Cooperative learning : principles and practice

Terms such as cooperative learning, collaborative learning and interactive learning are often used interchangeably in conversations – and even articles – about teaching, to invoke the same basic idea: that of learners working together in the classroom. However, the first of these, cooperative learning, has a particular history and specific principles that are often overlooked in more general discussions of learner-centred teaching. This article investigates the origins of cooperative learning, its influence on communicative language teaching (CLT), and what it can offer English language teachers today, especially those working in the challenging environments of secondary or primary education around the world