Peer Learning as a Catalyst for Engagement: A Study on Diploma in English Students in a Sri Lankan University

Passive participation is a common challenge in English as a second language (ESL) classrooms. Fear of making mistakes, teacher-centered pedagogical approaches, lack of confidence, and cultural influences can be identified as reasons for passive participation in ESL classrooms. Grounded in Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory, the present study adapted Kurt Lewin’s Spiral Steps for Action Research Model to investigate how different actions, namely developing an essay individually under the guidance of a supervisor and developing an essay collaboratively in groups where each student offers and receives feedback for their writing, enhanced interactive participation in an ESL classroom. Employing one hundred and sixty-eight (N-168) learners who follow a diploma in English course at a university in Sri Lanka, the study adopted a mixed methods approach to collect and analyze data. Two teachers teaching on this course also participated in the study. Each student of this program produces a four-thousand-word extended essay. Traditionally, the students developed the essay independently. As this proved to be less interactive, the students were asked to work in small groups in the class, obtain feedback from peers, and develop the essay. After conducting four such sessions, the learners were asked to share their views regarding the interactive group-based peer-learning experience. A questionnaire was also shared among the participants. Two teachers were interviewed to obtain their views. The reflective essay and interview data revealed that the majority of learners held positive perceptions regarding the experience, as it helped them to improve the quality of the essay (90.5%) and enhance interaction (88.3%). Qualitative data further suggested that interactive group-based essay writing was enjoyable and useful to develop the students’ speaking skills. Teachers claimed that learners displayed increased interaction during the class.