An exploration of the effectiveness of cooperative language learning on students’ English language learning motivation at Korean International School, HCMC

Abstract

This study explores the effectiveness of Cooperative Learning as a teaching approach on students’ motivation, via ESL classes in the Korean International School (KIS) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Cooperative Learning’s effectiveness as a teaching method has been a popular topic of research, but not as much on how it can positively impact students’ motivation. By understanding what elements are core to Cooperative Learning (CL) as an educational approach, we can better understand how each of these underlying elements influence students’ motivation in different ways. The author then used qualitative data collected from both teachers, students as well as the author's own observation at KIS to find the correlation between what CL offers and how it influences students’ motivation in a classroom environment. The study found that CL is not only effective at fostering motivation in students during class, but the type of motivation that CL builds is also intrinsic in nature, which is more sustainable than the type of extrinsic motivation often used in traditional teaching to motivate students.