The teacher's role in cooperative learning in inclusive classrooms

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Didactics - English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, grade: 1,7, Free University of Berlin (Institute for English Language and Literature), course: Ausgewählte Themen der Englischdidaktik, language: English, abstract: This paper analyses the role of the teacher required for cooperative learning in an inclusive classroom. Cooperative learning is an efficient and evidence-based teaching method for inclusive classrooms, which puts the emphasizes on learning that is facilitated by students rather than the teacher and thus represents a shift from traditional lecture-style classrooms to more brain-friendly environments. However, although cooperative learning is consistently acknowledged for its efficacy, its implementation remains a challenge. The question whether teachers have the professional competences needed to implement inclusive education is often ignored.

The implementation of the convention brings new challenges to the classroom. Inclusive classrooms require inclusive teaching, which means a change of paradigm from a teacher-centred education to a student-centred education has to be enforced. The traditional role distribution between teachers and students does not do justice to an inclusive classroom. The conventional imparting of knowledge and competences should be replaced by a more auto-didactical approach. Consequently, the education requirements for students and teachers change.

There is innumerable research on cooperative learning but only limited research sheds light on the new role a teacher has to take on when it comes to implementing cooperative learning in inclusive classrooms. The main questions to be answered are the following: What does a teacher need to consider when they implement cooperative learning in classrooms? How can the teacher support cooperative learning in an inclusive classroom? Is it even possible for a teacher to fulfil all requirements that come with cooperative learning in an inclusive classroom?