Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data : An Examination of the Findings of the Types of Problem-Solving Activities in English FAL Classrooms

Problem-solving is a process--an on-going activity in which we take what we know to discover what we don't know. It involves overcoming obstacles by generating hypo-theses, testing those predictions, and arriving at satisfactory solutions. Problem-solving involves three basic functions: Seeking information, Generating new knowledge and Making decisions. Problem-solving activities involving problem-solving are designed to help learners develop responsibility for their own learning, starting from a low level of responsibility and then taking on a systematic and gradual approach as asserted in Scharle & Szabo. They can be easily integrated into regular lessons, since each activity serves a clear linguistic purpose as well as promoting more general learner development. The activities are also designed to develop a comprehensive range of skills and attitudes, including "developing learner strategies, monitoring learning processes, establishing self-evaluation, promoting motivation and developing co-operation". The findings of the research revealed that educators experience many challenges in terms of teaching the implementation of problem-solving strategies so that the learners can understand the concepts and lesson content and use problem-solving skills. The ultimate goal should be set to get the learners apply them in their learning through the set tasks and activities. Through the interviews conducted with the educators on the use of the problem-solving activities, it was found that four out of six educators had knowledge of the problem-solving strategies; therefore, they were able to teach the learners through the various problem-solving strategies.