Cooperative learning benefits most all students. It can benefit second language learning in many ways. One way is that when students are put into groups they are forced to try to understand. Students must first understand the instructions. If they don't they will learn from their peers. They must tailor the conceptual information to where the group can understand. Together, the students must solve the problem. This is another area where cooperative learning has its full effect. The students draw from the material they have learned or from their prior knowledge. They can use their primary language L1, to help understand the full concept or idea. This in turn provides the activity with perhaps more in depth results.
The students now know what the instructor wants and must portray their information using their second language, L2. This is made simpler by the fact that they comprehend the intent of the assignment. Now the instructor is a facilitator letting go of his traditional authority. This provides all students, not just language learners, to take a more active role in the learning process.
# 2.
To compensate for the lack of study opportunities in many student's houses I implement the following strategies. First, I allow extra time in the class to study and start to work on their homework. Even though they may not be able to finsh all of the assignment, they have already completed the hard part. Now, when they are home they don't have to try to understand the concept, they just have to finish a few problems. Besides the extra time spent in the classroom to finish regular assignments, I often give students whole periods to work on projects. I understand that students don't have many of the supplies at home not to mention the accommodations. .
My class also spends time in the computer lab getting students used to the computer formats. This will make it easier for the students when they must complete computer work on their own.
