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.
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
Research Objectives & Topics
The primary aim of this work is to examine the dichotomies between explicit and implicit teaching, as well as deductive and inductive teaching, with a specific focus on the pedagogical implications for grammar instruction in EFL classrooms.
- Theoretical framework of explicit and implicit knowledge and their interface
- Distinction between form-focused and meaning-focused instruction
- Comparative analysis of deductive and inductive teaching methods
- Implementation of pedagogical models like PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production)
- Analysis of empirical studies and practical lesson design
Extract from the Dissertation
1. Defining Explicit and Implicit Teaching
The research area dealing with instructional treatments in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is characterized by the dichotomy of two umbrella terms for the actual definition of instruction. According to Norris and Ortega the term explicit instruction (2000: 437) means that "rule explanation comprised part of the instruction... or if learners were directly asked to attend to particular forms and try to arrive at metalinguistic generalizations on their own" (ibid.). On the other hand, the term "implicit instruction refers to treatments without rule presentations or directions to attend to particular target forms" (ibid.).
The history of research in what type of instructional procedure is the most beneficial for learners of a foreign or second language (FLL) has produced different and also contradicting views. Generally speaking, the aims of instruction in second language learning/ acquisition consider the "internalization of new L2 features and processes of modification and consolidation of L2 knowledge." (De Graaff and Housen 2009: 731).
De Graaff and Housen refer to Krashen’s theory that instructional treatment will not increase or accelerate the acquisition of a second language because instruction only enhances the formation of "explicit knowledge" (2009: 732), whereas the "implicit knowledge" (ibid.) is not affected by any sort of instruction (ibid.). Second language acquisition functions rather the same way as first language acquisition, through primary exposure to the target language (ibid.). Therefore, instruction on grammar rules does not show great effects regarding communication and language production abilities (Ellis, 2006: 85).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of the interest in grammar teaching and the core research focus on explicit versus implicit and deductive versus inductive approaches in EFL contexts.
1. Defining Explicit and Implicit Teaching: Analyzes the dichotomy between these two instructional modes and discusses their respective roles in second language acquisition based on established theories.
2. The Interface Hypotheses: Examines the theoretical relationship between explicit and implicit knowledge, specifically covering non-interface, weak-interface, and strong-interface positions.
3. Form-focused instruction vs meaning-focused grammar instruction: Compares approaches that prioritize grammatical accuracy against those focusing on communicative context and authentic language use.
4. Explicit Instruction: Reviews empirical evidence supporting explicit instruction and investigates the core components necessary for its effectiveness in language learning.
5. The Target Structure: Discusses the criteria for selecting grammar structures for instruction, focusing on complexity, scope, reliability, and pedagogical feasibility.
6. Deductive vs. Inductive Grammar Teaching: Contrasts the historically common deductive method with inductive approaches and examines their practical applications in the classroom.
7. PPP: Presentation, Practice and Production: Explores the traditional PPP methodological model and its relevance within contemporary communicative language teaching.
8. Empirical studies on Deductive and Inductive Teaching: Summarizes various studies comparing teaching methods, highlighting the difficulties in standardizing empirical research outcomes.
9. Sample lessons: Presents practical, designed sample lessons for both deductive and inductive teaching strategies applied to comparative adjectives.
9.1 Introduction and Presentation: Outlines the initial phase of the sample lesson, focusing on setting the context and introducing the grammar point.
9.2 Practice Stage: Details the controlled practice activities designed to facilitate the transition of knowledge into long-term memory.
9.3 Consolidation stage: Focuses on reinforcing acquired competencies and checking learner progress through intermediate tasks.
9.4 Production stage: Explains the final stage where learners autonomously apply the target structure in varied communicative contexts.
9.5 Inductive lesson: Describes the specific design features of an inductive lesson plan that encourages learners to infer rules independently.
10. Conclusion: Evaluates the learner-centered methods discussed and suggests potential directions for further research in the field of grammar teaching.
Keywords
Second Language Acquisition, Grammar Teaching, Explicit Instruction, Implicit Instruction, Deductive Approach, Inductive Approach, Form-Focused Instruction, Communicative Language Teaching, PPP Model, Target Structure, Language Proficiency, Interface Hypothesis, Pedagogical Complexity, Learner-Centered Methods, Empirical Evidence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation explores the efficiency and effectiveness of different grammar teaching methods in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms, specifically contrasting explicit and implicit instructional treatments.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the interface between explicit and implicit knowledge, the distinction between form-focused and meaning-focused instruction, and the practical implementation of deductive and inductive teaching strategies.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The aim is to identify how language teachers can effectively integrate grammar instruction to help learners achieve proficiency, supported by theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence.
Which scientific methods are analyzed?
The work analyzes both deductive approaches (explicit rule presentation followed by practice) and inductive approaches (guided discovery and rule inference) within the context of Communicative Language Teaching.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the theoretical background (Interface Hypotheses), reviews meta-studies by researchers like Norris, Ortega, Spada, and Tomita, and provides detailed sample lessons and their analyses.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
The study is characterized by terms such as Second Language Acquisition, Explicit Instruction, PPP Model, Deductive/Inductive teaching, and Form-focused instruction.
How does the author define the "weak interface position"?
The author defines it as the position that explicit knowledge can facilitate the development of implicit knowledge, provided the learner is actively engaged and at a suitable developmental stage.
What significance do the sample lessons hold for this research?
The sample lessons serve as practical examples demonstrating how theoretical concepts of comparative adjective teaching can be translated into deductive and inductive classroom activities.
- Citar trabajo
- Philipp Jacobs (Autor), 2017, How to teach grammar in EFL classes. Explicit versus implicit and deductive versus inductive teaching, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/539804
