Abstract
The usual classroom discourse norms involve the teacher leading the interaction and students compete for the right to speak and the teacher’s attention. These norms align with an individualistic culture. However, collaborative learning requires a different set of norms – of shared responsibility, cooperation, and the importance of the group. These align with the norms of a collectivist culture. The current study aims to shed light on the discourse and social processes in a collaborative learning group as a part of a regular classroom and how these processes contribute to or hinder the group’s success in the task. This case study used a qualitative approach of sociolinguistic discourse analysis, focusing on the discourse norms and the meaning of the interaction for the participants. We have observed a group of three eighth-grade students of mixed cultures (Jewish and Arab) while working on a science task. We found that the group members went through a process of behavioral change and group norms formation. At the start of the work, they see themselves as individuals, preferring their personal goals over the collective goal of the group. However, they quickly realize that this approach is destructive and seek solutions. They set new rules for the group, aiming to promote and protect their collective goal. After setting the rules, they get back to their task, while consistently enforcing the rules whenever they are broken. We concluded that collectivist norms can naturally develop in a learning group within a classroom setting that usually holds individualistic norms.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2022 Special Focus: Intercultural Learning in Plurilingual Contexts
KEYWORDS
Collaborative Learning, Classroom Discourse, Cultural Norms, Discourse Analysis
