UNDERSTANDING COLLABORATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH GROUP WORK

Group work as an element of modern pedagogy has its foundation in the Constructivist Approach. We are
social beings and group work, if executed suitably, for instance, in consonance with Vygotsky’s concept of ‘Social
Scaffolding’ can be a very effective methodology for joyful and natural learning in English Language Teaching (ELT)
classes. Group work enables learners to develop, elaborate, question and support each other’s ideas through
communication. As we are aware, communication using language is a fundamental means of learning the language.
Moreover, group work ensue Collaborative Learning which is yet another vital tenet in classrooms as well as society
at large. Proficiency in the English language is an asset when the learner becomes a productive member of the society
via his/her profession. Nevertheless, group work is not a fool proof methodology for ELT classes; it has its own
challenges. This paper sheds light on the intricate nature of group work and its reliance on effective execution.