STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS THE

USE OF GROUP WORK IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TEACHING AND LEARNING
Nyein Nyein Ei1
Abstract
This research aims to be effective learning of the students working in
groups. The focus of the research is to explore the students’ perceptions
concerning groupwork. Group work activities are included in lesson plans
of the prescribed textbooks to be effective teaching and learning: e.g.
Straightforward, Language Leader, and Global. There is no effective
learning without effective teaching. The data was analyzed quantitatively
and qualitatively. Fourteen questionnaires and two open-ended
questions: Interviews were analyzed for this research. Participants are
Fourth Year Chemistry and Physics specialization students at
Yenanchaung University. In this research, Paul Rees’ theory was used to
collect the data. Almost all the students replied to group work from a
positive point of view. Students realize group work is a more effective
learning situation than individual work. Most of the students feel happy,
relaxed, and comfortable doing group work. There are benefits to doing
group work. However, there are also drawbacks. Students feel shy,
frightened, and stressed. Teachers can solve these problems if they
know the drawbacks of doing group work.
Keywords: students’ perceptions, groupwork, drawbacks, benefits
Introduction
Group work in second-language classrooms involves frequent learner-learner
interaction, providing the learners with opportunities to learn from one another. Group
work is consistent with the sociocultural approach, which views learning as a social
process occurring through interaction among learners in situated contexts (Ortega
2009). To complete a variety of tasks, learners must work collaboratively, and this
highly cognitive process allows them to learn from one another.
This research investigates the students’ perceptions of group work. The students
participate in some group work activities in Straightforward Level 4 (A) by Lindsay
Clandfield. The course book “Straightforward” was first published by Macmillan
Education in 2006. The course book being used for Myanmar students only is the second
edition published in 2012. It is used for the students in Arts and Science Universities and
Degree Colleges of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education,
Myanmar.
There are so many majors at Yenanchaung University. Among them, the
participants of this research are Fourth Year students majoring in Chemistry and Physics
at Yenanchaung University. The number of students is about 100. Among them, 85
students are randomly selected. They filled out the questionnaires after doing group
work. The scores are counted according to the data obtained from the questionnaires.
Background of the research
Group work refers to the work of the students in a group that is small enough for
the students to do the assigned task, and it consists of different levels of students.
Group work is heavily influenced by the sociocultural perspective.

1
Assistant Lecturer, Department of English, Yenanchaung University
 1

Scope of the research

The number of students is about 100. Among them, 85 students are randomly
selected. The participants are Fourth-year students majoring in Myanmar, English,
Geography, History, Philosophy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Zoology, Botany, and
Geology at Yenanchaung University. Among them, this research is designed to explore
Chemistry and Physics specialization students’ perceptions of group work at
Yenanchaung University by using questionnaires from Paul Rees’ theory.
Aim and Objectives
Perception is a response of the students that how and what they realize
about their performance. The aim of this study is to be effective learning of the students
working in groups. In this research, the selected questionnaires of Paul Rees’ theory are
answered Fourth Year students majoring in Chemistry and Physics at Yenanchaung
University.
The objectives are
 to explore the students’ perceptions concerning doing group work.
 to explore students’ common problems or challenges they have
experienced from doing group work.
Organization of the research
First, the relevant theoretical concepts of students’ perceptions of group
work are investigated to do this research. In this research, there are five main chapters.
Chapter one is “Introduction” which includes the background of the research, the scope
of the research, the aim and objectives, and the organization of the research are
presented. In chapter two, “Theoretical background” and “Related research” are
presented.Chapter three states “Research methodology and Description of data”. And
then, chapter four describes the “Finding and discussion”. Finally, chapter five is the
“Conclusion”.
Literature Review
Theoretical Background
What is group work?
Group work is a student-centered way of teaching that emphasizes collaboration,
cooperation, and teamwork. Rance-Roney (2010) describes group work as a classroom
practice where “students work in teams to construct knowledge and accomplish tasks
through collaborative interaction.” Sometimes teachers use groups to work on short
activities in an informal way. However, a more formal structure to group work can
provide many benefits for the students as well.
Why use group work?
Teachers use group work activities in the classrooms. During group work,
students are solving the given topic with their friends. By working in group, they
increase their confidence, giving responses to each other or to their teachers for their
learning. Working in a group is effective because students can learn actively, and
meaningfully in their learning environment and can get excellent feedback from their
group members and from their teachers. When they are working together, they discuss
knowledge they have known and lead to very positive experiences and learn and teach
their group members as they solve the problems without handling on their own.
Related Research
There are two pieces of researches related to the present research. The
research, “Students’ Perspectives on Group Work: Findings of a School Improvement
Initiative” (2009) by Paul Rees, is a qualitative and quantitative study. This study
involved school improvement groups from one comprehensive school, two primary
schools, and LEA officers. The paper reports on student’s attitudes toward group work
within the context of a school improvement initiative.
The research, “University Students’ Attitudes Towards Group Work”, by
Raksmey Chan, and Sophanut Pheng (2018), aims to understand and explore what the
University students of one leading tertiary ELT institution have experienced and what
their attitudes are towards working in a group. This study has shed light on future
research on group work by suggesting a qualitative method such as a focus group or in-
depth interviews for understanding the students’ practice of group work better.
Research Methodology and Description of Data
In this present research, the students’ perceptions are investigated by using
questionnaires from Paul Rees’ theory. All participants are Fourth Year students
majoring in Chemistry and Physics at Yenanchaung University. They filled out the
questionnaires after doing group work activities from Straightforward Level 4 (A) by
 2

Lindsay Clandfield.
The number of students is 100. Among them, 85 students are randomly selected.
Fourteen quantitative and two qualitative questionnaires are analyzed for this research.
The students answered the two open-ended questions freely in their own words to
describe their perceptions, of group work. The responses to the fourteen questionnaires
are Yes and No. The percentage of the students’ perceptions is illustrated in the
following Table 1.
Table 1. The percentage of the students’ perceptions of group work

N Questionnaires % of %of
o. Yes No
1 Do you like working in a group? 97.6 2.35
2 Do you like sharing your ideas with friends? 100 0
3 Do you enjoy brainstorming on group work? 98.82 1.18
4 Do you enjoy it when groups have to 85.88 14.1
compete? 1
5 Are you competitive in your school on group 36.47 63.5
work? 3
6 When you are competing, do you think you 51.76 48.4
work harder?
7 Do you think you study more when groups 78. 21.1
compete? 82 6
8 Do you think it is OK to have boys and girls in 50.59 49.4
a group? 1
9 Does group work help you to do better in your 98.82 1.18
exams?
1 Are you good at listening when your friends 2.35 97.6
0 speak in a group? 5
1 Do you think you have to be clever working in 2.35 97.6
1 a group? 5
1 Are you shy about doing group work? 28. 71.7
2 24 6
1 Do you like working individually? 7.06 92.9
3 4
1 Do you think you are comfortable working in 8.82 1.18
4 a group?
According to No.(1), over (90%) of students showed a preference for other
friends than individual work. The remaining (2.35%) students who were selected for
individual work are a subgroup of particular interest. Data presented in No. (2) suggest
that (100%) of students enjoy sharing their ideas. There is no student who does not like
sharing their ideas with other friends in group work. According to No. (3), (98.82%) of
students enjoy brainstorming in group work. The remaining (1.18 %) dislike
brainstorming in group work. A high proportion actually like enjoyment in competins
themselves to be competitive in school. The minority actually feels they work harder in
a competitive learning area. According to No. (7), most of the students answered that
they learn more when they participated in group competitions.

In No. (8), half of the students in the study suggest that it is good to have both
boys and girls in a group. The other students recognize a drawback of having a mixed
gender group. According to No. (9), almost all the students consider that group work can
help in their exams. According to No. (10), most of the students recognize that they are
not good at listening when their friends speak in a group. One attribute assumed by
almost all the students to be highly significant is that they do not recognize high
intellect as a prerequisite for group participation.
Students were questioned why it is they think it is that some students do not like
to speak in a group. Responses of the students were presented. This provides a clear
point of perceived barriers to effective group participation by students. According to No.
(13), almost the students indicated group work as a more effective learning area than
individual work. According to No. (14), almost the students answered that they are
 3

comfortable working in groups.

Table 2. Desirable characteristics of group participants
Reason for
Frequency Example Statements
inclusion
Friendly 17 I am friendly.
Honesty 19 They share their thoughts honestly.
Helpfulness 7 She was helpful.
Intelligence 3 She is intelligent.
Listening 4 I was good at listening
Sharing of ideas 14 I share my ideas with other friends.
Humour 12 I tell jokes
Academic Ability 1 He is an English speaker.
Other 8 I am active / I can motivate others
in a group

The first open-ended question was “Do other friends like to have you in their
group? If yes, give a reason?”The written responses showed several semantic clusters
within the responses (Table 2).
Table 3. Undesirable characteristics of group participants
Reason for Freque Example Statements
rejection ncy
Poor listening 12 He is poor in Listening
skills
Noisiness 20 I do not like a person who disrupts
with a noisy voice.
Over talkative 45 He is a talkative person.

Domineering 3 They are like teachers in the

group.
No Participation 4 He just sat without discussing
with group members.
Poor behaviour 1 I do not like a person who is rude.

The cohort was asked the open-ended question, ‘What sort of things do you not
like about some friends when working in a group?’ Analysis of the written responses
revealed that by far the most common reason cited was that of being over - talkative.
There is no student who gives reference to personal appearance or hygiene - related
factors.
Finding and Discussion
This section discusses the findings from the data gained from the students’
responses to group work.
Students’ general attitude toward group work
From the data analysis, there were both strengths and weaknesses of the
students’ perceptions of group work. According to No. (1) from Table (1), over (90%) of
the students like working in groups.
According to No. (2) from Table (1), all the students (100%) enjoy sharing their
ideas with friends. There is no student who does not enjoy sharing ideas with friends.
They feel relaxed, happy, and interesting. They can know the other friends’ excellent
ideas by sharing within the group work. Moreover, they realize how collaborative skill is
important and effective for them.
According to No. (3) from Table (1), the data of students’ perceptions of group
 4

work indicates that almost all the students (98.82 %) like brainstorming on group work.
Brainstorming allows the students to think more freely without fear. The students get
collaboration skills to solve the problem and generate innovative ideas. They feel more
comfortable than individuals.
According to No. (13) from Table (1), almost all the students consider group
work to be a more effective learning area than individual work. The students’ general
attitude towards group work was found within the cohort. The students view group
works as enjoyable, preferable to individual work. It is a teaching strategy they can
engage with, beneficial to learning. They work with good concentration while learning. It
helps the students to memorize and learn objectives and is beneficial for life after
school.
Competition
When the data were analyzed to examine the students’ group competition, it is
explored that the students (85.88 %) enjoy competing on group work in the classroom.
Some students are competitive in their school in group work. And, when they are
competing, they think they work harder and they study more.
Group composition
It is clearly shown that half of the students like mixing gender groups.
Learning Outcomes
According to the finding from No. (9), almost all the students (98.82%) answered
group work was a more effective learning than individual work. Group work is not only
effective for exam preparation but also able to memorize what they have learnt when
they were working group.
Citizenship
The students can get one of the motivating factors in using group work which is
the perceived benefit for the society of school leavers who can collaborate well with
others. It is analyzed to explore the students’ perceptions of the efficacy of group work
in developing citizenship skills. According to No. (10) from Table (1), there is also a
weakness in listening when their friends speak in a group. Almost all the students
(97.65%) answered they are weak in listening.

Self-perception
Effective group work is not dependent on intellect. According to No. (11) from
Table (1), it is indicated that the students (97.65%) do not think high intellect is a
requirement for group work. Almost all the students rejected the opinion that the
students have to be clever to work in a group.
According to No. (12) from Table (1), although students (28.24%) only indicated
that the working group was shy, the students (71.76%) described shyness as a
perceived inhibitor to participation in group work.
According to No. (14) from Table (1), the findings concerning students’
perceptions of group work indicate almost all the students (98.8%) answer they are
comfortable working in a group. The students get confidence in each one as they are
well prepared together about the given topic. The more they feel group work is
comfortable, the more they want to attempt to work with friends.
Positive interdependence
A certain requirement of positive interdependence is the knowledge or the belief
on the part of the group members that they are wished for. according to the finding of
the first open-ended question, the students’ reasons related to interpersonal
characteristics are friendliness, honesty, helpfulness, intelligence, listening, sharing of
ideas, humour, and academic ability.
This highlights the significant role of their social skills. It is related to not only the
group members’ general behaviour, affective characteristics and interpersonal skills but
also their academic ability. There are also students who rejected to their group
members’ characteristics. Among them, the most common reason was “over -
talkative.”
Though this research has shown good results, there are still some challenges and
flaws to be solved. Group work involves a group of people with different levels (Cohen
et al. 014); therefore, problems could easily arise when their ideas and preferences are
combined. Likewise, group performance is easily affected by the collaboration and
 5

contribution of each member of the group. Group work stimulates the students’
creativity.
Conclusion
In this research, the questionnaires were carried out by Fourth Year students
majoring in Chemistry and Physics at Yenanchaung University. They filled out the
questionnaires after doing group work activities from Straightforward Level 4 (A) by
Lindsay Clandfield.
The finding and discussion showed that the students enjoyed group work
activities in the classroom. The technique helped them develop their confidence to
share their ideas with all members of the group, and feel relaxed, happy, and
comfortable, although there are many challenges such as the difference in proficiency
level, difficulty in decision-making, and peer relationships. Most of the students have
clearly answered their happiness and overwhelming support for group work. But, there
are also weak points of the students. Especially, they are weak in listening when their
friends speak in a group and they do not think they have to be clever to work in a group.
Almost all the students’ response group work from a positive point of view.
Students answer group work as a more effective learning situation than individual work.
There are benefits concerning working group, but there are also drawbacks. Students
feel shy, frightened, and stressed. Some lack motivation and strong leadership. To
overcome the drawbacks, teacher explains group work is worth the frustration and how
to link within the group. Moreover, the teacher establishes clear expectations for group
members and teaches conflict-resolution skills within the group. One way to prevent
these problems is to keep the group small. The students get feedback from group
leaders and members. If a student gets many negative feedbacks from his own
members or other group members, teacher discusses it with him/her obviously. The
teacher gives feedback to the students he got from many students. It is short and it only
tends to the positive. The teachers should offer students the opportunity to share
feedback with them about the given group work activity. Based on the findings and
discussion, by choosing the best teaching method, strategies, and techniques that
increase their interest while implementing group work in the classroom, the teachers
make the students learn comfortably and interestingly. Having students discuss group
work might provide more interesting data to study students’ perceptions of group work
activity.
Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Cho Cho Myint, rector of
Yenanchaung University for her valuable encouragement to complete this research.
Secondly, I am deeply thankful to Dr. Yin Yin Aye, Pro-Rector of Yenanchaung University
for her precious suggestions to complete this research.
I am also deeply grateful to Sayamagyi Daw Aye Thandar Win, Associate
Professor and Head of English Department. Without her sound advice and careful
guidance, the completion of this work would not be possible.

References
Alfiyyah Nur Azizah (2022), “Students’ Perception toward Group Work in Cooperative
Learning Method: A Survey Study”, Islamic University of Indonesia Yogyakarta
Alison Burke (2011), “Group Work: How to Use Groups Effectively”, Southern Oregon
University, Ashland, OR 97520
Changho Kwon (2014), “Student Perspectives on Group Work and Use of L1: Academic
Writing in University EFL Course in Thailand”, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Monica Amelia Situmorang (2021), “Students’ Perception of Using Group Work in English
Class”, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Jakarta
Paul Rees (2009), “Students’ perspectives on groupwork: Findings of a school
Improvement initiative”, Swansea University
Raksmey Chan, and Sophanut Pheng (2018), University Students’ Attitudes Towards
Group Work”, Department of English, Royal University of Phnom Penh
https://repository.ump.a
https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org