Teaching NSS English with
Cooperative Learning
Methodology
Mrs Maggie Hung
Yan Chai Hospital Lim Por Yen Secondary School
http://www3.ychlpyss.edu.hk/~lpy-lyc/index.html
12th August, 2011
Team Formation
4-person team of heterogenous abilities
Screen
B
A
C
D
A
B
Group
1
D
C
Functions of members
(A) Red (Team Leader):
control quality, arrange tasks
(B) Blue (Recorder):
take record, keep time
(C) Yellow (Cheerleader):
cheer up, assist others
(D) Green (Housekeeper):
keep materials, notice signals
Routine
• Use colored scheme worksheets
e.g. student A: Pink
student B: Blue
student C: Yellow
student D: Green
Routine
• Give them marks when students:
-complete the task
-actively participate in the task
-encourage and help group mates
Routine
• Random Check
Invite students to share the
answers in front of the class
randomly
• Promote fairness
CL Activities
Some common CL activities for doing reading,
speaking, listening and writing exercises
1. Round Robin
2. Think, Pair, Share
3. Poster circulation
4. (Simultaneous) Roundtable
5. Jigsaw listening
6. Jigsaw reading
Think, Pair, Share
• Think individually: What are the
benefits of joining the Drama Club?
• Exchange views in pairs
• Everyone takes turn to share his/
her views AND student B writes all
the benefits onto broadsheet
Demonstration on Think, Pair, Share
Common CL Learning Structure
Poster Circulation
Ss pass the broadsheet (poster) clockwise to another group
Ss can read the other group’s ideas
Ss can learn through reading
T sets criteria of success
e.g. 4 suggestions  8 marks
more than 4 10 marks
Demonstration on Poster Circulation
Common CL Learning Structure
Roundtable
• T asks Ss to think of regular activities of the ECA
• Each student takes turn to write one activity on the
broadsheet
• Pass the broadsheet clockwise to the next student
to write one activity on the broadsheet
• E.g. A→B →C →D →A…..
• Criteria of success: 4 suggestions → 8 marks
less than 4 → 6 marks
Demonstration on Roundtable
Let’s work out CL
together!
Situation
- You are learning some Social Issues with your group
mates through Cooperative Learning’s learning
structures:
Task 1: Brainstorming Ideas (Simultaneous Roundtable)
Task 2: Gathering Information (Jigsaw Reading)
Task 3: Understanding the topic (Pair Check)
Task 4: Forming your own ideas (Poster Circulation)
Task 5: Presentation (2 Stay 2 Stray)
Situation
We are now learning the following 4 topics of
social issues:
1. Food Safety
2. Animal Abuse
3. Smoking Ban
4. Online Fraud
Task 1 Brainstorming Ideas
Learning Structure: (Simultaneous) Roundtable
Criteria of Success: All 16 boxes are filled  10 marks
15 or less than 15 boxes are filled  8 marks
Expected Behavior: Take turns orderly, Praise others
Steps: 1. Everybody starts with a (different) question paper
and write answer in the correct box for one minute
(or shorter time)
2. Then four question papers are circulated
simultaneously
Task 2 Gathering Information
Learning Structure: Jigsaw Reading
Criteria of Success: Every member reports the summary from his/
her reading worksheet  10 marks (if not, 8 marks)
All 4 members jot down all others’ reports on one’s own
worksheet  another 10 marks (if not, 8 marks)
Expected Behavior: Take turns orderly, Ask for repetition when
necessary, Jot down notes on one’s own worksheet
Steps: 1. Read individually and then write summary of the part
of the news article (2 mins)
2. Starting from A, everybody takes turn to report the
summary (1 min. each)
Task 3 Understanding the Topic
Learning Structure: Pair Check
Criteria of Success: All questions are answered  5 marks
Expected Behavior: Explain answers to partner and group mates
Steps: 1. Form pairs (A&B, C&D). Each pair does the same set of
questions. First, individually finish the work (3 mins)
2. Check and discuss the answers with partner (1 min)
3. A&B takes turn to present answers to C&D (1 min).
Then C&D takes turn to present answers to A&B (1
min).
Task 4 Forming your own ideas
Learning Structure: Poster Circulation
Criteria of Success: Complete the task  10 marks, and 1
mark for each “” received from other groups
Expected Behavior: Share, Praise others
Steps: 1. Everybody finishes the work individually (5 mins)
A: Introduction
B: Body (I)
C: Body (II)
D: Conclusion
2. Combine the work with your group mates
3. Put the 4 worksheets into a poster and circulate the
poster clockwise until the poster comes back
4. Each team gives a  on the poster it is interesting (no
more than 3 s)
Task 5 Presentation
Learning Structure: 2 stay 2 stray
Criteria of Success:
Fluent presentation with eye contact  8 marks
Very fluent presentation with very good eye contact  10 marks
Expected Behavior: Do greetings, Praise others
Steps: 1. 2 stay as markers and 2 stray as presenters to other
groups (one at a time)
2. The 2 who stray take the marksheet with them for the
other groups’ examiners to write down marks
Cooperative Learning
• Positive Interdependence
• Individual accountability
• Equal opportunity
• Social face-to-face interaction
Thank you