Promoting Cooperative Learning at Primary School Maria Abdullah Eunos Primary School, Singapore George Jacobs JF New Paradigm Education, Singapore george@vegetarian-society.org Abstract

This article describes a four-step programme designed to promote the use of cooperative learning among teachers at a Singapore primary school. In the initial step in the programme, teachers at the school were asked if they would like to participate in the programme. Six came forward. In the second step, an outside consultant did a brief workshop for six English teachers at the school. Next, each teacher worked with the consultant in a cycle of: (a) planning a lesson that included cooperative learning, with feedback from the consultant, (b) teaching that lesson with the consultant observing and providing feedback, and (c) planning another lesson in the same manner. This cycle was repeated for five lessons per teacher. The fourth step in the programme involved the teachers and the consultant in doing a four-hour workshop on cooperative learning for all the teachers in the school. The programme was initiated and supervised by head of the school's English Department.

Keywords: ESL, EFL, Cooperative Learning, Primary School, Singapore