Testing the effectiveness of group tasks in promoting English learning motivation and English reading proficiency : a comparative study /

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Student Projects

2016

Siu, Ka Ka

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For English language teachers, learner diversity, learners' motivation and academic performance are important aspects to consider when designing teaching strategies. In this study, it is found that the strategy of using group tasks could help students at different English reading proficiency levels to develop more motivation of learning English and cater for students at low English reading proficiency level especially to achieve better academic performance in English reading. Based on a self-developed intervention of English reading lessons, the study addressed two main objectives: motivation and academic performance. The first objective of the study focused on exploring the influence of the use of group task on students' motivation. 12 primary two students' motivation of learning English were examined by questionnaires. To investigate deeper into the impact of group tasks on students at low English reading proficiency level, observation of 4 students were carried out to assess their change of motivation of learning English over a period of group learning practice. Regarding the second objective of the study, comparison of worksheet scores and observation were adopted to test the 4 low English reading proficiency students' change of English reading proficiency over a period of group learning practice. Despite some limitations of the study, e.g. small sample size and lack of control group, the study's findings indicate the effectiveness of using group task to motivate students' learning and enhancing low achievers' academic performance. Through comparing the low English reading proficiency group (Group 1) and the average and high English reading proficiency group (Group 2), it is found that the use of group task is more effective for low achievers' learning, in terms of their learning motivation. The study's results can promote further study on the effectiveness of using group tasks to motivate different ability students' English learning and enhance their English proficiency by providing useful information on examining the relationship between collaborative group learning, students' motivation and academic performance

LG51.H43 hp BEd(EL) 2016eb Siukk

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/qoSpAFKn