Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to assess how cooperative learning strategies were implemented in
English classroom of reading lesson. The study was carried out in three selected Kersa Woreda
Secondary Schools with special reference to grade 10 students. To achieve this purpose, a descriptive
survey design was employed. Six English teachers and 132 students were selected by using purposive
and simple random sampling techniques. Overall, a total of 138 respondents participated in the study.
In order to achieve the objectives, the study employed three data gathering tools: questionnaire,
interview and classroom observation. Questionnaire was employed to explore how teachers and
students implemented cooperative learning strategies as well as to identify the role of teachers and
students in the implementation of cooperative learning strategies in reading lesson. Interview was
used to find out causes for the problems that affect the implementation of cooperative learning
strategy in reading classroom. Furthermore, classroom observation was employed to identify how
teachers and students were implementing cooperative learning strategy during reading section. Data
collected using close-ended questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively. Whereas, data from interview
and class room observation were analyzed qualitatively. The results of the study revealed that, most of
the teachers had positive attitudes towards the implementation of cooperative learning strategy to
improve the students’ proficiency in reading skill; they implement it rarely in the classroom. In
addition to this, they were not capable of teaching the students in small groups, pair works, role plays
etc. in the same manner, teachers were not carrying their role well in facilitating, motivating and
encouraging, allocate sufficient time for the students and did not create opportunities for them to
enable the work cooperatively. The major challenges which were identified in this study: challenges
related to students, challenges related to the teachers, challenges related to the classroom condition
and facilities. To sum up, in the process of teaching learning, it is teacher’s duty to prefer the
important teaching techniques which help the learners to improve their proficiency of reading skill in
reading activities. Therefore, the teacher should prefer her / his teaching strategy which is learner-led
and should allocate sufficient time for the activities to be done