De Freitas_EDRS5450_Chapter 1

Island Secondary prides itself on being a high-performing denominational secondary

school on the island of Tobago. Its student population is composed of students with the highest
Secondary Entrance Assessment scores as well as the students who fall under the ten percent
(students who were selected by the schools board or the religious body under which it
operates). Current school leadership comprises the acting Principal, who has held the post for
two years, the acting Vice Principal, who has held the post for one year, Deans, and Heads of
Departments. The staff is comprised of fifty-three teachers and twenty members of ancilliary
staff. An informal survey has revealed that approximately half of the teaching staff have been in
the profession for less than ten years. Within the Foreign Languages department, four teachers
of its seven teachers have less than five years of teaching experience.
In terms of academics, the school prepares students for both the CESC and CAPE
exams. A typical class at Island Secondary is mixed-ability, with weaker students and stronger
students from various academic and social backgrounds. The school practices steaming only at
the Fifth Form and Fourth Form levels for Mathematics and English A. There is a policy that
mandates that all students study either French or Spanish at the CSEC level. This policy has
prompted the creation of an Accelerated Spanish program, so that students who have
demonstrated an aptitude in the language can write their Spanish CSEC exams at the end of
their Fourth Form year. Last years accelerated group saw all students obtaining either grades
one or two.
As has been previously stated, the Foreign Languages department at Island Secondary is
comprised of both young and veteran teachers. The department has experienced several changes
in staff, with the departure of two teachers and the late arrival of their replacements. In the past
academic year, three classes were without a Spanish teacher. The Department, like other school
departments, has been suffering from staffing problems. Funding and space are also
problematic. Within the past two years, specialty classrooms which were originally assigned for

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use by Spanish and French classes have been repurposed to regular classrooms. A smaller space
was allocated for the Departments use. Because only one room is available for use, most
teachers in the department go directly to their students classrooms. This presents several
challenges: teachers have less freedom to create a space that can be conducive to language
teaching and learning, resources must be transported to and from classes which can be tiring
and time consuming, teachers are faced with a lack of space and infrastructure within the
regular classrooms. Unlike other departments within the school, the Modern Languages
department does not have its own laptop, speakers, or projector. Access to technology is limited,
borrowing devices from other departments when these devices are not in use. It is difficult for
the department to purchase items and materials as all purchases require a great deal of
paperwork. The Department is subject to limitations on what can be purchased using the
departments funds.
At Island Secondary, despite frustrations and reservations expressed by the members of
the foreign languages department, the policy mandating the study of a Foreign Language at the
CSEC level remains unchanged. A Foreign Languages teacher at Island Secondary faces several
challenges when teaching their language at the Fourth and Fifth form levels: students
unwillingness to study foreign languages, classes comprised of very weak students who must be
prepared for their CSEC exams, a lack of access to resources, insufficient classroom space and a
lack of specialty rooms, the noisy school environment which makes oral and listening practice
difficult. Within the past two years, a decrease in student performance in French and Spanish at
the CSEC level has been noted. Comments from markers have pointed to several weak areas,
notably writing and speaking. Members of the Department have attributed this to students being
forced to study the subjects despite a vocalised lack of interest.
As far back as 1985, with Long and Porters seminal article Group work, interlanguage,
and second language acquisition, academics have cited the benefit of collaborative learning as

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a part of the foreign language learning experience. Collaborative learning has been identified as
being highly beneficial to students. Long and Porter, in summarizing the recorded benefits of
collaborative learning, highlighted five ways in which this pedagogical approach can be
beneficial. They indicated that collaborative learning is a viable means of providing students
with opportunities to practice the target language, improving the quality of student talk,
individualising instruction, promoting a positive affective climate, and motivating
learners.(Long and Porter, 1985)
A seminal work that has been widely cited has been Long and Porters Group work,
interlanguage, and second language acquisition. In this article, the authors cite both the
pedagogical and psycholinguistic justifications of group work as a viable aspect of foreign
language learning. Another article that has provided valuable insight into the merits of
collaborative learning has been Drnyeis Psychological Processes in Cooperative Language
Learning: Group dynamics and Motivation. These two articles provide sound support for
collaborative learning as a means of foreign language learning. Additionally, the introduction of
the notions of 21st Century learners and collaboration as an essential skill of 21st century
learners has brought the practice of collaborative learning to the fore once more.
It is hoped that the study of the effect of collaborative learning strategies on French
students oral confidence and performance at the Fourth Form level can provide a sound
argument for increased collaboration in Foreign Language classes in Trinidad and Tobago. The
study will examine the extent to which collaborative learning strategies can improve oral
performance and confidence. The study will also examine the factors that may influence student
oral performance and confidence and propose collaborative methods that can mitigate the
influence of these other factors. It is hoped that the study will also provide a framework for
collaborative learning that can be improved and implemented at all levels.
Ultimately, it is hoped that the study will answer the following questions:

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1.

Does collaborative learning have an impact on oral performance and confidence? What is
the extent of this impact? How is the impact influenced by the existence of other factors? Is
collaborative learning a viable means of improving student oral confidence and
performance?

The section on Significance has to be added. See rubric. What gains are anticipated from the
implementation of the studyfor the studentsfor the teachers of the department and possibly
teachers in other comparable settingsfor teachers of other subjects perhaps?
In Chapter 1, keep the focus on the background as it pertains to the specific problem. Start your
reference list.
Margaret Hunte 6 November 2016