Effectiveness of Co-operative Strategies for Improving Learners’ Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Co-operative learning is an instructional method in which learners in small group work together to complete the assigned task. The main objective of the study was to find out the effectiveness of co-operative strategies for improving learners’ reading comprehension of secondary level students. The researcher conducted an experimental research to determine the effectiveness of co-operative strategies. The test items were developed on the basis of unseen texts for the collection of data. The researcher collected data from the sampled population of thirty two students of grade nine of a community school in Dolakha district. The participants were selected by using random sampling method. For the research study, pre-test was administered among the thirty two students of the school. On the basis of pre-test score, controlled Group “A” and experimental group “B” were formed. Group “A” was taught through the use of conventional lecture method of teaching by using text book whereas group “B” was taught by using various strategies of co-operative learning such as jigsaw, round robin/round table, pair/group work, group investigation, think/pair and share (TPS). At last, a post-test was administered to collect the data. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted descriptively with the help of simple statistical tools i.e. mean, percentage, and bar-diagram. The major finding of this study showed that co-operative strategies played great role for improving learners’ reading comprehension. The students of experimental group scored 9.75 marks and controlled group scored 19.81 marks in average out of 25 in post test. That is to say, the experimental group performed better than controlled group of students. This thesis has been subsumed under the five chapters. The first chapter includes the introduction with background of study, statement of problem, objectives of the study, significance of the study, delimitations of the study and operational definition of the key terms. The second chapter includes the review of both theoretical and empirical literature, implications of the review for the study and conceptual framework. The third chapter is the discussion of methods and procedures of the study. The forth chapter is about analysis and interpretation of results. Finally, chapter five presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations. The recommendations are further presented in policy, practice and further research related aspects. The chapter is followed by references.