WORKING ON CL IN COLOMBIA. Some challenges and how to overcome them

In my previous posts, I have praised the multiple benefits of working on Cooperative Learning in EFL teaching/learning. The advantages of this strategy are undeniable, but what about our context? Is there any disadvantage of working on Cooperative Learning in Colombian Classrooms? The answer is pretty clear. Indeed, I have found myself struggling...

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COOPERATIVE LEARNING VS COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

We have widely discussed the concept of Cooperative Learning, its characteristics, and benefits in the EFL learning and teaching. However, when it comes to working together, concepts as Cooperative Learning and Collaborative Learning are mostly used interchangeably. Hence, it is essential to differentiate these terms and know the significance...

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Cooperative Learning and the use of technology

Nowadays, technology in the English classroom is becoming more predominant. Educators have recognized the immediate power of technological tools and are implementing them more often in different subjects. It is clear that using computers, tablets, and smartphones has multiple benefits when learning and teaching a foreign language. However,...

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Cooperative Learning Activities

How can we as teachers adapt our activities to make them cooperative? The answer is pretty simple when you already know the principles of cooperative learning. Today, I decided to bring you 2 easy activities you can use with your students in order to foster cooperation, interaction, and learning. Remember that you only have to consider...

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Classroom community and cooperative learning

We have been discussing the principles of Cooperative Learning, its characteristics and relations to Oral Skills. In addition to that, today I want to relate this approach to one of my main goals at teaching: the creation of classroom community. After some reading, I have discovered that these two concepts are closely related and...

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Cooperative Learning and Speaking Skills

It is well known that CL is a valuable approach to enhance your students’ Speaking skills. For this reason, I would like to share with you some of the advantages of using Cooperative groups to foster students’ interaction and develop oral skills in the foreign language. Students usually express that speaking is one of the most challenging...

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Elements of Cooperative Learning and some strategies to work on them.

If you read my last entry, you probably asked yourself what makes Cooperative groups different from other learning groups. Here you have the answer:  Cooperative groups are different because of the integration of the five elements involved in Cooperative Learning.  It is relevant to clarify that these aspects should be seen...

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Why Cooperative Learning?

As a first step to introduce you to this blog, I will briefly describe the most relevant aspects of Cooperative Learning. As you should know, this approach has been widely explored in order to redirect teaching practices based on individualistic learning, in which educators’ role was the center of the learning process. By implementing...

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