USING A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF CHARLES DICKENS’ OLIVER TWIST IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHING: A CASE STUDY OF THE COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH

• Main Authors: Chia-Chen Shen, 沈佳蓁
• Other Authors: Ching-Chi Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/kjvp8u

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 102 === The study explores the effects of the cooperative learning (CL) approach on EFL simplified literature curriculum in a junior high school. The novel Oliver Twist is the main reading material. The researcher aims to investigate the subjects’ learning interests in simplified literary texts, their responses to the CL activities, the presentations of their works, their responses to the classroom interaction, and their attitudes toward the simplified literature curriculum in the CL approach. The subjects participated in this study included two classes of 60 ninth-grade students in Taichung Da Ya Junior High School. According to the questionnaire on students’ opinions of their EFL literature learning experience, the researcher designed the literary syllabus of Oliver Twist. Appropriate CL learning activities were applied in the literature curriculum to facilitate students' learning and enhance their reading motivation. The students' responses in the questionnaire on their attitudes towards EFL literature learning in the CL approach were collected and analyzed. Besides, the students' performance of the assign works, their participation in CL activities, and their interactions with the teacher and the peers were also recorded. The main findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1. The application of the literature syllabus Oliver Twist in the CL approach made a positive impact on the students’ attitudes towards literature learning and raised their English reading motivation. 2. The CL approach was considered to be a useful teaching approach because many students in the study accepted and liked the various CL activities. The students were pleased with the dynamic interaction and vivacious atmosphere in the CL literature class. They would do their best in the CL activities actively in order to win in the group competition. 3. Oliver Twist is an appropriate reading material for junior high school EFL students. They were interested in reading the novel. Some pedagogical implications for EFL teachers are made as follows. 1. EFL teachers should be convinced that group discussion is helpful in literature classes and can raise students’ learning motivation. 2. EFL teachers should take CL as an alternative teaching approach and design more suitable CL activities. 3. EFL teachers should regard simplified literature texts as appropriate reading materials for junior high school EFL students.