The aim of this work is to examine the areas of explicit versus implicit teaching and deductive and inductive teaching, with a focus on teaching grammar in EFL classes. Over the past 20 years and more, a great deal of interest has been paid to grammar teaching in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) and ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. Much of the research has been into which methods and approaches offer the learners the greatest opportunities to learn the target language. However, according to Motha, "[O]pinions on the right approach to learning a language differ as widely as the languages themselves". This helps to describe the discussion that this work covers.
In Section 1, the dichotomy between explicit and implicit teaching is analyzed by investigating the effectiveness of either approach. Section 2 covers an existing interface between explicit and implicit knowledge and presents the three dominant concepts. Section 3 continues with a comparison between grammar teaching approaches that includes a "focus on form" and a "focus on meaning" with the overall aim of connecting these two distinct terms in order to discuss the theory and related practice for language teachers to refer to while planning their lessons.
Section 4 presents empirical evidence from two meta-studies by Norris and Ortega and Spada and Tomita, arguing in favor of explicit over implicit instruction. When considering how grammar is to be taught both efficiently and effectively, the underlying target structure and its theoretical characteristics need to be taken into account in determining whether or not this specific structure is a suitable to be either explicitly or implicitly taught. Section 5 discusses several aspects that are related to the target structure. Grammar can be taught, for example, through deductive or inductive teaching methods. Therefore, these two concepts are introduced in Section 6 and 7 as is the PPP- model as an example of deductive teaching (and which is further discussed in Section 9). Section 8 analyzes empirical data of several studies which have investigated the effectiveness of deductive and inductive grammar teaching. The results, as is demonstrated, are contradictory because of differences in terms of measurement, underlying target structure and/or the participants.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1. Defining Explicit and Implicit Teaching
- 2. The Interface Hypotheses
- 3. Form-focused instruction vs meaning-focused grammar instruction
- 4. Explicit Instruction
- 5. The Target Structure
- 6. Deductive vs. Inductive Grammar Teaching
- 7. PPP: Presentation, Practice and Production
- 8. Empirical studies on Deductive and Inductive Teaching
- 9. Sample lessons
- 9.1 Introduction and Presentation
- 9.2 Practice Stage
- 9.3 Consolidation stage
- 9.4 Production stage
- 9.5 Inductive lesson
- 10. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This dissertation explores the effectiveness of different approaches to grammar teaching in EFL contexts, specifically focusing on the dichotomy between explicit and implicit teaching and the methods of deductive and inductive instruction. The primary objective is to examine the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of these approaches, considering the potential benefits and limitations of each method.- The interplay between explicit and implicit knowledge in language acquisition
- The effectiveness of explicit vs. implicit instruction in grammar teaching
- The role of target structure in determining the suitability of teaching methods
- The comparison of deductive and inductive grammar teaching approaches
- The practical application of theoretical concepts in designing and delivering effective grammar lessons
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the dissertation by outlining the significance of grammar teaching in EFL and ESL contexts. It highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the most effective teaching methods and introduces the key areas of focus for the research.
- 1. Defining Explicit and Implicit Teaching: This chapter delves into the definition of explicit and implicit instruction, exploring their respective roles in language acquisition. It examines the history of research in this area and discusses the contrasting views on the effectiveness of each approach.
- 2. The Interface Hypotheses: This chapter examines the existing interface between explicit and implicit knowledge, presenting the three dominant concepts. It explores the role of both types of knowledge in language development and highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of their relationship.
- 3. Form-focused instruction vs meaning-focused grammar instruction: This chapter compares two distinct approaches to grammar teaching: "focus on form" and "focus on meaning." It aims to connect these two concepts and provide teachers with theoretical frameworks for planning their lessons.
- 4. Explicit Instruction: This chapter examines empirical evidence from meta-studies that support the use of explicit instruction in grammar teaching. It argues that explicit instruction can be more effective than implicit instruction in certain situations, particularly when teaching complex structures.
- 5. The Target Structure: This chapter discusses the importance of considering the target structure when choosing a teaching method. It highlights the need to understand the theoretical characteristics of specific grammatical structures and how they influence the effectiveness of explicit or implicit teaching.
- 6. Deductive vs. Inductive Grammar Teaching: This chapter introduces deductive and inductive grammar teaching methods and their respective strengths and weaknesses. It discusses how these methods can be implemented in the classroom and provides examples of their practical application.
- 7. PPP: Presentation, Practice and Production: This chapter focuses on the PPP model as an example of deductive grammar teaching. It discusses the rationale behind this model and provides practical guidance for teachers on how to implement it effectively.
- 8. Empirical studies on Deductive and Inductive Teaching: This chapter analyzes empirical data from studies investigating the effectiveness of deductive and inductive grammar teaching. It examines the contradictory findings and discusses the factors that influence the outcome of these studies.
- 9. Sample lessons: This chapter presents sample lessons designed to illustrate the practical application of theoretical concepts. It showcases how deductive and inductive grammar teaching can be effectively implemented in a foreign language classroom.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work examines key concepts in the field of grammar teaching in EFL, focusing on explicit and implicit instruction, deductive and inductive teaching methods, target structure analysis, and the relationship between form-focused and meaning-focused instruction. It explores the theoretical underpinnings of these concepts and provides practical applications for teachers, aiming to contribute to the ongoing debate about the most effective approaches to grammar teaching in EFL contexts.- Arbeit zitieren
- Philipp Jacobs (Autor:in), 2017, How to teach grammar in EFL classes. Explicit versus implicit and deductive versus inductive teaching, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/539804
