THE INFLUENCE OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN THE ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION OF 10TH GRADER STUDENTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) IN ENGLISH CLASSES
Influencia de actividades de
aprendizaje cooperativo en el compromiso y participación de los estudiantes de
decimo grado con déficit de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH) en las clases de
inglés.
Qualitative study by
DIANA MIREYA
FERNANDEZ SALAZAR
JOHANA ROJAS
SARMIENTO
Universidad
Pontificia Bolivariana, Postgraduate Specialization in Teaching English as a
Foreign Language
ABSTRACT
This study is aimed
at the implementation of some cooperative learning activities to analyze the
engagement and participation that ADHD students can have in English classes.
The research is a qualitative descriptive study, which presents observations,
and includes open and closed questionnaires given to the ADHD learners in order
to find out their opinions about cooperative activities in the English class.
The sample was taken from five tenth grade students (15-17 years old) from a
coed public high school in Envigado, Colombia. The information provided by the
students was analyzed using the five stages of data analysis given by Miles
& Huberman (1994,) then interpreted and categorized. ADHD students remarked
on the importance of working in groups and how this methodology enables them to
increase their participation and engagement in the English class. One of the
most remarkable troubles ADHD face everyday is that most of the teachers tend
to stereotype them as mischievous and distracted children and teachers do not
look for new strategies and methodologies for class that allow them to be
engaged in the activities. One possible option is to give teachers effective
training about how to work with ADHD students.
RESUMEN
Este estudio tiene
como objetivo la puesta en práctica de algunas actividades de aprendizaje
cooperativo como una manera de ver el compromiso y la participación que
los estudiantes con trastorno por déficit
de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH) tienen en sus clases de inglés. La
investigación fue un estudio descriptivo cualitativo que presentó
observaciones, y dos cuestionarios de preguntas abiertas y cerradas dadas a los estudiantes con TDAH con el fin
de conocer sus opiniones sobre las actividades de cooperación dentro de las
clases de inglés. La muestra fue tomada de cinco estudiantes de décimo grado
(15-17 años) de un colegio público mixto. Este colegio se encuentra situado en
Envigado- Colombia. La información proporcionada por los estudiantes se analizó
utilizando las cinco etapas del análisis de los datos dados por Miles y
Huberman (1994), luego, interpretada y categorizada. Los estudiantes con TDAH
destacaron la importancia de trabajar en grupos y cómo esta metodología les permite
aumentar de alguna manera su participación y compromiso en las clases de
inglés. Uno de los problemas más notables que los TDAH enfrentan cada día
es que la mayoría de los
profesores tienden a estereotiparlos
como los niños traviesos y
distraídos y los profesores no buscan
nuevas estrategias y metodologías dentro de las clases que les permitan estar
comprometidos en las actividades. Una posible opción puede ser que los profesores reciban una formación eficaz para trabajar con alumnos TDAH.
Key words: engagement, participation, ADHD students,
cooperative activities.
1.0.
INTRODUCTION
In Colombian
schools the number of students with special needs such as hyperactivity or
attention disorder is increasing in the classroom and this population is one of
the challenges for teachers. Some institutions do not provide the necessary
attention to ADHD learners require. Teachers have not received any training for
teaching apprentices with special needs, and that is why, they do not know the
most appropriate methodology for helping those students overcome the
difficulties they have in the classroom.
To perform this
study the researcher applied some data collection methods, three cooperative
activities, two questionnaires and a literature review. Previous studies have shown
ADHD students can surmount their lack of attention and interest, controlling
their hyperactivity through cooperative activities, fostering engagement and
participation in English classes at the same time.
This research
helps teachers to reflect on the importance of creating a suitable learning
environment, considering students learning styles and needs, which can trigger
them to look for new strategies and methodologies that fulfill the requirement
when teaching ADHD apprentices.
1.1. Justification
The number of
students with ADHD is growing in our classrooms, since it is a right for
everyone, including students with special needs in Colombia. ADHD students are those
who have difficulties staying focused and paying attention in class, having a
need to move around the classroom (Brown, 2000).
Most of these pupils show lack of interest and motivation
in English class, which has generated their low academic performance, according
to educators and administrator´s comments. In some public institutions in
Envigado, Antioquia working with ADHD students is a challenge, since some teachers
tend to forget every child learns in a different way, and they just focus their
attention on carrying out the syllabus, not using varied teaching strategies to
overcome students’ difficulties.
It is the school which must guarantee an equal
education for all the students; teachers should implement diverse strategies
for ensuring the success of ADHD students in the English class.
The possibility of helping ADHD students emerges through
the implementation of some cooperative activities as an instructional strategy
to enhance engagement and participation in English class, as well as, strengthen
social relationships.
By means of this study, it is expected ADHD students to
accomplish specific tasks, working with their peers. It is the teachers’ responsibility
to look for an appropriate environment for the learners, where they can enrich
their English learning process and at the same time they provide and receive
help from their classmates. Furthermore, involving them in appealing group activities
that get their attention, considering their learning styles personal interests
and needs.
1.2. Statement of the problem
English teachers have to face many difficult
situations inside a classroom especially when they have students with ADHD in
their classes, according to learners and co-workers spontaneous
remarks, observations, teacher´s experience, and
student´s low academic results in both tests and term scores. In teachers’
class where ADHD learners have shown a lack of interest, a lack of motivation,
and most of them do not fulfill tasks or activities entirely. This occurs
because they are not engaged, show apathy, a lack of attention and misbehavior,
their sense of commitment is poor in their classes and the participation is not
active.
To describe this issue, it is important
to remark on the curriculum and syllabus in Colombian schools which are not
adapted to teach and to assess abilities and disabilities of ADHD students in
an English class. Most of the time, teachers do not
know what kind of strategies they can implement for teaching, engaging and
increasing children´s participation, since some of them might work for one student
and for another one not .Educators can provide or propose oral, visual,
tactile, and kinesthetic or group work activities to all students with learning
disabilities, for that reason, they, sometimes, need to know the
particular cases of their learners, which require special
attention. The support these ADHD students receive is not
easy at school. Some institutions do not have the specialized people who can
diagnose students, and provide suitable treatment for them, which help them to
continue with psychological support to improve their engagement and
participation in the English class through the whole academic year.
Engagement and participation of ADHD students
in English are very important, but do not receive the
appropriate methodologies and attention in the classroom to overcome their
academic needs. Strategies and approaches should be part of the school
syllabus, and, teachers can start implementing new techniques like cooperative
learning activities, which foster participation and interest to improve
their own learning.
There is a long
history of research on cooperative learning that indicates how teamwork in the
classroom produces higher achievement and greater productivity, more caring,
supportive, and committed relationships, and greater psychological health,
social competence, and self-esteem (Johnson & Johnson, 1991).Cooperation
among students who celebrate each other’s successes, encourage each other to do
homework, and learn to work together, regardless of ethnic backgrounds or gender,
their capacities or disabilities, promoting and appropriate atmosphere for ADHD
students in an English class.
Based on the issues mention above and the possibility
of use cooperative learning to improve AHDH learners’
engagement and participation in the English class, the following research
question emerges.
1.3.
Research question
·
How do cooperative activities foster 10thADHD
students’ engagement and participation in an English class?
1.4.
Main objective
·
To determine the impact of implementing cooperative
activities in 10thADHD students to engage their participation in an
English class.
1.4.1.
Specific Objectives
·
To describe how cooperative learning activities foster
10thADHD students engagement and participation in an English class.
·
To create some cooperative learning activities, taking
into account 10thADHD students´ needs.
2.0. METHODOLOGY
2.1. Conceptual Framework
2.1.1. Inclusion
In Colombia, article 5 in the 1991 Constitution recognizes people with
special needs are entitled to have access to a quality education promoting
their integral development, independence, and equal participation in the public
and private spheres.
According to Law 115 of 1994, General Law of Education, in Chapter 1,
title III, articles 46 through 49 states “education” for people with
limitations or exceptional capabilities
is an integral part of the public education service (art. 46), and that “... the State supports
institutions and promotes programs and experiences in adequate schooling (art.
47).
The educational system fosters children with disabilities to acquire
important skills, knowledge, and behaviors that will facilitate high school and
labor accomplishments. Such achievement depends on a continuum of special
education placements, which includes the regular classroom according to the law
1346, 2009.
When schools supply the diverse students’ needs, teachers´ roles change
and the circumstances for a personnel education takes on substantial significance.
By placing pupils with exceptional capacities or disabilities into regular
classes, where untrained educators are expected to replicate the process of
special education and the treatments associated with them, the focus cannot be
only placed on learners but, it must be on teachers curricular reforms, support
personnel, policies, strategies for assessment, and so on (Ferguson, 1998).
Inclusion is an important fact in daily life and it is worthy starting
to pay close attention to those students who have special needs in classes.
2.1.2.
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
The main focus for
this study is students with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD). According to Rief, 2005, ADHD students represent a group of children
often described by teachers and parents as over energetic and overactive.
According to
Serfontein (1999,) children with ADHD present the following characteristics: Impulsiveness as one remarkable symptom.
It is vital to teach the child how to perform an activity and behave properly.
A teenager with attention disorder
has problems focusing on one activity for a long time. Serfontein also suggests
ADHD students should be placed as close to the teacher as possible, and there
should not be any other distractions. Another characteristic of this population
is Hyperactivity; they are constantly active and
distracted. This disorder appears when pupils disturb others, when their
physical activity is higher than others. Lower social competence is one common
trait in male population; they act as the class clown to call the attention of
people who are around them, and their social behavior is very infantile at
school and at home. The last characteristic of these learners is low
self-esteem; they often feel badly about themselves. They think they are
stupid, naughty, bad or a failure. Their confidence lowers with each negative experience,
they go on like this through these years of school.
According
to Chronis and Brown (2006) ADHD teenagers do not only have difficulties with
the attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, but also they present academic
underachievement, aggression, and disturbances in peer relationships. These
pupils have their greatest difficulties with persistence of effort or
sustaining attention to tasks (DuPaul &Stoner, 2003). These behaviors do
not allow them to succeed academically compared with their classmates.
As a result of
the aspects mentioned previously, it is necessary to understand the
characteristics of children diagnosed with ADHD to comprehend the disorder
itself. It is the school's obligation to ensure appropriate education, to know,
and fulfill helping special needs children to have equal opportunities for
success at school.
2.1.3. Engagement
For the purpose of this study, engagement has been
used to depict student’s willingness to participate in routine school
activities, such as: attending classes, submitting required work, and following
teachers´ directions in class. This includes participating in the activities
offered as a part of the program, and making learners participate in school
reformed activities (Fletcher, 2005).
This is critical to educational success; to enhance
achievement, one must first learn how to engage children (Newmann, 1992).
Teachers focus particularly on the phenomenological
aspect of high involvement in classrooms, which includes concentrated
attention, interest, and enjoyment, as opposed to apathy and lack of interest
with instruction (Newmann, Wehlage, and Lamborn, 1992). High engagement during
tasks in high school classrooms has been a significant predictor of continuing
motivation and commitment in order to achieve the class room goals.
The very act of being engaged also adds to the
foundation of skills and dispositions that are essential to live a productive
and satisfying life after school. That is, students who are involved in
educationally productive activities, in school, are developing habits of the
mind and heart that enlarge their capacity for continuous learning and personal
development (Shulman, 2002).
For that reason, engagement might be one of the most
suitable strategies to enhance learning in ADHD adolescents in an English
class.
2.1.4. Participation
Black (1995)
who defines participation as “ The student being engaged in a meaningful way
with the subject matter, in order to gain a better understanding of it.
Participation also requires the student to be present physically and mentally
in the learning situations.” Needless to say, this might include body posture,
movement, drawing, and even silence.
Hollander
(2002) discusses the need to present participation as a collective
responsibility of the class rather than just an individual responsibility. In
order to facilitate a conversation where connections are made, students need to
view their participation as a contribution to a shared experience. Asking
pupils to respond to a peer’s response helps to facilitate a conversation. As
well, positively reinforcing such contributions builds this sense of
collectivism.
2.1.5. Cooperative learning
This occurs when
students are actively engaged in the learning process and working in collaboration
with other partner to accomplish a shared goal. Cooperative Learning utilizes not
only the learner’s own experience to solidify knowledge, but also the
experiences of others (Richard and Rodgers, 2001).
This method requires pupils to work together in small
groups to support each other and improve their own learning, this is a
successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of
different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve
their understanding of a subject (Jolliffe, 2007). Each member of a team is
responsible, not only for learning what is taught, but also for helping
teammates learn, thus, creating an atmosphere of achievement. Teenagers work
through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and
complete it (King (1993).
During the past decade, cooperative learning has
emerged as the leading new approach to classroom instruction. Students
completing cooperative learning group tasks tend to have higher academic test
scores, higher self-esteem, and greater numbers of positive social skills,
fewer stereotypes of individuals of other races or ethnic groups, and greater
relationship among partners according to Stahl (1994).
In order to foster learning in a foreign language, it
is necessary to promote interaction and communication; this method is an
appropriate methodology to work with ADHD pupil. Moreover, cooperative learning
makes reference to inclusion because through group work students enrollment is
promoted as a central part of class activities.
2.2. Research design
This research
was carried out using a qualitative and descriptive study which was conducted
to determine the impact of some cooperative activities developed by ADHD
students in an English class in Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia. This study is
based on real student’s behavior and opinions. The researcher analyzed
information provided by students’ questionnaires and the teacher’s journal. The
data collected was interpreted with the aim of generated ADHD participants´
engagement and participation through the implementation of some cooperative
activities in English classes.
2.3. Participants and settings
The
participants of the present study are from a co-ed public high school in
Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia. The institution has a population of 2,000 students,
600 in elementary school and 1,400 in high school. The student population is
heterogeneous and they belong to social strata 1, 2, 3 and 4. In particular, this group presents some specific
characteristics due to their social conditions which have a high level of
economic problems, drug consumption, domestic violence and abandonment.
The populations
of this research are five 10 th grade students diagnosed with ADHD. They
present low academic achievements as a result of their lack of attention, they have
problems focusing on one activity for a long time, and these teenagers also
present impulsivity that interferes with their classroom by disturbing others.
Most of the
time a regular teacher has not training in dealing students with special needs.
In some cases they have the psychologist diagnostic, but the teachers do not
receive a pedagogical support on how to treat and how to teach those students
inside a classroom.
2.4. Data collection
instrument
The data gathering techniques included in this
research were three: two students´ questionnaires, one applied before
implementing the cooperative learning activities and another one at the end of
the process. Also, a teachers’ journal, which collected the observations of the
cooperative activities.
In the first questionnaire, there were 5 diagnosed
ADHD learners from 10thgrade. This questionnaire asked the students´
ideas about cooperative activities and how their participation is in their
English learning process.
Class observations, registered in the teacher’s
journal, allowed the teacher to have an idea of what attitudes, behaviors and
participation, ADHD adolescent presented while they were working in cooperative
activities.
The last questionnaire had different kinds of
questions, which helped students to express their ideas, both questionnaires
were in Spanish in order to avoid learners’ misunderstandings.
There were three cooperative activities implemented in
this study. Their purpose was to see how engagement and participation can be
encouraged in ADHD students in regular classes.
To create the team groups to work with ADHD pupils.
The researcher took into account the numbers of students (four,) where there
was one student with a high English level, two average partners and one diagnosed
with ADHD, looking for homogeneity in each team.
In the first activity, the students had to create a
magazine based on these topics: music, sports, health and fashion. Every member
of the group presented and shared their ideas to make decisions such as: name,
design, the cover, and the sections they want to write about. Finally they had
to present it to the whole class.
For the second activity, students worked on a song
called “Fireworks” by Katty Perry. They saw the video without listening to the
song, and then in groups, they had to discuss about the topic of the song, the
situations presented. Later, each member of the group had to perform a specific
task, being responsible for it. They listened and organized the song. To finish
the class, they wrote the message and created a poster where they had the
opportunity to interact with their team mates.
In the third activity, students read a fable and they
had to answer questions related to the reading. Students listened and analyzed
how each one of them had faced situations, where team work was needed. Then,
they wrote a personal experience in which they needed to work with classmates,
friends or strangers in order to complete successfully a task as a group.
Afterwards, students wrote the moral: "United we stand, divided we
fall" and illustrated its meaning.
2.5. Data
analysis and reduction
Based on the data collected, the applications of the
two questionnaires and observations from the teacher´s journal; the study had a
lot of information, and it was necessary to reduced it in order to use the most
relevant data.
The data was reduced by a relational comparison. To
analyze it, we used different stages such as: categorization, interpretation
and inference, in order to find out the relationships that emerged from it,
allowing the researcher to have a reasonable interpretation from the questions
/answers and observations, which allowed us find important patterns. At that
level, the study was able to draw conclusions about the impact of cooperative
activities in the engagement and participation of ADHD students, and what
positive and negatives outcomes were.
The data analysis follows various steps as claimed by
Miles & Huberman (1994.) First, this study implemented the hierarchy of the
information to describe data and seek relationships among it. Second, the
information was entered in a system of superordinate and subordinate concepts that
helped us to understand the aspects studied, as the authors previously quoted,
suggested. Third, categories were coded and classified, revealing some emerging
patterns. Fourth, it was necessary to create a chart with the information
gathered, showing connections between elements and variables. Fifth, examining
their connections, which facilitated the visualization of an exploratory
portray of the study between relationships. Finally, there was a report of the
outcomes and conclusions.
2.6. Categories
After triangulating the data gathered from the
different instruments and having found some patterns: the following categories
emerged.
|
Categories
|
Sub- Categories
|
|
Engagement
|
Start the activity
Keep on the activity
Finish the activity
|
|
Classroom Participation
|
Assigned: participation promoted by the teacher
Voluntary: students´ spontaneous participation
|
|
Cooperation
|
Sharing of ideas: expressing opinions
Helping and asking for help:
supporting and requesting assistance.
|
2.7. Trustworthiness
The information gathered in this study was collected through two
questionnaires given to the students, and class observations. At the beginning
of the study, one questionnaire was carried out and at the end another. Their
aim was to contrast the data, and at the same time, it helped to analyze the
similarities or differences found in the answers. The questions were clear in
order to avoid misunderstandings, allowing students to answer in a reliable and
honest way. The information obtained in the class observations allowed the
researcher to perceive students’ real attitudes and behaviors through the
development of the three cooperative activities. The observations were
conducted in some classes, where students worked in groups using cooperative
activities; the researcher observed the impact on learners’ engagement and participation,
when they did the exercises. Hence, giving this study more credibility and
reliability, in order to triangulate the data, the researcher used three
sources: two questionnaires and the teacher’s journal.
2.8. Ethics
The participants’ authorization was important, making
use of ethical practice to develop this study. Besides, it was relevant to
mention the advantages of this research for the school community, family, and,
the most important part, the ADHD students. The school principal, coordinators
and parents signed informed consent letters about the steps to follow, the
activities involved and the students’ role. To keep participants´ privacy safe,
personal information and the name of the school are not mentioned to avoid
legal disputes with the school or parents.
2.0.
FINDINGS
The following section reveals the interpretations and results obtained
from the data collection, the study took into account, students’ attitudes during
the development of the cooperative activities and the results obtained in the gathering
of information as well as the impact of these activities in the engagement of
the ADHD students in English class.
3.1. Engagement
The engagement at the beginning of the activities was
shown because some of the students were willing to interact and work with their
classmates. Engagement allowed them to keep on. ADHD students´ felt motivated
to learn English when the activities proposed to them vary, taking into account
their learning styles such as games, songs, dialogues and handicrafts. One
example of this situation was reported in the first questionnaire, when
teenagers mentioned, they want to learn English but they recognized speaking,
pronunciation, grammar and writing as the most difficult aspects for them.
Also, some of these learners proposed English classes would be more
interesting, if the teachers developed more ludic activities (first
questionnaire). During the development of the task, the engagement decreased
with activities related to grammar and writing. For example, in the teacher´s
journal (page 1,) it was reported, students tend to have a lot of difficulties
working in syntactic and written tasks. They stated these activities are not
appealing, showing apathy, lack of attention and misbehavior as it is expressed
in the first questionnaire. However, when they had to deal with other kind of
works (magazine for instance,) everyone started and accomplished the task, even
if some of them presented some difficulties in writing. There is evidence of
this in the final questionnaire, when one student said: “I learned more when I
contributed with my ideas to the group, if I do not take active part in the
activity; I feel that I do not learn anything”.
When the students
saw a silent video, they were not interested to see it and one of them
mentioned “Teacher, to see a video without music is boring, I prefer chatting”
(Teacher´s journal) but once they listened to the song, and worked
cooperatively, they were motivated and interested to perform the exercise
completely. They decided to participate and persist, with the help of their
peers, in the activity, keeping and finishing it properly, in despite of some
challenges and obstacles the activity demanded. Later, they discussed the
topics presented freely interacting with their peers and the teacher without
inhibitions, in order to submit the required work. This aspect is evidenced in
the teacher´s journal (page 3) where one pupil said “Listening to music is one
of my hobbies because I feel relaxed.”
During
teacher´s explanation the interest was not enough; the ADHD students were not
pleased with the task. However, they realized with the assistance of their
classmates, they had many ideas to share and that helped them to work in groups.
Also, they started to express themselves about the positive or negative
opinions they had and, they caught classmates’ attention and reduced their
anxiety level, as it is shown in the second questionnaire, where 80% of learners
mentioned learning to work together is a way to support their teammates to keep
and accomplish the activities, because when somebody had a doubt or needed some
aid, their group solved the difficulty and supported them until the end of the
process.
Furthermore,
when ADHD students had the possibility of sharing life aspects that are common
for them, the level of engagement was increased, this information was taken
from the second questionnaire, where 80% of learners said, they liked the
activities proposed because these activities allowed them to interact with
their classmates, share ideas, support each other and make agreements inside
the group. Also, they liked when they had a role inside the activities that
made them feel important and appreciated; they manifested positive emotions,
enthusiasm, curiosity and interest to fulfill the tasks. In this activity,
students listened and talked about their personal experiences, they told how
they felt when they had the opportunity of being united as a group to achieve a
common goal. Later, they draw a message related to the quote given to them,
being involved during this exercise, as it is written in the teachers’ journal,
and “The motivation was good and many of them did their best to create original
posters” (page 5). There was also an improvement of apprentices’ engagement and
fulfillment of the goals, after implementing cooperative activities as Newmann, Wehlage, and Lamborn (1992) stated: “High engagement during
tasks in high school classrooms has been a significant predictor of continuing
motivation and commitment in order to achieve the class goals.”
3.2. Classroom
participation
In the
development of the activities, some learners were not comfortable working with
students who were not so close to them. As it is evidenced in the second
questionnaire, when one student said: “I do not like to work with somebody who
is not my friend”. For that reason, the teacher was the one who had to promote
the participation in the different activities by calling some students to give
their ideas (assigned participation).
In the classes,
some of the students were excited about participating; they performed the
activities with more independence and autonomy, using creativity because they
gained a little confidence working with their peers in the different
activities. Students affirmed: “Most of the time we work in class by ourselves,
but it was a good opportunity to change our minds and learn how to work in a
different way” teacher journal (page 2). It was found, learners are not
confident in random groups, for that reason, it is necessary to foster assigned
participation, because it is the teacher who is responsible to increase
student’s participation, but when they feel comfortable and self -reliant, carrying
out cooperative activities, their participation tends to be voluntary according
to the second questionnaire.
Likewise, the
participation of some ADHD students improved due to their interest to ask for
information and to help team members when it was needed. For instance, in the
second activity, ADHD learners felt more secure when their classmates assisted
them to solve their doubts, before speaking in front of the whole class. Some
of them got involved by being more interactive, freely, with classmates and the
teacher, expressing without embarrassment and responding to comments, as it was
answered in the second questionnaire, and in this questionnaire, where 20% of
the students evidenced a voluntary participation during the activities due to
the topic that got their attention. Most of them liked music and they knew a little
bit about their teammates, which facilitated their interaction and voluntary
participation. Another example of their involvement in the classes was when
they, based on the video about the song, raised their hands and expressed their
ideas, being self-reliant and eager to share with classmates their knowledge
and likes about music. The second
questionnaire evidenced learners were aware about group work: “learning to work
together is a way to help their teammates because when somebody had a doubt or
needed some help, their group solved the question and supported them.”
Furthermore, in
one of the activities, the students’ participation was assigned and voluntary.
As it is mentioned in the teacher´s journal, the teacher promoted the
participation of some them when she asked questions about the reading, the
assigned students were nervous but they answered them properly. Some others
felt comfortable and sure, since they knew what they wanted to say, and they
could express their ideas easily (second questionnaire) .Learners´ knowledge
and interests in the topic were factors that encouraged voluntary participation
in the class.
ADHD students
in the cooperative activities also improved their participation, when they
worked in groups (round table,) not in lockstep form since classroom
arrangement facilitated the visualization of each student and also it helped to
promote their interaction. This aspect plays an important role in students’
participation as it is quoted by Black (1995) “Participation also requires the
student to be present physically and mentally in the learning situation’.
Needless to say, this might include body posture, movement, drawing, and even
silence.”
The
participation was shown and requested by students in two ways: assigned and
voluntary, since some learners believe it is good when the teacher is the one
who chooses who has to speak, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate,
and some others said “It is better when we are determined to take part and
interact inside the group without any kind or pressure.” (Teacher´s journal,
page 6). The participation is fostered when the subjects are captivated and
activities are varied for them as one student also stated in the first
questionnaire “I would like more ludic activities which help me to learn and
take risk without paying attention to my mistakes.” Classroom participation
played an important role in the learning process. Creating interesting activities
and developing a class through joyful learning task triggers students’
participation.
3.3. Cooperative
activities
Before the
implementation of the activities, ADHD students did not have a clear idea about
the definition of the concept of cooperative activities, for that reason they
were not able to answer if these activities facilitated their participation in
English classes or not. Students answered in the first questionnaire “It is a
group work” and others answered “I do not have any idea about it.”
Through cooperative
activities, ADHD students had the opportunity to share their ideas, opinions
and likes about different subjects. After group discussions, they had to make
agreements as a group, as it was answered in the second questionnaire by one student
who stated: “Through cooperative activities, we share knowledge and make
agreements inside the group.” Cooperative activities promoted a sense of belonging
which allowed learners with special needs to change the negative image they had
in the classroom, such as lazy, mischievous and distracted children. The
teacher reported some other educators commented about the image of them, which
was always negative, labeling them as the bad pupil (page 2). Teaching students
with ADHD requires understanding, they have a brief period of attention, taking
into account what it is stated by Serfontein (1999,) “Lower social competence is one common trait in male population; they act
as the class clown to get the attention of people who are around them, and their
social behavior is very infantile at school and at home.” They often feel bad
about themselves and their self-esteem is low. The role of the
instructors should be to allow them have leeway and freedom to express and
share their points of view, enabling them to be valued and making them an
important part inside the group, which facilitates the interaction with their
classmates.
In
one activity, students wiggled, got up and moved around their group in order to
interact and to socialize with their peers and with their teacher. As it was reported
on the teacher´s journal educators need to understand each person learns
differently and they should be versatile in adapting classroom activities, such
as: allowing pupils to move or to stand, while they are performing a certain
task (page 2). These adaptations in the classes are ways that lead learners to
focus on the schoolwork. When an instructor realizes each of his learners have
different learning styles, teachers develop their class according to those
characteristics, helping ADHD apprentices to have an appropriate learning
environment. They also need to value students´ strengths for building on the
positive of what they have to offer to the group. Each member
of a team is responsible, not only for learning what is taught, but also for
assisting their classmates, thus, creating an atmosphere of achievement.
Apprentices work through the assignment until all group members successfully
understand and complete it (King (1993). For that reason, during the
activities, students worked according to their abilities, the one who was good
for designing, drawing, narrating and writing was in charge of that aspect
during the activities, while the other ones worked depending on their strengths
until the work was accomplished.
However, the
second questionnaire reported a low interaction, in some occasions, due to
students’ lack of knowledge of their classmates and peers. ADHD learners did
not ask their classmates for help because they felt afraid of making mistakes
and some others thought the real problem was the exposure to classmates’
comments or critiques. It is relevant learners feel confident when they have to
participate, and if a teacher does not provide an appropriate environment, they
will be reluctant to express themselves, as Madrid (1993,) affirmed: “ESL
students in class are reluctant to share their ideas and opinions in large and
small group settings. It seems critical to create a climate of trust that
encourages children to participate and take risks in a non- threatening
environment.”
On the one hand,
some of the cooperative activities facilitated students´ interaction, as it was
evidenced in the second questionnaire: “I felt satisfied with the activity
because there was companionship when I organized the song and I asked for help
when I did not know the meaning of a word. Working with music is an interesting
activity for me. I shared my ideas about the video and I discussed the message
of the song for creating a poster.” Cooperative activities enhanced
participation in a positive way, as it is mentioned by Hollander (2002) “In order to facilitate a conversation where
connections are made, students need to view their participation as a
contribution to a shared experience. Asking students to respond to a peer’s
response helps to facilitate a conversation. As well, positively reinforcing
such contributions builds this sense of collectivism.”
Furthermore,
ADHD students had more commitment in the class, they reduced their anxiety
level, and they got involved easily, while performing cooperative activities,
as it is stated by Shulman (2002,) who affirmed “Students who
are involved in educationally productive activities in school are developing
habits of the mind and heart that enlarge their capacity for continuous learning
and personal development.” This cooperation did not only give
the child the chance to get more information about a topic, but also verified
the parts they did not understand, when the teacher explained in a traditional
form, as it is evidenced in the second questionnaire, where they were excited
to work, to participate and finish the activity as a group.
The teacher
reported in the journal, the students showed interest to work in cooperative
activities, they realized that this methodology helped them to be engaged in a
class, to focus their attention in an interactive way, having better discipline
and not disturbing the class (page 6). In the development of the task the
learners were eager to help each other and they saw in their classmates the
advantage of learning more about them, at the same time, they increased their
linguistic knowledge. The social relationships, the cooperation, the support
and the union among all the members of the group were strengths evidenced in
the implementation of the three cooperative activities, these aspects are shown
in the second questionnaire when some students affirmed “I learned things that
I do not know, I learned how to get along with my classmates”, and some others
said “we discuss, join together and make an agreement.”
4.0. CONCLUSIONS
The cooperative activities
allowed ADHD students to be concentrated on their tasks for longer time than
before, they were interested and enjoyed the group work, students learned to
work together and played an important role inside the groups increasing their
self-confidence and self-esteem.
Teachers need
to identify students’ characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, their likes,
interests and desires inside the classroom, because this information helps them
to modify and adapt their classes according to the needs they have. Cooperative
activities foster ADHD students’ participation in a committed form, since they
tend to express their ideas without paying too much attention to their mistakes
but to the meaning when they participate.
Proper training
for teachers in cooperative learning methodology provides them with elements that help ADHD
students to get involved in English classes, creating a suitable environment
that fosters their participation in both, a nominated and a voluntary way.
The
implementation of the cooperative activities stimulates ADHD engagement and
participation when they are created according to the students’ needs and likes.
These kinds of activities help teachers to control ADHD students’ behavior, at
the same time it fosters students’ interaction and individual accountability.
When
implementing these activities, one of the teachers concerns should be to
enhance ADHD students’ role in the classes through nominated participation,
making them aware of their abilities, as well as realizing their contributions,
ideas and opinions are meaningful and valuable in the English class.
5.0. IMPLICATIONS
During
cooperative activities, small groups of students work together to accomplish
individual and common goals; this is recommended to increase the amount of
cooperative activities implemented, and for a longer time. Some ADHD Students
were not able to master some of those strategies because of the length of time.
It would be better to use more cooperative exercises and provide them with more
time to learn, showing how to do it. The results were limited because of the small
sample of students used. It would strengthen the results to use a larger group
or some different groups with similar characteristics. After conducting this
study, three weeks is a short period to teach and implement cooperative
activities.
In a future study, teachers
should attend training on cooperative learning before attempting to implement
these activities into the classroom. It
was difficult to learn about cooperative learning and try to implement the new
ideas at the same time. During the study creating and gathering materials for
cooperative learning projects involved a huge amount of preparation and time. Therefore,
instead of working apart on implementing cooperative learning, it is
recommended a small group of teachers and students who work together in order
to produce cooperative units. This won’t
only reduce the workload for an individual; it would produce more noticeable
results.
One of the goals of teaching
is to prepare students for the future. It is teachers’ responsibility to
continue looking for more strategies to improve ADHD students’ learning
processes, enhancing their engagement and participation, at the same time, they
improve learners’ performance in the classes. As it was stated in this research,
this is providing ADHD students with different strategies to overcome issues,
not only in the academic field, but also in many aspects of their lives.
6.0. REFERENCES
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