TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN EFL CLASSES: FIVE SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF CHENA WOREDA IN FOCUS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ and students’ attitude towards cooperative learning at five secondary schools of Chena woreda. In the woreda, there are seven secondary schools. The researcher selected the sample schools through simple random sampling technique. In order to collect data, questionnaire and focus group discussions were used. Besides, EFL teachers and students were participants of the study. Regarding selection of the sample, purposive sampling was used to determine participant teachers. Meanwhile, systematic sampling was used to select the student s. Accordingly, 21 teachers and 174 students were included as respondents of the study. With regard to research design, the researcher used descriptive survey. This method was preferably used to collect information from various participants. Moreover, to analyze data, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. The study showed that both teachers and students had positive attitude towards cooperative learning. It was also found that there was an attitudinal link between teachers and students. Issues that were identified as hurdles to implement cooperative learning were commonly shared by both teachers and students. Based on the above findings, there were some recommendations forwarded. These were: there were some teachers who were not motivated to teach through cooperative learning. Therefore, concerned bodies like woreda education office along with supervisors should prepare trainings to provide these teachers with potential benefits of CL.