Cooperative Learning in PBL to Develop Speaking

Abstract

In these modern days, English is the language widely used as a key window all over the world. For whom, his native language is not English is in the requirement to learn it as a significant source of communication. The oral competence or speaking skill must be considered as the initial skill to be developed rather than the other communicative competences because it is an integral and natural ability of the human beings to produce language as the initial part of their daily life. So, speaking must be the goal of English learning because “been able to speak in English is not only to know the language, but know how to use it” (Saville–Troike, 2006). It is the way through which people shares their ideas, feelings, views, and thoughts with others. It is vital for all kinds of professional and personal goals, as Modiano said students are “acquiring it because it will be required of them in a wide range of work related, educational and social activities.” (2009, p. 59). Consequently, it is the reason that teacher should look for appropriate strategies and methodologies with communicative activities to make students develop their speaking skill. However, it is assumed that the development of the speaking skill in learners is not easy because of the status of English as a foreign language and it is not used daily because of the people´s background. Gonzales et al. (2017) conducted a study in Colombia and they implemented Project-Based Learning to improve speaking and after a diagnostic test, the authors found that the majority of the learners of first and second year baccalaureat showed a basic level of oral proficiency. That was the reason that they decided to look for a solution to this problem. They decided to change some methods of teaching that led to a good command of the language.