The effects of cooperative learning on second language vocabulary retention for lower-level learners

Often in EFL and ESL learning situations students complain that they need to increase their L2 vocabulary. However, those same students are at a loss for how to learn more words. This study attempts to exploit a well-documented method in education, cooperative learning, in an attempt to increase vocabulary retention for L2 students. Lower-level students in both a control group and an experimental group within a university setting were given a list of vocabulary words and then tested on those words two weeks later. The results of the experiment show a higher rate of retention by the experimental group, indicating that cooperative learning did have a positive effect on L2 vocabulary retention.