how to live in this 4-season country which is very different from Indonesia, my country.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter is the introductory one to depict the initial issues of the whole study. It covers the background of the study, the research questions – implicitly indicating the
short term objectives of the study, and the significance or the long term objectives. A section of the preview of the chapters in the thesis ends this introductory chapter.
1.1 Background of the Study
The classical lock-step teaching – also termed ‘traditional competitive classroom’ (Slavin, 1985:6) – refers to the teacher-centered classroom instruction in which students are placed in the same instructional pace and content by, among others, being explained a grammar point or asked questions. This lock-step instruction has been considered disadvantageous. It sets severe constraints on discourse potential (Long et al., 1976) and becomes one of the obstacles blocking language acquisition (Long, 1975 in Long et al., 1976).
The argument against lock-step teaching does not, however, mean that it is useless. It does not mean that lock-step teaching will be unnecessary as it has its own merit (Harmer, 1994; Long & Porter, 1985; McDonough & Shaw, 2003; McKeachie et al., 1994). One most frequently used argument for the use of this lock-step teaching especially in a language class is the advantage for the students to get a good language model from the teacher. Put simply, it will not be sufficient to rely merely on this classical teacher- centered instruction which has been commented on negatively as early as 70’s when Barnes (1973) points out the ‘audience effect’, the inhibitions resulting from having to speak ‘publicly’ in front of a large group of fellow students. The current trends in teaching have implicitly required modifications of existing methods and techniques which have traditionally been employed in language classrooms. In other words, with recent innovations in methods, teachers are continually encouraged to modify the teaching practice they prevalently put into practice or to reduce their classical lock-step teaching. The current alternatives in language instruction mostly take the form of classroom techniques in which self-directed learning or more individual-oriented teaching
CHAPTER 1
2
are introduced. A strong statement revealing the positive reactions to modify the teacher- centered instruction is made by McDonough & Shaw (2003:194): Managing classes so that learners ‘work in pairs’ or ‘divide into groups’ is now so much part of the everyday practice of large numbers of English language teachers that the instructions leading to these activities sometimes seem to be ‘switched on’ automatically, occasionally with a frequency difficult to justify. It happens in all kinds of content – dialogue practice, sharing opinions, reading aloud, comparing answers to questions, doing grammar drills, formulating questions in an information-gap task – the list could be extended considerably.
The recent instructional classroom techniques which are basically ‘group work’ in orientation have been argued both for pedagogical as well as psycholinguistic reasons. The pedagogical reasons, pointed out by Long & Porter (1985) and later similarly argued by Brown (2001), concern at least the following four potentials of group work: (1) it increases the quantity of language practice opportunities, (2) it improves the quality of student talk, (3) it maintains individualized instruction, and (4) it creates a positive affective climate in the classroom. Another one claimed by Long & Porter (1985) is that group work enhances student motivation. Meanwhile, the psycholinguistic reason, Long & Porter (1985) further put forward, covers the potentials of group work related to the existence of comprehensible input and negotiation work which are considered favorable for students’ language learning. What is implied from group work implementation as indicated in the previous paragraph is the use of peers as agents in the learning process. Positive implications from the use of peers in the learning process have been drawn. Similarly argued, peer influence has been identified to be beneficial by developmental and educational psychologists for at least two reasons (Rohrbeck et al., 2003). Firstly, the use of peers means providing an opportunity for students to be teachers for one another to stimulate cognitive development. Secondly, peers contribute to task orientation, persistence, and motivation. In Indonesia, since the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum in the 2004/2005 academic year, cooperative learning as one of the current trends in classroom instruction which is characterized by a more carefully structured group work has gained increasing acceptance throughout the country. To achieve this, two groups of agents – the teachers as well as the students – ought to change. The Indonesian teachers will inevitably have to challenge themselves – altering their classroom instruction which is typically teacher-fronted. As a consequence, the teachers should inevitably drop their ordinary role of ‘Mr. Know-All’ and, instead, adopt the ‘new’ role of fellow learners or co-learners who
Introduction
3