of those in their group; moreover, because rewards depend on team achievements, individual learners are more likely to be motivated to accomplish the tasks using as much of the secnd language as they can muster. Cooperative learning techniques put second language learning in the service of interesting tasks used to teach content. These techniques make all students, language tutors for other students, and thus give learners many more sources of input and correction than they would get in a solely teacher - centered classroom.
Cooperative learning should certainly not be used to the exclusion of other methods, but together with other methods it encourages dialog as a basis of learning and offers a better chance for providing the cognitive and linguistic scaffolding that supports further language development.
Obviously, all language learners show individual variation in their learning patterns and preferences. Moreover, each classroom is different, so teachers need to modify relevant techniques to suit their particular local contexts. Research indicates that both teacher training and teacher attitudes are important in providing successful instruction, so teachers need to examine their own attitudes toward the students they instruct. The relative success of any new technique is premised both on the teachers' knowledge and on the teachers' belief that students can succeed and on their ability to communicate this belief to the students. In such a supportive environment, the instructional innovations in materials and techniques will help teachers provide better instruction for all students.
Literature
Handscomble, J. Individualizing the ESL program (or teaching in the ways in which students learn). - TESL Talk, 1974
Logan G.E. Individualized Foreign Language Learning: Organic Process. - New York: Newbury House, 1973.
McKay S.L. Language Diversity: Problem or Resource? - New Yorky: Newbury House, 1988.
Simon S. B. Howe, and H.Kirschenbaum. Values clarification: A Handbook of Practical Strategies for Teachers and Students. - New York: Hart, 1972.
