My teaching context:

• I am currently working as an English teacher at School No. 50 in To‘raqo‘rg‘on district, Namangan region.

• I teach English to 5th and 6th-grade students, who are at A2 level.

  Each class consists of 15 students.

• According to the learning result of the module, students should be able to participate actively in group work, and some of their issues should be resolved through collaborative activities.

• Low student participation – Students are not actively engaged in group work, with many merely observing rather than contributing.

• Unclear roles and tasks – Students do not fully understand their responsibilities, or everyone tries to do the same task.

• Unequal participation – Some students dominate the discussion, while others remain passive and do not contribute.

• Lack of motivation – Students are not interested in group activities or do not see their importance.

• Noise and disorder – Group activities often lead to excessive noise and a lack of discipline, reducing overall effectiveness.

My research focus became "Some students' difficulty in collaborating effectively within groups".

My other research questions:

My Perception:

• What do I think prevents my students from working effectively in groups?

My Students' Perception:

• How do my students feel about group activities, and what challenges do they face?

My and Students' Behavior:

• What do students make too much noise during group activities?

• How do my students behave during group work, and how do I respond to their difficulties?

• Observation

• Reflective questions

• Interview with students and teachers

• Journal

• There is a lack of communication and collaboration among students. They struggle to express their thoughts clearly.

• Problems in task distribution exist. Some students do not actively participate, while others are forced to do all the work.

• Lack of motivation is noticeable. Many students participate only for grades rather than genuine interest.

Students' Perception:

• Many students find collaborative work difficult because they do not fully understand each other.

• Some are afraid to express their ideas, fearing they might make mistakes.

• Unequal workload distribution makes students uncomfortable. Some do too much work, while others only observe.

My and Students' Behaviour:

• When the teacher monitors group work, students tend to be more active, but too much supervision can reduce their independence.

• Students’ behavior is influenced by how the teacher organizes group activities. If clear rules are not set, most students feel free to be less serious about the task.

• When the teacher provides encouragement and support, students feel more comfortable and become more engaged.

"Above all, the main problem with group work is that it robs students of the rare opportunity to be challenged to learn as an individual." (James Grubbs Martin, 2014).

Many researchers have identified seven key factors that hinder active participation in group work:

1. Social Loafing:

In large groups, some participants reduce their efforts because they assume others will do the work.

2. Conflicts in the Group:

Personal or task-related conflicts can lower students' motivation and limit their active participation.

3. Lack of Necessary Skills and knowledge:

When students feel insecure about their abilities, they may avoid participating actively in group work.

4. Group Size:

In excessively large groups, participants feel less responsible, which reduces their engagement.

5. Lack of Leadership:

Without a clear leader, task distribution becomes unclear, leading to passive participation.

6. Lack of Motivation:

Students with low intrinsic motivation contribute less to group activities.

7. Peer Pressure:

Negative influence from peers or fear of embarrassment can discourage students from actively participating.

What effect can an optimized group work structure have on students' attitude towards task completion?

Action 1: Rotate Group Members Regularly

• Regularly change the roles and members within the group to ensure that each student gets the opportunity to take on different tasks.

Reason: This approach helps students develop various skills, gain experience from different perspectives, and become more adaptable in teamwork.

Action 2: Assign Tasks Based on Each Student’s Abilities

• Give students tasks that match their skills and abilities so that everyone can contribute effectively to the group work.

Reason: When students are assigned tasks they can handle well, they feel more confident and motivated to participate. This ensures that all members can play an active role and add value to the group’s performance.

Action 3: Encourage Participation Through Positive Reinforcement

• Recognize students’ efforts, provide positive feedback, and appreciate their contributions to encourage active participation.

Reason: Positive reinforcement boosts students’ motivation, making them more engaged and enthusiastic about group work. This also helps create a supportive and encouraging learning environment.

Data Collection tools:

• Conduct several group activities and observe students' behavior, interaction, and challenges.

• Use a checklist to note issues like lack of communication, unequal participation, or distractions.

• Distribute a short survey or conduct informal interviews to understand students' perspectives on group work.

Shyness and timidity prevent active engagement (60%)

Unequal knowledge levels make collaboration difficult (20%)

Inability to get along with group members reduces effectiveness (40%)

2. Reasons why students may prefer working alone instead of in groups:

Fear of speaking up or making mistakes (30%)

Feeling uncomfortable working with students of different skill levels (40%)

Difficulty trusting or relying on group members (50%)

3. Ways to improve group work experience:

Encouraging a supportive and inclusive environment (30%)

Assigning roles to each student in a group based on their abilities improves effectiveness(45%)

Providing teacher guidance to manage conflicts (35%)

"I should try to organize some group work activities based on those students' interest."

2. Individual Attention

"I should pay attention to everyone, and I write notes based on their participation, after that I try to work on themselves."

"More pay attention."

"Pay more attention to that student and ask questions by mentioning their name specifically."

3. Fair Evaluation

"I try to evaluate not only the winning team but also the participation of other team members."

"This approach helps reduce conflicts among students."

2. Students show greater engagement when assessment includes not only the winning team but also evaluates each participant’s contribution. This approach reduces disputes and increases motivation. (The change in students' behavior)

3. Students feel more valued and encouraged when their individual efforts are recognized, leading to increased confidence and willingness to collaborate. (The change in students' perception)

"I try to organize some group work activities based on those students' interests."

2. Individual Attention

"I try to pay attention to everyone, and I write notes based on their participation. After that, I try to work on themselves."

"More pay attention."

"Pay more attention to that student and ask questions by mentioning their name specifically."

3. Engage with Activities

"I need to organize some interesting games."

4. Assign Leadership Roles

"I’ll give the main role in

the group work."