**Abstract**

Information sharing is a fundamental aspect in learning an unfamiliar, yet, an additional language, with specific regards to reading comprehension. Language teachers are faced with a task to monitor development, performance, and effectiveness in learner reading proficiencies. This chapter aims to measure if disbanding learner groupings as per the social distancing protocols brought about by COVID-19 restrictions has any impact on language enhancement. Henceforth, there are limited suggestions by literature in relation to disbanding learner groupings, yet improved reading proficiency is one of the crucial language aspects to be mastered for one to be a successful scholar. Nonetheless, this chapter aims to provide teaching strategies applied by English language teachers to necessitate transmitted learning in accordance with information sharing as learners are dependent on one another for language enhancement, thus leading to academic achievement.

**Keywords:** learner groupings, language, social distancing, learner achievement, reading proficiency

## **1. Introduction**

For improved academic achievement and acceptable reading proficiency levels, learners need to vigorously engage on varying reading activities. When they work as groups, they tend to learn from one another through collaboration, information sharing, and mentoring each other. There have been identified benefits of working as groups when primary school learners learn an unfamiliar language in the schools studied, this being referred to English language learning [1]. Research reveals that for primary school learners to engage in the form of groups during the processes of language learning and teaching, there are enriched social skills that are acquired, including cooperation and accountability, as such it becomes easy for learners to break down compound tasks into minor and convenient packages [2]. The main benefits of group work when developing language proficiency among learners include cultivated discussions and justifications, let alone contesting learner assumptions, yet the ultimate goal being emerging robust communication skills. This strategy has been observed to curb problems of shyness, lowered self-esteem coupled with self-motivation [3]. As emergent readers, learners in the primary school need daily continued engagement with reading exercises as learning to read has been recently regarded as one of the core educational objectives not for English

language learning only, but across all the subjects underpinning the curriculum as there are also texts to be comprehended.

However, in the previously known South African schools' classroom environment prior COVID-19 pandemic era, policy advocated for formation of learner groupings as learning and teaching has to be learner-centered and learner-paced, this being prescribed by the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) [4]. English language teachers, through this arrangement, would proudly report on escalating learner achievements that used to be paired up with improved reading proficiency levels. This makes us as authors of this manuscript to acknowledge the importance of group work. To our perception, working as groups when learning a language leads to a more effective and fun collaboration as learners with diverse learning styles and learning abilities are granted an opportunity to engage with others, thereby anticipating the comprehended text from diverse perspectives, yet promoting confidence levels and expanded listening, thinking, speaking, and writing skills. All these are regarded as the core language skills for language learning [5]. For learners to be successful, efficient, and effective scholars, these skills need to be mastered.

#### **2. Literature review**

Grouping of learners when studying a language has been proved to lead to progress and success in academic achievement [6]. Teamwork is of real importance as learners engaging in this manner were identified to have exhibited better achievement levels when compared with those who preferred to study or learn in a single-handed mode. Henceforth, there is a vital need for English language teachers to be quite conversant that indeed group work has some profits and therefore are expected to apply such strategy during the processes of teaching and learning.

On the other side, social distancing protocols emanating from COVID-19 regulations have resulted in schools being left with no other option than to disband the previously formulated classroom learner groupings [7]. One may ask himself, what then has the current state of the existing new normal put primary school language teachers together with the learners as recipients in the teaching-learning process, as previously been observed by the authors that this cohort of teachers has full confidence for language development when comprehending texts is handled not in an individual perspective, but by learners specifically arranged as groups to interact, engage, thereby learning as peers. Furthermore, learners in the studied schools got intimidated by the abrupt changes in the schooling situation more so that learning English language, being unfamiliar hence not their home language, needs to be nurtured. By so doing, learners would then value own cultural heritages attached to obtaining valued experience in English language [8].

As an operational method to inspire active learning, for communication skills joined mutually with critical thinking, there is a need to encourage group work among learners [9]. On the other side, literature reveals that the current situation across all environments due to the COVID-19 regulations has brought about some negative effects resulting in stress from loss of peer interaction with regard to academic content as learners are no longer denied access to practice the so-called previously known normality of either sitting as groups or as pairs in a classroom setting, as a way of responding to the constraints of social distancing observance [7, 10]. This current state of affairs is declared similar to the period when there was once some disturbance in the schooling mode of behavior. There emerged an influenza first perceived in the United States, then later swiftly blew out across the entire countries of the world. As reported by the public health schools in such

#### *Social Distancing Disbanding Learner Groupings: A Case on Language Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104893*

communities had to be closed down due to the influenza pandemic [11]. The schooling situation or practices by then were declared to have slightly changed as all inhabitants were expected to give full observance of the prescribed instructions by the then governmental officials.

Furthermore, as learners actively engage in group work, they obtain chances to express own opinions and ideas. As deliberations reach climax within a specific group of learners, critical thinking and robust discussion are also improved [12]. When learners' critical thinking and engagement skills are improved, problemsolving is then enhanced, together with improved communication skills, consequently leading to an enriched cultural awareness [13]. Such improved skills would be eminent as learners would have learnt to listen at others' opinions, then providing feedback. As this entire exercise is carried out, one would notice that learners forming a single group originate from dissimilar linguistic constituencies, different backgrounds, diverse cultures yet with varying learning styles, as such, at their early ages, learners then learn to have respect for each unique individual.

This manuscript is strengthened by Guskey's model of teacher change [14]. A model of teacher change has been used for this investigation pertaining to changes currently championing the education system, as brought about by the COVID-19 etiquettes that need to be observed by all individuals around the country [15]. The framework further portrays ecological changes in consideration of the attitudes and beliefs toward teaching and learning, as is the case in the current schooling situation. Previously, teachers strongly believed that for an operational and functional language development in learners, better results used to be eminent when learners were grouped, yet the current situation has resulted on learner groupings being disbanded.

With respect to the main objective of this chapter, authors opine that for learners to comprehend any text with understanding, there is a dire requirement for a combined practice between the text itself and learners brainstorming as a group. To uplift and motivate this notion, language teachers are therefore anticipated as the ones to constantly allocate reading tasks to learners in the form of groups, irrespective of whether during the normal classroom environment, or for tasks assigned as take-home activities. If English language teachers would embark in this practice, language proficiency among learners would surely be enhanced as perceived by the authors [16]. Teachers therefore are regarded as the core recipients to ensure language enhancement in learners, as suggested by the theory underpinning this manuscript [14]. Innovative reading skills, ease at comprehending with text, and upgraded language skills would then emerge, therefore leading to academic excellence as the greatest percentage of the subjects buttressing the curriculum in the schools investigated are offered in the English medium.
