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A multicultural learning situation brings with it a number of challenges that need to be overcome to create an effective learning environment for every student. These include aspects such as communication: it is important that language is not a barrier to learning; learning preferences: the manner in which learners understand and retain information differs and their perspective also differs depending on background experience; social values: values differ from culture to culture and it is important that no one person's values are disregarded. One way to overcome these challenges is to implement cooperative learning and peer tutoring into the classroom situation.

An Overview of Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning has undergone many research trials in order to ascertain its effectiveness. In the vast majority of studies it is evident that cooperative learning has a positive impact on many aspects of the learning experience.

Cooperative learning is optimal when the class is divided into groups of between three and five learners of varying ability, temperament, culture and gender to enable learners to interact with different people. A specific goal is set out for the group to achieve and they are told that each person's contribution is considered in the achievement of the goal. This is to ensure that no individual is carried by the others in the group.

Positive interdependence is encouraged which means that each person in the group must help the others to overcome problems and complete tasks. This must not, however, detract from individual accountability. Each person in the group is assigned a specific task to complete in order to attain the goal, thus if any one person in the group does not contribute, the assignment cannot be completed. From this perspective it is important to teach learners the skills of decision making, leadership, good communication and conflict management. Conflict can be constructive if it encourages the learners to regroup and find more definitive information; it can be destructive if learners are unwilling to change their opinion on a matter.

The role of the Teacher

It is the teacher's job to guide and facilitate the learning process. This infers that the teacher is required to provide the necessary resources, or access to them, a brief for the task to be completed and the assessment requirements. The teacher then needs to step back and adopt an observer's position, to encourage the learners, where possible, to sort out any challenges between

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