English Language Learners’ Attitudes Towards Group Work: The Case Of High And Low Achievers In Goba Secondary School.

Abstract

The central intention of this research was to investigate English language learners’ attitudes towards group work by taking high and low achiever students from Goba Secondary School found in Bale-Goba Town, Bale Zone, Oromia Region. The research questions asked were aimed at reviewing the extents of the influences of EFL students attitudes on the use of group work, assessing the relationship between students’ attitudes towards group work and their success in the language and analyzing what significant differences existed between the attitudes of high and low achieving students towards the use of group work. Participants of the study were 96 sampled students of which 48 each were high and low achievers respectively. The samples were drawn from 780 Grade 10 students of the school. To select samples, purposive sampling from the non probability sampling category was used. A descriptive survey research design having mixed method research was employed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data. That is, to collect quantitative data, a structured questionnaire having thirty seven items of Likert Scale was administered to all 96 sampled students. Furthermore, classroom observation with the help of checklist was carried out into four EFL lessons. However, to collect qualitative data, semistructured interview was used on a face-to-face basis with 8 students (4 high and 4 low achievers). The data obtained was analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics, such as, frequency, percent, mean value and standard deviation. The results of the study indicated that both high achiever and low achiever students had positive attitude towards group work and no significant difference was found in their attitudes. In addition, the academic achievement level of students had not played any significant role in differentiating learners’ attitude towards group work. At the end, it was recommended that group work should be used to motivate and encourage students. Moreover, group work should be integrated with other teaching activity or strategy.