An exploratory research on in-service English teachers’ conceptualization of cooperative learning in Hong Kong primary schools

Cooperative learning (CL) has been a well-researched area with a substantial amount of empirical literature corroborating its positive correlation with academic achievement and social competence. Yet, some scholars argue that CL is incompatible with the Confucian heritage strongly rooted in the Eastern society. Interestingly, there is an emerging body of local empirical research supporting the positive impact of CL on language learning and motivation. These ambivalent views bring us back to the question when CL works and when it does not. This qualitative study seeks to look into local teachers’ conceptualization of CL and their patterns of practice and subsequently examine if there is a relationship between practice and teachers’ own conceptual understanding that could possibly explain the two contrasting outcomes. Ten primary English teachers were selected to participate in a semi-structured interview by the principle of convenience sampling. Data collected were analyzed by an inductive approach. Findings reveal a correspondence between different patterns of practice and teachers’ own conceptualization of the instructional strategy.