Applying Spencer Kagan’s cooperative learning model in teaching specialized subjects to Englishmajored students

Abstract

Cooperative learning (CL) has been widely applied in the world and has been considered a new trend of education in the 21st century (Trinh Van Bieu, 2011). The cooperative learning model is a learner-centered teaching method which encourages students’ interaction and promotes self-study. Therefore, teachers can make use of this model in class, especially for English specialized  subjects. However, in Vietnam, the application of CL is still limited because teachers lack of knowledge and skills on cooperative teaching. This article presents the process of applying Spencer Kagan’s cooperative learning model in teaching English specializedsubjects for English-majored learners, thereby helping teachers and students to easily use it in the classroom. The results obtained from questionnaire and interview’s data depict a significant improvement in teaching and learning English specialized subjects. In addition, the study also provides suggestions on how to apply Spence Kagan’s cooperative learning model to enhance their teaching and learning.