Fostering Cognitive Collaboration for Effective Instruction in English Language Classrooms in Nigeria

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges for English language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools is how to prepare students to meet the competitive demands of life in the 21st century. On one hand, the student has to acquire the skills of interpreting and using information in a speed-driven world of communication. On the other hand, the teacher is faced with poor infrastructure and lack of materials which make it difficult for the teaching –learning process. Faced with the persistent reality of falling standards of education, the situation demands that there be a paradigm shift in the teaching and learning strategies of the English language. In Nigeria as in many other countries, proficiency in English is a major determinant of success across the curriculum and in the world of work. The paper posits that this seemingly impossible task can be overcome by fostering cognitive collaboration in collaborative learning groups when teaching the skills of English language. This will motivate students towards successful learning and achievement in literacy and English. It will also allow teachers to pool their own expertise and develop co-teaching strategies that will derive further benefits for their English language learners.

Key words: cognitive collaboration, collaborative/ cooperative learning, co-teaching strategies