THE IMPACT OF JIGSAW APPROACH ON READING COMPREHENSION IN THE ESP CLASSROOM

Abstract

This paper is aimed at identifying the effects of using the Jigsaw approach on reading  comprehension, and in particular in the ESP classroom. While primarily focusing on the benefits, it considers potential drawbacks tested in an actual ESP learning environment. In fact, active or experiential methods of learning should be viewed as supplementing, not replacing traditional lecture mode. Among the major benefits is the fact that students can encounter a wider breadth of material than it might be possible if every individual is required to read all of the available sources. This paper presents the results of our ESP classroom experience implementing the jigsaw approach and its pedagogical implications. In terms of the underlying theoretical tenets relevant for the active learning techniques, constructivism as a learning theory has been taken into account.