EFFECTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING METHOD ON SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN READING SKILLS IN JOS NORTH LGA, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of cooperative learning method (CLM) on senior secondary students’ achievement in reading skills in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. The study employed the pre-test post-test quasi-experimental research design of the non-equivalent groups using a population of 1, 412 senior secondary students in the 22 public schools and 76 students as sample which formed the experimental and control groups from two randomly sampled public schools in the study area. Six objectives, six research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. Data were collected using Reading Achievement Test (RAT), which was adapted by the researchers from SS2 course book titled: New Concept English for Senior Secondary Schools, Book Two and was validated by two experts from University of Jos. The test-retest method was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument at the coefficient of 0.89. The data obtained were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions and t-test was used to test the hypotheses at p>0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that students who were taught reading skills using cooperative learning method achieved higher than those taught using the lecture method. The findings also revealed that cooperative learning 
method had significant differences in the achievement mean scores of the experimental group against the control group. Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that cooperative learning method is effective in teaching senior secondary school students’reading skills. The researchers recommended among others that senior secondary school teachers of English language should embrace cooperative learning method as an innovative tool in the classroom for better students’ achievement in English Language concepts, especially in reading skills.