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1. UNIVERSIDAD MAGISTER
FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN
CARRERA DE LICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEÑANZA DEL
INGLÉS
MEMORIA DE SEMINARIO DE GRADUACIÓN PARA OPTAR AL
GRADO DE LICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS
“A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON THE USE OF
COOPERATIVE LEARNING AS AN
INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL FOR 1st GRADERS AT
CENTRO EDUCATIVO NUEVA GENERACIÓN,
HEREDIA, 2018”
SYLVIA CHAVES MORALES
LAURA MONTERO ROJAS
SETIEMBRE, 2018

2. JUSTIFICATION
• Because of the global challenges society faces, the
traditional methodology in the English classes has strictly
to change in order to develop critical thinkers as new
citizens of the world, able to solve relevant problems,
work in teams, analyze and evaluate information, among
others.
• These abilities can be developed with the implementation
of the Cooperative Learning in the class, which is
beneficial to the students in an integral way because it
can provide tools to help them to be more selective with
the information they receive, analyze it and be more
critical with their opinions, which are precisely some of
the skills they need to become citizens to the new world.

3. JUSTIFICATION
• The effective implementation of Cooperative Learning
guarantees a good performance of the English language
which is a great tool for students to face the duel against
the current society and all its demands and
requirements. Besides, Cooperative Learning brings
students many benefits in their personal life, helping
them in an integral way which makes successful people.

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
How the Cooperative Learning Strategies in EFL
classroom of 1st graders can be implemented as an
instructional tool for a better performance at English at
Centro Educativo Nueva Generación, Heredia, 2018?

5. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To determine the use of Cooperative Learning Strategies
as an instructional tool for teaching EFL aiming an
improvement in English performance of 1st graders at
Centro Educativo Nueva Generación, Heredia, 2018.

6. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
• To identify the use of Cooperative Learning when
teaching EFL on 1st graders aiming the importance of its
use in classes.
• To state the importance of Cooperative Learning in
English classes enhancing its use with the students.
• To determine the role of the English teacher when using
Cooperative Learning aiming the development of a
proposal with effective techniques.

7. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
• To describe the role of the students when using
Cooperative Learning aiming the correct performance of
the strategy.
• To propose techniques for an effective use of
Cooperative Learning in 1st graders for a better
implementation in English classes.

8. VARIABLES
• Use of Cooperative Learning when teaching EFL.
• Importance of Cooperative Learning in English classes.
• Role of the teachers when using Cooperative Learning in
English classes.
• Role of the students when using Cooperative Learning in
English classes.

9. THE INSTITUTION
• Centro Educativo Nueva Generación is a private institution
located in San Rafael, Heredia.
• It began in August 1997 with the pre-enrollment of the first high
school students and in February of 1998 they started the lessons
with only 28 high school students, 8 teachers and 3 administrative
staff. They grew rapidly in infrastructure as well as students,
teaching and administrative personnel.
• In 2002, started elementary school and in 2004, started
preschool.
• It has around 450 students.
• The total amount of 1st graders is formed by 41 students with
ages around 6 and 7 years old.

10. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Cooperative Learning is instruction that involves students
working in teams to accomplish a common goal, under
conditions that include the following elements:
• Positive interdependence.
• Individual accountability.
• Face to face promotive interaction.
• Appropriate use of collaborative skills.
• Group processing.

11. Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec (1998:42) identify three
different kinds of Cooperative Learning groups. Each type of
group has a different purpose, no single one is intrinsically
“good” or “bad.”
• Formal Cooperative Learning
• Informal Cooperative Learning
• Cooperative Based Groups
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

12. Formal Cooperative Learning: As the definition given by Johnson,
Johnson, & Holubec, (2008:6); “Formal Cooperative Learning
consists of students working together, for one class period to
several weeks”.
The main characteristics are:
• Interactions among the members of the group are longer in
duration.
• Group members remain consistent.
• Involve considerable planning regarding the formation of the
group.
• More structured, assignments must be organized.
• Have a particular goal and task to accomplish.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

13. Informal Cooperative Learning: Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec,
(2008:10) state that “Informal Cooperative Learning consists of
having students work together to achieve a joint learning goal in
temporary, ad-hoc groups that last from a few minutes to one class
period”.
The most important characteristics are:
• Last only brief periods of time, from a few minutes up to a whole
class period.
• Usually ad hoc, formed rather quickly and without requirements.
• Groups have little structure and may be homogeneous or not.
• Members are revolving.
• Provide a variation on lecture-based classes.
• Require little or no planning.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

14. Cooperative Based Groups: According to Johnson, Johnson, &
Holubec (2008:14), “Cooperative base groups are long-term,
heterogeneous Cooperative Learning groups with stable
membership”.
The main characteristics:
• Long term: can last the entire semester.
• Get together on a regular basis.
• Involve considerable planning regarding the formation of the
group.
• Assignments and tasks must be personalized to the group.
• Work towards a specific purpose.
• Members are constant.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

15. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH: According to Shuttleworth
(2008:143), in https://explorable.com; retrieved on April 7th,
2018, a descriptive research design is a scientific method
which involves observing and describing the behavior of a
subject without influencing it in any way.

16. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH: Saunders, M., Lewis, P. &
Thornhill, A. (2012:301) state that “it is conducted in order to
determine the nature of the problem, exploratory research is
not intended to provide conclusive evidence, but helps us to
have a better understanding of the problem. When
conducting exploratory research, the researcher ought to be
willing to change his/her direction as a result of revelation of
new data and new insights”.

17. QUANTITATIVE APPROACH: Creswell (2009:93) claimed that
a quantitative research is a mean for testing objective theories
by examining the relationship among variables. These variables
in turn, can be measured. Typically on instruments, so that
numbered data can be analyzed using statistical procedures.
The goal in conducting quantitative research study is to
determine the relationship between one thing, an independent
variable and another, a dependent variable within a population.
QUALITATIVE APPROACH: Hernández, Fernández, and
Baptista, (2006:116) say that: “The term qualitative research can
be defined as a series of interpretative practices that makes the
world visible, transforms it, and turns it in a series of
representations in form of annotations, observations, records,
and documents. It is naturalist because studies objects or
human beings in their natural environment.”

18. MIXED APPROACH: Sieber (1973) stated that: “Mixed
methods strategies are less well known than either the
quantitative or qualitative approaches. The concept of mixing
different methods was originated in 1959 when Campbell and
Fisk used multimethods to study validity of psychological traits.
They encouraged others to employ their multimethod matrix to
examine multiple approaches to data collection.”.

19. POPULATION: Polit and Hungler (1999:37) refer to the
population as “an aggregate or totality of all the objects,
subjects or members that conform to a set of
specifications.”
For this research the population will be defined as the
total amount of 1st graders at Centro Educativo Nueva
Generación, which is formed by 41 students with ages
around 6 and 7 years old.

20. SAMPLE: Kumar (2000:219) defines a sample as “a
chosen subset of elements from the population”.
For this research, the sample is going to be integrated by
15 students, all of them 1st graders who are part of the
group 1- A. Also there are three English teachers of this
institution that work with these students who will be part
of the sample.

21. ANALYSIS OF THE OBSERVATION
• The teacher used Cooperative Learning in most of the
activities developed during the class.
• It was perceived that the classroom distribution and the
activities made by the teacher encouraged students to interact
with each other. Students had some difficulties to work with
their classmates in terms of communication.
• The teacher had an active role during the class. She used
English most of the time, and gave clear and specific
instructions for the students to follow.
• Cooperative Learning includes different roles that students
have to develop in the different groups, these roles were not
clear during the observation.

22. ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEW
• In general terms teachers know what cooperative learning is. In
terms of results, it was mentioned that is rewarding to see the
students overcome learning difficulties or learning social skills.
The process is going to take a long way to get better results.
• Related to the advantages of using Cooperative Learning in the
English class, were mentioned some such as, growing English
levels, increase their knowledge, learn how to cooperate with
others, create confidence and tolerance to failure. In terms of
academicals improvement, is necessary to give more time
developing this method to see real results.
.

23. ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEW
• The role fulfilled by the teachers is to guide the students
through the process of solving issues in their groups , to help
them interact in a safety way, follow the rules and achieve
objectives. This may be stressful sometimes.
• The role of the students has made the social interaction
increased since students are being forced to interact with all
kind of classmates and not only with their close friends.

24. ANALYSIS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES

25. THE STUDENTS LIKE TO WORK IN GROUPS
93,33%
6,67%
0%
A lot Little Nothing

26. THE STUDENTS KNOW THE MEANING OF
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
60%
6,67%
33,33%
Yes No N/A

27. THE STUDENTS CONSIDER IMPORTANT THE
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
73,33%
13,33% 13,33%
A lot Little Nothing

28. THE STUDENTS CONSIDER THEY LEARN BETTER
WHEN WORKING IN GROUPS
86,66%
6,67% 6,67%
Yes No N/A

29. THE ENGLISH TEACHER MOTIVATES STUDENTS
86,67%
13,33%
0%
A lot Little Nothing

30. STUDENTS CONSIDER THE TEACHER GUIDES THEM
IN GROUP WORKS
100%
0% 0%
A lot Little Nothing

31. STUDENTS KNOW THEIR SPECIFIC ROLE IN GROUP
WORK
86,67%
13,33%
0%
Yes No N/A

32. STUDENTS HELP EACH OTHER WHEN WORKING IN
GROUPS
73,33%
20%
6,67%
Yes No N/A

33. CONCLUSIONS
Even though the work of the students was observed in small groups
of two or three, the use of cooperative learning is not clearly
defined. Some of the activities are carried out in groups, but the role
that both the teacher and the student must fulfill is not perceived or
is not well rehearsed or defined.
The instruments applied evidences that the classroom distribution
and all the activities put into practice by the teacher encourages
students to interact with one another in a friendly environment.
Students enjoy working in groups in the class, covering the social
affective learning and personality development of each member.

34. CONCLUSIONS
The English teachers guide and monitor the students through the
process of solving issues in their groups, interact, follow the rules,
accomplish objectives, and activate the ways students can learn.
Hence, the importance of giving a better training and support to the
team of teachers that guides the students along the implementation of
Cooperative Learning.
The way each student assumes the role each of them has, varies
because is hard for them to stick on the task assigned, some students
forget what they have to do, some students are more responsible and
assume their role perfectly, but others in a few quantity do not fulfill their
role and there is an overcharge of functions.

35. COST OF THE STUDY
DESCRIPTION QUANTITY
UNIT COST
(COLONES)
TOTAL
(COLONES)
TOTAL
(DOLLARS)
Travel expenses 50 715 35.750 62.71
Office supplies 10 1.600 16.000 28.06
Papers and printings 1.000 30 30.000 52.62
Professional hours 30 13.602 408.060 715.79
Food and beverages 32 3.200 102.400 201.94
Total 1.122 13.045 592.210 1061.12
Exchange rate: Banco Central de Costa Rica, 1 USD=570.08 colones, July 1st, 2018.
Source: Chaves, Sylvia, Montero, Laura, Universidad Magister, 2018.
Value of professional hour according to COLYPRO ₡13.602

36. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Design an effective Cooperative Learning environment.
• Manage a cooperative exercise effectively.
• Debrief the process after the activity.
• Establish clear group goals.
• Build trust and promote open communication.
• Consider using different strategies.
• Use real-world problems.
• Make students know the process and their roles.

37. PROPOSAL OFA GUIDELINE FOR TEACHERS AND
STUDENTS WITHA SET OF INSTRUCTIONSAND
ACTIVITIESAIMING THE EFFECTIVE
IMPLEMENTATION OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING AS
AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL IN THE ENGLISH CLASS
OF 1st GRADERS

38. JUSTIFICATION
• This proposal aims to establish the major benefits on the use of
Cooperative Learning as an instructional strategy in the English
class. Costa Rican Educational System is implementing this
instructional tool in its programs.
• Nowadays, society demands new citizens with critical thinking,
able to solve relevant problems, work in teams, analyze and
evaluate information.
• Cooperative Learning is one of the answers to current education,
teachers should be ready to implement it correctly.

39. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To propose a guideline with a structured index for teachers and
students, with a set of instructions and activities, aiming the
effective implementation of Cooperative Learning as an
instructional tool in the English class of 1st graders at Centro
Educativo Nueva Generación, Heredia, 2018.

40. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
• To develop a guide for English teachers of the use of
Cooperative Learning aiming its correct implementation.
• To elaborate a list of activities promoting the use of
Cooperative Learning in the English class.

41. PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
• DEVELOPMENT OF A GUIDELINE
TO APPLY COOPERATIVE
LEARNING
PHASE 1
• CREATE A SET OF
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
PHASE 2

42. PHASE 1: DEVELOPMENT OFA GUIDELINE TO APPLY
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
• Set an effective structure
• Make teams
• Assign the roles (teacher and students)
• Teach the process skills
• Select an assessment/incentive approach
• Provide group management
• Provide feedback

43. PHASE 2: CREATE A SET OF COOPERATIVE
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
• Round robin
• Roundtable
• Write around
• Numbered heads together
• Team jigsaw
• Tea party
• Literature circles in groups of four

44. COST OF THE PROPOSAL
DESCRIPTION QUANTITY
UNIT COST
(COLONES)
TOTAL
(COLONES)
TOTAL
(DOLLARS)
Professional hours 16 13.602 217.632 381.66
Transportation 6 715 4.290 7.52
Copies and printings 6 2.000 12.000 21.04
Materials 8 2.000 16.000 28.05
Total 36 18.317 249.922 437.61
Exchange rate: Banco Central de Costa Rica, 1 USD=570.22 colones, August 14th, 2018.
Source: Chaves, Sylvia, Montero, Laura, Universidad Magister, 2018.
Value of professional hour according to COLYPRO ₡13.602

45. SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE
PROPOSAL

46. STRENGTHS
FOR TEACHERS:
• Application of a detailed guideline to apply Cooperative Learning
accurately in their English class.
• Better understanding of Cooperative Learning as an instructional tool in
the English class.
• Reinforcement of different topics through many and varied activities.
• Accompaniment through the process of implementation of CL in the class.
• Better performance of the students with the English language.
• Raise achievement of students.
FOR STUDENTS:
• Development in the social skills.
• Improvement on the four main skills of the English Language.
• Greater motivation.
• Implementation of cooperation beyond the class.
• Building of positive relationships among students.
• Better performance of the English language.

47. WEAKNESSES
• Lack of technological instruments to get the guideline.
• Reduced amount of English lessons weekly.
• Overload of work teachers have.
• Lack of habit students have about working in groups.

48. OPPORTUNITIES
• Improvement of the quality of education.
• Implementation of Cooperative Learning as an instructional
tool in the English classes.
• Higher interaction between students.
• A better consciousness of cooperation in society.
• Development of both good learning skills and social skills.
• Implementation of a variety of skills to educate 21st century
citizens.

49. THREATS
• Misunderstanding of the teachers with the guideline.
• Lack of time.
• The attitude of students and teachers about the
implementation of Cooperative Learning in the English class.

50. IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSAL
ACADEMIC IMPACT
The proposal of this research has the objective to create a
structured guideline that English teachers may use at the
beginning of each year in order to plan the Cooperative Learning
groups. It will be used in a workshop with the English teachers
during the next school term. Besides, the proposal includes
Cooperative Learning activities to promote its use in the English
class, it is very important to motivate students through activities
that are attractive to them and that allow them to achieve
communicative objectives.

51. IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSAL
SOCIAL IMPACT
The proposal establishes a firm guide and strategies to promote
the use of Cooperative Learning in the English classes. Students
who work cooperatively show a better attitude toward school,
enjoy more in class, have a greater interest in deepening in the
subject they learn. In addition, teachers will grow professionally;
the new knowledge of the characteristics of Cooperative Learning
will allow the teacher to program activities that will be developed
in each class in an appropriate way.

52. OTHER DERIVED STUDIES
• Real scopes of the use of Cooperative Learning in the English
classes.
• A descriptive study of an educational community where
Cooperative Learning is applied.
• Aftermaths that Cooperative Learning has in society.
• Social effects of Cooperative Learning in the lives of students.
• Educational effects of Cooperative Learning in the students.
• Strategies to implement Cooperative Learning in the class.
• Process of the correct implementation of Cooperative Learning in
the class.
• Comparison between Cooperative Learning and Ludic activities.