Explicit Grammar Teaching

Recent research has highlighted the fact that explicit focus on language forms including explicit grammar instruction is likely to direct learners’ attention to pertinent grammatical structures and can result in their grammar structure noticing and acquisition. This study examined contextualized the explicit grammar teaching method in school. In this research 160 learners and eight teachers took part. The study was carried out in two different contexts (online and in-person). There were four experimental groups (n=80), and four control groups (n=80). The contextualized explicit grammar teaching method was employed as the treatment for the experimental groups. Contextualized grammar practices were provided using different images, videos, and copies. Explicit grammar exercises were also available at the conclusion of every instructional session. The control groups did not receive the treatment but received implicit grammar instruction instead. A quasi-experimental and a qualitative method were employed. A pre-test, three post-tests, and an unstructured interview were conducted. The data analysis was carried out using SPSS 24 software. The increased performance of the experimental groups on the post-test revealed the effectiveness of the treatment. The unstructured interview uncovered the observed differences between the teachers in teaching contextualized explicit grammar in online versus in-person classes. It was argued that the improvement in learners’ grammar learning in the experimental groups stemmed from the utility of explicit contextualized grammar instruction for empowering them to notice the functions of the examined structures and to relate them to their background knowledge.  The findings of this study can aid teachers in choosing a suitable instructional approach that can assist learners’ accuracy in writing.