Influence of Cooperative Learning on Foreign Language Anxiety and Intrinsic Motivation of English Major Freshmen in China
Abstract
In China, the English major freshmen can be easily influenced by anxiety, and the major choosing of higher education is made by students, for the learning of English speaking, whether it is stimulated by intrinsic motivation and its effect on learning is worth to explore. In foreign language learning field, the foreign language anxiety (FLA) and intrinsic motivation (IM) are extensively researched, but studies focus on English major students are few, methods to reduce the foreign language anxiety and promote the intrinsic motivation are also limited. Cooperative learning is widely used in foreign language teaching and learning, but few research focus on its influence on the affective factors of learners. As it is proved that the foreign language anxiety have negative influence on English learning and the intrinsic motivation is of positive effects, for Chinese students, the English speaking is the most difficult practical ability for them to learn. Therefore, helping them to reduce the foreign language anxiety and promote the intrinsic motivation is of significance. The current study involved a total of all 100 English major freshmen (from 2 classes, each 50 students) from one public university in China. Using a questionnaire aimed to explore their level of foreign language anxiety and intrinsic motivation and a cooperative learning course construction as research instruments. All students will be asked to do the questionnaire before and after a 10-weeks’ English speaking course, and all the 100 students will be divided into two group---experimental group (Group A) and control group (Group B), with the experimental group using the cooperative learning course construction in the English speaking course and the control group using the traditional teacher-centered teaching method. The main finding of this study is that the cooperative learning method can reduce the foreign language anxiety and promote the intrinsic motivation in the English speaking learning.
References
Alsowat, H. H. (2016). Foreign language anxiety in higher education: A practical framework for reducing FLA. European Scientific Journal, 12(7).
Al-Tamimi, N. O. M., & Attamimi, R. A. (2014). Effectiveness of cooperative learning in enhancing speaking skills and attitudes towards learning English. International Journal of Linguistics, 6(4), 27.
Aydın, S., Harputlu, L., Güzel, S., & Genç, D. (2016). A Turkish version of foreign language anxiety scale: Reliability and validity. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 250-256.
Bećirović, S., Dubravac, V., & Brdarević-Čeljo, A. (2022). Cooperative learning as a pathway to strengthening motivation and improving achievement in an EFL classroom. Sage Open, 12(1), 21582440221078016.
Chen, R. (2021). A review of cooperative learning in EFL Classroom. Asian Pendidikan, 1(1), 1-9.
Chow, B. W. Y., Chiu, H. T., & Wong, S. W. (2018). Anxiety in reading and listening English as a foreign language in Chinese undergraduate students. Language
Teaching Research, 22(6), 719-738.
Chun, D., Kern, R., & Smith, B. (2016). Technology in language use, language teaching, and language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 100(S1), 64-80.
Clement, R., Dornyei, Z., & Noels, K.A. (1994). Motivation, self-confidence, andgroup cohesion in the foreign language. Language Learning,44(3), 417-448.
Cook, V. (2016). Second language learning and language teaching. Routledge.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2013). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer Science & Business Media.
Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2016). 9 Foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety: the right and left feet of the language learner. In Positive psychology in SLA (pp. 215-236). Multilingual Matters.
Ehsan, N., Vida, S., & Mehdi, N. (2019). The impact of cooperative learning on developing speaking ability and motivation toward learning English. Journal of language and education, 5(3 (19)), 83-101.
Fandiño, F. G. E., Muñoz, L. D., & Velandia, A. J. S. (2019).Motivation and Learning English as a foreign language: A qualitative study. Heliyon, 5(9), e02394.
Fatimah, S. (2019). Collaborative Learning Activities through MoE in Engaging EFL Learners and Diminishing Their Speaking Anxiety. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 2(1), 39-49.
Fernandez-Rio, J., Sanz, N., Fernandez-Cando, J., & Santos, L. (2017). Impact of a sustained Cooperative Learning intervention on student motivation. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 22(1), 89-105.
Froiland, J. M., & Worrell, F. C. (2016). Intrinsic motivation, learning goals, engagement, and achievement in a diverse high school. Psychology in the Schools, 53(3), 321-336.
Gillies, R. M., & Ashman, A. F. (2000). The effects of cooperative learning on students with learning difficulties in the lower elementary school. Journal of Special Education, 34(1), 19-27.
Gillies, R. M. (2016). Cooperative learning: Review of research and practice. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 41(3), 39-54.
Guerrero, J. O. R. (2016). Reducing Anxiety and Shyness for Oral Interaction Improvement in a Cooperative Learning Environment. enletawa journal, 9(1).
He, D. (2013). What makes learners anxious while speaking English: A comparative study of the perceptions held by university students and teachers in China. Educational Studies, 39(3), 338-350.
Henter, R. (2014). Affective factors involved in learning a foreign language. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 127, 373-378.
Hertzog, M. A. (2008). Considerations in determining sample size for pilot studies. Research in nursing & health, 31(2), 180-191.
Horwitz, E. K. (1986). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign language anxiety scale. TESOL Quarterly, 20(3),559–562.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2018). Cooperative learning: The foundation for active learning. Active learning—Beyond the future, 59-71.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2014). Cooperative learning: Improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in University Teaching, 25(4), 1-26.
Law, Y. K. (2011). The effects of cooperative learning on enhancing Hong-Kong fifth graders’ achievement goals, autonomous motivation and reading proficiency. Journal of Research in Reading, 34(4), 402-425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1467-9817.2010.01445.
Li, H. (2017). Networking for English Literature Class: Cooperative Learning in Chinese Context. English Language Teaching, 10(12), 219-229.
Liang, X. (2015). A Study on the Application of Cooperative Learning in English Language Teaching. Overseas English, 21, 260-265.
Liao, H. C. (2009). Cooperative learning and EFL education: The past, the present, and the future. Journal of National Taichung University: Humanities & Arts, 23(2), 87-108.
Liu, M. (2018). Understanding Chinese middle school students' anxiety in English speaking class. Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(3), 721.
Liu, M. (2019). Changes in and effects of anxiety on English test performance in Chinese postgraduate EFL classrooms. Education Research International, 2019, 1-11.
Long, M. (2014). Second language acquisition and task-based language teaching. John Wiley & Sons.
Naser Oteir, I., & Nijr Al-Otaibi, A. (2019). Foreign language anxiety: A systematic review. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume, 10.
Namaziandost, E., Neisi, L., Kheryadi, & Nasri, M. (2019). Enhancing oral proficiency through cooperative learning among intermediate EFL learners: English learning motivation in focus. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1683933.
Nejad, S. G., & Keshavarzi, A. (2015). The effect of cooperative learning on reading comprehension and reading anxiety of pre-university students. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 2(8), 169-180.
Pan, C. Y., & Wu, H. Y. (2013). The cooperative learning effects on English reading comprehension and learning motivation of EFL freshmen. English Language Teaching, 6(5), 13-27.
Phuong, Y. H., & Vo, P. Q. (2019). Students’ learning autonomy, involvement and motivation towards their English proficiency. Edulite: Journal of English Education, Literature and Culture, 4(1), 1-12.
Purnama, N. A., Rahayu, N. S., & Yugafiati, R. (2019). Students’ motivation in learning English. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 2(4), 539.
Rahardjo, A., & Pertiwi, S. (2020). Learning motivation and students’ achievement in learning English. JELITA, 1(2), 56-64.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Autonomy and basic psychological needs in human motivation, social development, and wellness. New York: Gilford.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary educational psychology, 61, 101860.
Sabti, A. A., Md Rashid, S., Nimehchisalem, V., & Darmi, R. (2019). The Impact of writing anxiety, writing achievement motivation, and writing self-efficacy on writing performance: A correlational study of Iraqi tertiary EFL Learners. Sage Open, 9(4), 2158244019894289.
Shi-Yong, P., & Ali, M. S. B. S. (2015). Communication apprehension: A comparison between English majors and non-majors in China. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 4(6), 190-195.
Spielberger, C. D. (2019). Anxiety, cognition and affect: A state-trait perspective. Anxiety and the anxiety disorders, 171-182.
Suh, J. S. (2009). Reading concepts in cooperative work by EFL college students. English Teaching, 64(2), 151-171.
Sulisworo, D., & Suryani, F. (2014). The effect of cooperative learning, motivation and information technology literacy to achievement. International Journal of Learning & Development, 4(2), 58-64.
Tran, V. D. (2019). Does Cooperative Learning Increase Students' Motivation in Learning?. International Journal of Higher Education, 8(5), 12-20.
Taylor, G., Jungert, T., Mageau, G. A., Schattke, K., Dedic, H., Rosenfield, S., & Koestner, R. (2014). A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: The unique role of intrinsic motivation. Contemporary educational psychology, 39(4), 342-358.
Thohir, L. (2017). Motivation in a foreign language teaching and learning. Vision: Journal for language and foreign language learning, 6(1), 20-29.Jiang, D. (2016). An Empirical Study on Alleviating Career English Writing Anxiety through Cooperative Learning in a Chinese Polytechnic Institute. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(1), 173-182.
Vermette, P. J. (1998). Making Cooperative Learning Work: Student Teams in K-12 Classrooms. Englewood Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Wang, X., Liu, Y. L., Ying, B., & Lin, J. (2023). The effect of learning adaptability on Chinese middle school students’ English academic engagement: The chain mediating roles of foreign language anxiety and English learning self-efficacy. Current Psychology, 42(8), 6682-669.
Wang, G. (2020). On the Application of Cooperative Learning in College English Teaching. International Education Studies, 13(6), 62-66.
Zhang, Y. (2018). Application of Cooperative Learning Theory in Comprehensive English Course Teaching. Proceedings of 2018 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities (SSAH 2018).
Zhang, X. (2019). Foreign language anxiety and foreign language performance: A meta‐analysis. The modern language journal, 103(4), 763-781.