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【摘要】合作學习是目前我国大力倡导使用的有效学习方式之一，大多数的英语课堂都在把合作学习应用于教学中。但是由于在教学中以教师扮演主要角色为主的传统英语教学在中国英语课堂中仍是主流，合作学习在中国英语课堂中并未得到有效实施。并且在那些已经实施合作学习的中学英语课堂中，还存在着诸多问题。本文通过研究心理学中青少年的心理发展特征以及合作学习中普遍存在的责任扩散效应，仔细剖析了合作学习在初中英语教学中存在的问题及原因，并给出了相应的英语教学对策。
【关键词】合作学习 中学英语课堂 心理因素
【Abstract】CL is one of the effective learning methods which are strongly advocated in our country. However， traditional English teaching （i.e.， instructor-oriented teaching） remains the most widely-accepted approach to English language instruction throughout China. Cooperative English learning has not been effectively implemented in our country. There are many problems existing in those English classes of junior high schools， in which the CL has already been carried out. Through an examination of the developmental characteristics of adolescents and the diffusion of responsibility in psychology， this thesis analyzes the problems and possible causes in cooperative English teaching in junior high school， and thereby providing some teaching countermeasures.
【Key words】English teaching in junior high school； cooperative learning； psychological perspective
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the research
The teaching theory known as Cooperative Learning （CL） and the educational strategies it proposes was first introduced in the United States during the 1970s； After the introduction of CL to China， an increasing number of educational experts and teachers are exploring its potential for “class teaching revolution” through its proposed positive equilibriums between teachers and students in classroom settings. However， due to the strong influence of long-standing acceptance of the traditional instructor-oriented approach to teaching as an educational ideal， the introduction of new standards and ideals has brought new challenges to educators across numerous fields.
2. Influential Psychological Factors in Cooperative English Learning
2.1 The Development of Self-consciousness of Adolescents in Developmental Psychology
The period of adolescence is the second peak of the development of self-consciousness. Characteristics of the second peak of self-consciousness include looking inward. They may mock others’ thinking or dreaming， but they do not feel any guilty about it. This phenomenon sometimes will break relationships among members in cooperative groups and the consequences can lead CL down a negative path.
2.2 The Diffusion of Responsibility in Social Psychology The definition of diffusion of responsibility is that people imagine that responsibility is shared with others through diffusion， and thus responsibility of one individual can be lighter.
There are two main aspects of the diffusion of responsibility in the CL class. The first aspect is that students’ subjectivity is limited by diffusion of responsibility. In many CL groups， we can often see such phenomena： some students do nothing or do something irrelevant to the class is studying. While one or two excellent students do all the work for the group. Group members of one CL group often do their own work， not truly working together collaboratively.
3. Problems and Possible Causes of Cooperative English Learning in Junior High School
3.1 Students’ Unwillingness to Participate in Cooperative Learning
Scholars can see there is a confusing phenomenon during the implementation of CL for English learning in junior high school， particularly when it comes to the fact that nearly all of the students are focused on doing their own work. Middle school students are in the period of adolescence when they are more likely to interact with their peers in a self - centered way. Students in this age group prefer to do things alone， which are the reason why students often do their own work， and are not willing to cooperate with others.
3.2 Few Students Truly Participating in Cooperative Learning
This problem is quite common in the daily activities of cooperative English learning in junior high school. Excellent students tend to cover all of the study in their groups， while students who are poor performers have no chance and have no willingness to participate in CL. Since the scores of group members in a CL group depend on the performance of the whole group， those poor students in their study groups are more likely to let those excellent students do most of the work to gain a better score for their group and also for themselves. But this is to their own detriment.
3.3 Students’ Improper Use of Group Discussion
During the process of group discussion， students often focus on talking but ignore the importance of individual thinking. Group discussion is a good learning method which can combine the ideas of entire group members. However when students are busy discussing a topic， they often ignore the part of thinking， which is the spirit of group discussion sessions. Cooperative English learning can never replace the unique thinking of students and it should be used only as an aid for the thought processing of students. 4. Countermeasures in Cooperative English Learning in Junior Middle School
4.1 Cultivating the Consciousness of Cooperation Among Students
Teachers should slowly cultivate students’ consideration of cooperation. Firstly， teachers should teach students to build common ideals， so they will treat their classmates equally and respect each other. Students should be taught to listen to others’ ideas carefully， and be taught how to build a relaxing， atmosphere for cooperative English learning. Teachers should teach students some techniques that make CL possible， They should encourage every student to have their own duty inside their group and to make sure they can be good at the roles that are theirs.
4.2 Knowing Basic Details About Each Student
Firstly， English teachers should try their best to know more things about their students， such as their characters， their general abilities to learn English， and what they are good at specifically： listening， speaking， reading， or writing. A true CL English learning group should include four students good at reading， listening， writing， and speaking respectively， and have two students with below average English ability.
4.3 Joining in Cooperative English Learning
Firstly， English teachers should know that they play an important role while students are participating in group discussions. When students are doing studying in groups， teachers should delve deeper inside of each group discussion and lead students to acquire knowledge correctly. In addition， English teachers should realize that they are not a controller， or an outsider.
5. Conclusion
This thesis focuses on problems that exist in CL for English learning in junior high school and it focus on many of the psychological factors that cause these issues. It then offers countermeasures for some of CL’s basic problems in order to build better cooperative English learning environments.
Due to the lack of time and academic ability， there are still some limitations in this thesis. First of all， there are not enough evidences to prove the validity of those countermeasures which are mentioned in this thesis. So teachers may feel confused towards those suggestions mentioned above. In future studies， more practical suggestions should be offered.
Despite any limitations it may have， it is strongly encouraged that the advantages of CL be considered in order to provide the most effective classroom environments possible for junior high school English education. It is hopeful that this paper could help both teachers and students to take advantage of the CL to reach their target. References：
[1]Azizinezhad，M.
【关键词】合作学习 中学英语课堂 心理因素
【Abstract】CL is one of the effective learning methods which are strongly advocated in our country. However， traditional English teaching （i.e.， instructor-oriented teaching） remains the most widely-accepted approach to English language instruction throughout China. Cooperative English learning has not been effectively implemented in our country. There are many problems existing in those English classes of junior high schools， in which the CL has already been carried out. Through an examination of the developmental characteristics of adolescents and the diffusion of responsibility in psychology， this thesis analyzes the problems and possible causes in cooperative English teaching in junior high school， and thereby providing some teaching countermeasures.
【Key words】English teaching in junior high school； cooperative learning； psychological perspective
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the research
The teaching theory known as Cooperative Learning （CL） and the educational strategies it proposes was first introduced in the United States during the 1970s； After the introduction of CL to China， an increasing number of educational experts and teachers are exploring its potential for “class teaching revolution” through its proposed positive equilibriums between teachers and students in classroom settings. However， due to the strong influence of long-standing acceptance of the traditional instructor-oriented approach to teaching as an educational ideal， the introduction of new standards and ideals has brought new challenges to educators across numerous fields.
2. Influential Psychological Factors in Cooperative English Learning
2.1 The Development of Self-consciousness of Adolescents in Developmental Psychology
The period of adolescence is the second peak of the development of self-consciousness. Characteristics of the second peak of self-consciousness include looking inward. They may mock others’ thinking or dreaming， but they do not feel any guilty about it. This phenomenon sometimes will break relationships among members in cooperative groups and the consequences can lead CL down a negative path.
2.2 The Diffusion of Responsibility in Social Psychology The definition of diffusion of responsibility is that people imagine that responsibility is shared with others through diffusion， and thus responsibility of one individual can be lighter.
There are two main aspects of the diffusion of responsibility in the CL class. The first aspect is that students’ subjectivity is limited by diffusion of responsibility. In many CL groups， we can often see such phenomena： some students do nothing or do something irrelevant to the class is studying. While one or two excellent students do all the work for the group. Group members of one CL group often do their own work， not truly working together collaboratively.
3. Problems and Possible Causes of Cooperative English Learning in Junior High School
3.1 Students’ Unwillingness to Participate in Cooperative Learning
Scholars can see there is a confusing phenomenon during the implementation of CL for English learning in junior high school， particularly when it comes to the fact that nearly all of the students are focused on doing their own work. Middle school students are in the period of adolescence when they are more likely to interact with their peers in a self - centered way. Students in this age group prefer to do things alone， which are the reason why students often do their own work， and are not willing to cooperate with others.
3.2 Few Students Truly Participating in Cooperative Learning
This problem is quite common in the daily activities of cooperative English learning in junior high school. Excellent students tend to cover all of the study in their groups， while students who are poor performers have no chance and have no willingness to participate in CL. Since the scores of group members in a CL group depend on the performance of the whole group， those poor students in their study groups are more likely to let those excellent students do most of the work to gain a better score for their group and also for themselves. But this is to their own detriment.
3.3 Students’ Improper Use of Group Discussion
During the process of group discussion， students often focus on talking but ignore the importance of individual thinking. Group discussion is a good learning method which can combine the ideas of entire group members. However when students are busy discussing a topic， they often ignore the part of thinking， which is the spirit of group discussion sessions. Cooperative English learning can never replace the unique thinking of students and it should be used only as an aid for the thought processing of students. 4. Countermeasures in Cooperative English Learning in Junior Middle School
4.1 Cultivating the Consciousness of Cooperation Among Students
Teachers should slowly cultivate students’ consideration of cooperation. Firstly， teachers should teach students to build common ideals， so they will treat their classmates equally and respect each other. Students should be taught to listen to others’ ideas carefully， and be taught how to build a relaxing， atmosphere for cooperative English learning. Teachers should teach students some techniques that make CL possible， They should encourage every student to have their own duty inside their group and to make sure they can be good at the roles that are theirs.
4.2 Knowing Basic Details About Each Student
Firstly， English teachers should try their best to know more things about their students， such as their characters， their general abilities to learn English， and what they are good at specifically： listening， speaking， reading， or writing. A true CL English learning group should include four students good at reading， listening， writing， and speaking respectively， and have two students with below average English ability.
4.3 Joining in Cooperative English Learning
Firstly， English teachers should know that they play an important role while students are participating in group discussions. When students are doing studying in groups， teachers should delve deeper inside of each group discussion and lead students to acquire knowledge correctly. In addition， English teachers should realize that they are not a controller， or an outsider.
5. Conclusion
This thesis focuses on problems that exist in CL for English learning in junior high school and it focus on many of the psychological factors that cause these issues. It then offers countermeasures for some of CL’s basic problems in order to build better cooperative English learning environments.
Due to the lack of time and academic ability， there are still some limitations in this thesis. First of all， there are not enough evidences to prove the validity of those countermeasures which are mentioned in this thesis. So teachers may feel confused towards those suggestions mentioned above. In future studies， more practical suggestions should be offered.
Despite any limitations it may have， it is strongly encouraged that the advantages of CL be considered in order to provide the most effective classroom environments possible for junior high school English education. It is hopeful that this paper could help both teachers and students to take advantage of the CL to reach their target. References：
[1]Azizinezhad，M.