A study on teaching English grammar to sixth grade students at Ngo Quyen secondary school = Nghiên cứu việc dạy ngữ pháp tiếng Anh cho học sinh lớp sáu tại trườ

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES





MAI ANH



A STUDY ON TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TO SIXTH
GRADE STUDENTS AT NGO QUYEN SECONDARY SCHOOL

NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC DẠY NGỮ PHÁP TIẾNG ANH
CHO HỌC SINH LỚP SÁU TẠI TRƯỜNG
PHỔ THÔNG TRUNG HỌC NGÔ QUYỀN


M.A MINOR THESIS

Major: English language teaching methodology
Code: 60.14.10



HANOI – 2012
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

MAI ANH


A STUDY ON TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TO SIXTH
GRADE STUDENTS AT NGO QUYEN SECONDARY SCHOOL

NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC DẠY NGỮ PHÁP TIẾNG ANH
CHO HỌC SINH LỚP SÁU TẠI TRƯỜNG
PHỔ THÔNG TRUNG HỌC NGÔ QUYỀN

M.A MINOR THESIS

Major: English language teaching methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Supervisor: LÂM THỊ PHÚC HÂN, M.A




HANOI – 2012
iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION………………………………………………………………………i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………….………… ii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………… iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………….… iv
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS ……………………… ……………….…… viii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………………… ,,,,ix
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study ……………………………………………………… 1
2. Aims of the study ………………………………………………………… 2
3. Research questions …………………………………………………………. 2
4. Scope of the study ………………………………………………………… 2
5. Significance of the study …………………………………………………… 3
6. Method of the study ………………………………………………………… 3
7. Design of he study …………………………………………………………. 3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Definitions of grammar ………………………………………………… 5
1.2. Role of grammar in foreign language teaching and learning …………… 6
1.3. Explicit and implicit knowledge ………………………………………… 8
1.3.1. Explicit knowledge …………………… …………………… 8
1.3.2. Implicit knowledge ………………… ……………………… 9
1.4. Three approaches in grammar presentation …………………………… 10
1.4.1. Deductive approach …………………………………………. 10
1.4.2. Inductive approach ……………………… ……………….… 11
1.4.3. Communicative approach …………… …………………… 12
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1.5. Factors affecting language acquisition ……………………………… ….13
1.5.1. Internal factors …………………… ……………………… 13
1.5.1.1. Students‘ anxiety …… …………………………… 13
1.5.1.2. Motivation ………………………………….…….… 14

1.5.2. External factors …………………………… ……………… 14
1.5.2.1. Learning context …………………………………… 14
1.5.2.2. Teacher‘s methodology …………………………… 15
1.5.2.3. Classroom atmosphere …………………………… 15
1.5.2.4. Materials ………….……………….……………… 16
1.6. Summary ……………………………….….… ……………………… 17
CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY
2.1. Research setting ………………………….……………………………… 18
2.1.1. An overview of Ngo Quyen Secondary School ……………… 18
2.1.2. The teachers‘ background and their teaching conditions ………… 18
2.1.3. The students of English ……………… …………………………. 19
2.2. Methodology ……………………………… …………………………… 20
2.2.1. Research questions ……………… …………….………………… 20
2.2.2. Subjects of the study ……………………………….……….…… 20
2.2.3. Data collection instruments ………………………… …………… 21
2.2.3.1. The questionnaire …………………………… ……… 21
2.2.3.2. The classroom observation ……………….……………….….22
2.2.4. Data collection procedures ……………………………………… 22
2.2.5. Data analysis ……………………………….……………………… 23
2.3. Summary ……………………………….……………………………… 23
CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Results from the questionnaire for students … ………………………… 24
3.1.1. The students‘ awareness of the importance of grammar in learning
English……………………………………………………………………………24
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3.1.2. Students‘ evaluation on difficulties in learning English grammar … 24
3.1.3. The students‘ frequency in learning English grammar after the lessons at
school …………………………………………………………… … 25
3.1.4. Time for learning English compared with other subjects ……………. 26

3.1.5. Students‘ evaluations of the grammar teaching in the Language Focus
Lessons ……………………………….…………………………… 26
3.1.6. The students‘ learning styles ………………………………………. 27
3.1.7. The students‘ assessment of the grammar exercises in the textbook 28
3.1.8. The students‘ difficulties and the causes for those difficulties in learning
English gramma……………………………… ……………….…… 29
3.1.9. Students‘ preference for the teachers‘ grammar presentation
approaches……………………………………………………………………… 31
3.1.10. Students‘ favourite practice activities ………………… ………… 32
3.1.11. Student‘s expectation for a better and more effective grammar
lesson……………………………………………………………………………… 33
3.2. Results from the questionnaire for teachers ……… …………………… 34
3.2.1. The teachers‘ awareness of the performance of grammar in teaching
English ……………………………… ………………………………… 34
3.2.2. The teachers‘ methods of teaching grammar …………………… 34
3.2.2.1. Teachers‘ methods of presenting grammar …………… ………… 34
3.2.2.2. Teachers‘ ways of giving grammar instructions …………………… 35
3.2.1.3. Teachers‘ grammar practice activities …………… ……………… 35
3.2.1.4. Teachers‘ techniques of dealing with the students‘ errors … …… 36
3.2.1.5. Factors affecting the way teachers teach grammar …… ……… 37
3.2.2. Difficulties in teaching grammar as perceived by the teachers … 38
3.3. Results from class observation ……………… …… ………………… 39
3.4. Summary …………………………… ………………………………… 40
CHAPTER 4: MAJOR FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
vii

4.1. Major findings ………………………………………… ……………… 42
4.1.1. Teacher‘s and students‘ attitude towards the teaching of grammar… 42
4.1.2. Teacher‘s performance in Language Focus lessons ………… …… 42
4.1.3. Difficulties the teacher face when teaching grammar ……………… 42

4.2. Recommendations ……………… ……………………………………… 43
4.2.1. For teachers………….……………………………………………… 43
4.2.1.1. Adapting and improving grammar materials …………… …43
4.2.1.2. Improving teachers‘ methods ……………………… …… 43
4.2.1.3. Helping students to be confident ………………………… 44
4.2.1.4. Guiding students‘ home revision ………………………… 45
4.2.1.5. Building a rapport with the class ………………………… 45
4.2.2. For students ……………… ……………………………………… 45
4.2.2.1. Being aware of grammar …… ……………………… …45
4.2.2.2. Cooperating with teacher and students ……… ……… 45
4.2.2.3. Practising and revising…… …………………………… 46
4.2.2.4. Learning from mistakes …………… ………………… 46
4.3. Summary …………………………………………… ………………… 46
PART C: CONCLUSION .
1. Summary of the study ……………………………………….……………… 48
2. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further study ……….……… 48
REFERENCES ………………………………………… … ……………… 50
APPENDICES…………………… ……………………………………………… I
Appendix 1: Survey questionnaire for the teachers …………… ………….…… I
Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for the students ……………… ….… … VI
Appendix 3: Class observation checklist 1-4 ………………….……………… …X


viii

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

Table 1: Students‘ awareness of the importance of grammar in learning English
Table 2: Students‘ evaluation on difficulties in learning the 6
th

grade English grammar
Table 3: the students‘ evaluation of the grammar lessons at school
Table 4: Ways of learning English grammar
Table 5: Students‘ level of difficulties in learning English grammar
Table 6: Reasons for difficulties in learning English grammar
Table 7: Students‘ preference for the teachers‘ grammar presentation approaches
Table 8: Students‘ favourite grammar practice activities
Table 9: Suggestions for learning grammar better and more effective
Table 10: The teachers‘ awareness of the importance of grammar in teaching English
Table 11: Teachers‘ methods of presenting grammar
Table 12: Teachers‘ ways of giving grammar instructions
Table 13: Teachers‘ grammar practice activities – Frequency of use
Table 14: Teachers‘ techniques of dealing with students‘ errors
Table 15: Factors influencing the way the teachers teach grammar
Table 16: Teachers‘ difficulties in teaching grammar

Chart 1: The students‘ frequency in learning grammar after the lessons at school
Chart 2: Time for learning English compared with other
Chart 3: Students‘ level of understanding of grammar structures presented in the L.F
lessons
Chart 4: The students‘ assessment of the grammar exercises in the textbook



ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
MOET: Ministry of Education and Training
L.F: Language Focus

1

PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study
It cannot be denied that English has nowadays become a common means of
communication of human being all over the world. Integrating into that trend of the
global integration, Vietnam has been more and more active to train active and dynamic
Vietnamese, who can use English fluently for communicative purposes. That is the
reason why in 2002, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has set out new
aims for English language teaching for secondary education as well as introduced new
series of English textbooks from grade 6 to grade 12.
The new English textbooks for high school students are divided into two sets:
the advanced and the standard. They are claimed to adopt the latest teaching and
learning approaches: communicative approach and learner-centered approach and aim
at developing both language skills and language knowledge for students. Each unit in
the new English textbooks consists of five parts: Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing
and Language Focus, among which the Language Focus sections are to consolidate
students‘ pronunciation and grammar.
Since their nation-wide implementation in the school year 2006-2007, a great
deal of research has been carried out to evaluate these new textbooks as well as to find
out how these textbooks are actually implemented or the difficulties that teachers and
students at high schools have to face when teaching and learning by the new textbooks.
However, most of these studies have dealt with the teaching and learning of the four
language skills which are believed to be new for both teachers and students. There is
still a lack of research on the teaching and learning of language elements in the
Language Focus part. More importantly, the question whether teachers actually teach
grammar communicatively or in the traditional methods has not been answered yet.
Therefore, it is necessary to carry out more research on how teachers and students
teach and learn grammar in the actual classroom.
2

Moreover, after ten years of teaching English by the new English textbooks at
Ngo Quyen Secondary School, the researcher observed that the teachers and learners
there faced a number of difficulties not only in teaching and learning the four language
skills but also in teaching and learning grammar during the Language Focus lessons.
Stimulated by the above reasons, the researcher has decided to conduct this
study. It is hoped that this study will discover the reality of teaching and learning
grammar in Language Focus lessons at Ngo Quyen Secondary School in order to
contribute some immediate solutions.
2. Aims of the study
The aim of this study is to examine the current teaching and learning of
grammar in Language Focus lessons using the new standard textbook English 6 at Ngo
Quyen Secondary School.
In order to achieve the aim, the study seeks to find out:
(1) The teachers‘ and students‘ perceptions on the importance of grammar teaching
and learning
(2) The teachers‘ performance in the Language Focus lessons
(3) The teachers‘ difficulties in teaching grammar in the Language Focus lessons
(4) Solution to overcome the difficulties in teaching grammar.
3. Research questions:
To achieve the aim and objectives of the study, the following research questions were
proposed:
1. How do the teachers and the students at Ngo Quyen Secondary School operate
the process of English grammar teaching and learning?
2. What are the difficulties the teachers encounter in teaching English grammar in
the language Focus lessons in ―Tieng Anh 6‖ as perceived by the teachers and
students?
4. Scope of the study
3

As mentioned earlier, there are two sets of the new English textbooks for grade
6: the advanced and the standard sets. This study is only aimed at investigating the
reality of teaching and learning grammar in Language Focus lessons in the standard
set.
This study is limited to the teaching and learning reality with regard to teaching
and learning grammar in Language Focus lessons. The investigation of teaching and
learning language skills and pronunciation will be beyond the scope of this study.
This study is a detailed survey at Ngo Quyen Secondary School in Hai Phong.
Therefore, the findings of the study are not intended to be generalized to other school
contexts. Indeed the findings may not apply beyond the actual participants in this
particular study.
5. Significance of the study
This study helps to identify the problems of teaching grammar in the Language
Focus of the new English 6 and suggests ways of improving them; therefore, it is
hoped that this study will be beneficial in many ways. First, participants in the study
(the teachers and the learners at Ngo Quyen Secondary School) will benefit
immediately from the experience of reflection. Secondly, the findings of the study will
contribute information to textbook writers and educators to determine curricula and
program direction.
6. Method of the study
The study was designed to use both quantitative and qualitative methods. Then,
various instruments were used to collect the data for the study, which are:
- survey questionnaires to investigate the teachers‘ and students‘ attitudes towards
grammar, teacher‘s teaching habits and their difficulties in teaching grammar in
Language Focus lessons.
- class observations to get information about both the teachers‘ methods of teaching
grammar in the classroom and students‘ attitude and response to grammar teaching.
7. Design of the study
4

The study is divided into three parts: Introduction, Development and
Conclusion.
The Introduction presents an overview of the study including the rationale,
aims, scope, significance, methodology and design of the study.
The major part of the study, the Development, is divided into three chapters.
Chapter one provides theoretical background for the study. Chapter two presents the
methodology of the study and the last chapter is devoted to analyzing and discussing
the findings of the study.
The Conclusion part provides a brief summary of the findings in
correspondence with the four proposed research questions as well as offering some
recommendations for better grammar teaching and learning. The limitations of and
suggestions for further study are also discussed in this chapter.
Besides, the survey questionnaire for the teachers and students, the classroom
observation transcripts and the survey transcripts are included in the Appendices.














5

PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1. Definition of Grammar
Although the term ―grammar‖ is very familiar to many people, it is defined
differently by different people.
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (cited in Harmer: 1987:1)
defines grammar as ―the study and practice of the rules by which words change their
forms and are combined into sentences‖. From this definition, readers can see that there
are two basic elements to which attention should be paid: the rules of grammar, and the
study and practice of the rules.
According to Nunan (2003:154) ―Grammar is a set of rules specifying the correct
words at the sentence level‖. This definition represents a typical prescriptive grammar
view. It lays down the law, saying what is right and what is wrong.
Richards, Platt, and Platt (1992) in their Longman Dictionary of Language
Teaching & Applied Linguistics define grammar as: ―Grammar is a description of the
structure of a language and the way in which linguistic units such as words and phrases
are combined to produce sentences in the language. It usually takes into account the
meanings and functions these sentences have in overall system of the language. It may
or may not include the description of the sound of a language‖ (p.161).
All the ideas mentioned above agree on a point that grammar is a set of rules which
form words and make sentences from words. However, Widdowson (1990:81) claims
that ―Grammar is not just a collection of sentence patterns signifying nonsense,
something for the learners‘ brain to puzzle over‖. For Widdowson, grammar means the
relationship between three things: grammar, words, and context. In other words,
grammar should be viewed as linguistic rules functioning in alliance with words and
context for the achievement of meaning.
6

Thornburry (1999) viewed grammar as the relationship between three things:

grammar, words and contexts. He claims that ―when we process language we are not
only trying to make sense of the words and the grammar, we are also trying to infer the
speaker‘s (or writer‘s) intention‖ (p. 6).
How grammar is defined is very important since it will influence the way grammar
is to be taught. For purpose of this study, I use the definition stated by Richards, Platt,
and Platt (1992) in their Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching & Applied
Linguistics.
1.2. The role of grammar in foreign language teaching and learning
Grammar is the sound, structure, and meaning system of language. All languages have
grammar, and each language has its own grammar. People who speak the same
language are able to communicate because they intuitively know the grammar system
of that language that is, the rules of making meaning. Students who are native speakers
of English already know English grammar. They recognize the sounds of English
words, the meanings of those words, and the different ways of putting words together
to make meaningful sentences.
However, while students may be effective speakers of English, they need guidance to
become effective writers. They need to learn how to transfer their knowledge of
grammatical concepts from oral language to written language.
Research strongly suggests that the most beneficial way of helping students improve
their command of grammar in writing is to use students' writing as the basis for
discussing grammatical concepts. Researchers agree that it is more effective to teach
punctuation, sentence variety, and usage in the context of writing than to approach the
topic by teaching isolated skills (Calkins, 1980; DiStefano and Killion, 1984; Harris,
1962).
Many linguists and researchers have given support to grammar instruction in ESL
teaching and learning. For example, the communicative competence model of Canale
and Swain (1980) clearly illustrates the significance of grammar. In this model,
7

grammar is viewed as one component of communicative competence. Without

grammar, learners can communicate effectively only in a limited number of situations.
Due to the fact that many language learners know the grammar rules of a
language well, but they cannot communicate effectively in that language (Hinkel &
Fotos, 2002), several scholars do not believe that grammar teaching will have any
impact on communicative purposes and therefore neglect it. Prabhu (1987), for
example, believes that development of competence requires the creation of conditions
in which learner engage in an effort to cope with communication, not a systematization
of planned grammatical input.
The strongest advocate of this view is Krashen (1983, 1987), who is famous for
his learning and acquisition hypothesis and his Monitor theory. Based on his learning
and acquisition hypothesis, Krashen argues that from learning the learners obtain
conscious knowledge of grammar which is not responsible for actual L2 performance.
On the other hand, acquisition is the underlying process which is responsible for the
actual performance and this can only happen unconsciously through natural exposure
to comprehensible inputs. What‘s more, according to his Monitor theory, consciously-
learned grammar can only function as monitoring and monitoring overuse will only
disturb the flow of production. Consequently, this grow-up holds that formal and
conscious study of grammar should be strongly rejected if the objective of learning the
language is productive competence. However, Krashen has received many strong
criticisms from other researchers as his acquisition theory seems to be merely based on
his own observation without supporting evidence.
According to Smith (2001:15), if teachers neither pay attention to grammar nor
create opportunities for learners to improve grammar, learners are likely to stand the
risk of fossilization or reach a point where they can cope with level of communication
that is demanded of them by making use of their existing grammatical resources and
communication strategies and probably with sufficient fluency. It is sure that, they do
not see the importance of developing their linguistic abilities any further.
8

In conclusion, grammar plays a very important role in language teaching, even

though there was a time when grammar was severely rejected, but as Richards (2002)
says, in recent years grammar teaching has regained its rightful place in the language
teaching and ―grammar is too important to be ignored‖ (p. 145). The debate is now not
on whether grammar competence is important but rather on how to teach grammar.
Therefore, the rest of this chapter is devoted to presenting two core approaches to
grammar teaching and critically looking into the teaching of grammar using some
major teaching methods.
1.3. Explicit or implicit knowledge
The statement "grammar teaching should be implicit, not explicit" could be argued
both for and against. Whether to teach grammar as an extracted focus of English
Language Teaching or more passively as an inductive, integral topic has been the
theme of countless debates on the part of institutions, professors, grammarians and
language researchers for decades. Grammar is the branch of linguistics dealing with the
form and structure of words or morphology, and their interrelation in sentences, called
syntax. The study of grammar reveals how language works, an important aspect in both
English acquisition and learning. In order to have a deep understanding of language
acquisition, it is necessary to master the perception of explicit and implicit knowledge.
1.3.1. Explicit knowledge
According to Ellis (2004), in a practical definition, explicit knowledge deals with
language and the uses to which language can be put. This knowledge facilitates the
intake and development of implicit language, and it is useful to monitor language
output. Explicit knowledge is generally accessible through controlled processing. In
short, it is conscious knowledge of grammatical rules learned through formal
classroom instruction. In this respect, a person with explicit knowledge knows about
language and the ability to articulate those facts in some way (Brown, 2007). For
instance, Achmad knows every rule about present tense, but he frequently makes
mistakes in speaking and writing. However, such knowledge is easy for him while
9

having time to think of the rule and apply it (that is, in the context of a grammar

exercise or a writing assignment). Thus, on the basis of Achmad‘s case, explicit
knowledge is learnable; for example, when grammatical items are given to learners,
they learn the items first in a controlled learning process. Explicit knowledge is also
obtained through the practice of error correction, which is thought to help learners
come to the correct mental representation of a rule. (Krashen, 1987).
1.3.2. Implicit knowledge
Implicit knowledge is automatic and easily accessed and provides a great
contribution to building communicative skills. Implicit knowledge is unconscious,
internalized knowledge of language that is easily accessed during spontaneous
language tasks, written or spoken (Brown, 2007). Implicit knowledge is gained in the
natural language learning process. It means that a person applies a certain grammatical
rule in the same way as a child who acquires her/ his first language (for example,
mother tongue). According to Brown (2007), the child implicitly learns aspects of
language (for example, phonological, syntactical, semantic, pragmatic rules for
language), but does not have access to an explanation of those rules explicitly. As an
example, Jack speaks and writes English with good use of present tense, although he
has no idea about the grammatical rule behind it. To sum up, implicit knowledge is
gained through a sub-conscious learning process. This is illustrated by the fact that
native speakers of a certain language do not always ―know‖ (consciously) the rules of
their language (Krashen, 1987).
1.4. Three approaches in grammar presentation
In presenting grammar, teachers should be aware that they teach grammar but not
teach about grammar or as Lewis (1986) states "language learning is more important
than language teaching". Besides, the main goal in grammar teaching is to enable
learners to achieve linguistic competence and to be able to use grammar as a tool or
resource in the comprehension and creation of oral and written discourse efficiently,
effectively, and appropriately according to the situation. Celce-Murcia and Hilles
10

(1988) are in agreement with Larsen-Freeman (1991) that grammar should never be

taught as an end in itself but always with reference to meaning, social function, or
discourse or a combination of these factors. In other words, teachers are required to
have knowledge of linguistics, because teaching grammar as meaning and discourse
entails a knowledge of syntax. As Fromkin et al.(1990:159) explain "syntactic
knowledge plays a role in determining when two non-identical sentences have the same
meaning and when they do not". Besides, a teacher's knowledge of pragmatics will
help learners to understand many aspects of language use such as social function.
Furthermore, teachers should teach learners to understand how language is used in
context and encourage them to use it in appropriate contexts as well. Broadly speaking,
in teaching grammar, there are three approaches that can be applied: deductive,
inductive and communicative approach.
1.4.1. Deductive approach
A deductive approach is derived from the notion that deductive reasoning works
from the general to the specific. In this case, rules, principles, concepts, or
theories are presented first, and then their applications are treated. In conclusion,
when we use deduction, we reason from general to specific principles.
Dealing with the teaching of grammar, the deductive approach can also be called
rule-driven learning. In such an approach, a grammar rule is explicitly presented to
students and followed by practice applying the rule. This approach has been the bread
and butter of language teaching around the world and still enjoys a monopoly in many
course books and self-study grammar books (Fortune, 1992). The deductive approach
maintains that a teacher teaches grammar by presenting grammatical rules, and then
examples of sentences are presented. Once learners understand rules, they are told to
apply the rules given to various examples of sentences. Giving the grammatical rules
means no more than directing learners‘ attention to the problem discussed. Eisenstein
(1987) suggests that with the deductive approach, learners be in control during practice
and have less fear of drawing an incorrect conclusion related to how the target
11

language is functioning. To sum up, the deductive approach commences with the

presentation of a rule taught and then is followed by examples in which the rule is
applied. In this regard, learners are expected to engage with it through the study and
manipulation of examples.
1.4.2. Inductive approach
An inductive approach comes from inductive reasoning stating that a reasoning
progression proceeds from particulars (that is, observations, measurements, or data) to
generalities (for example, rules, laws, concepts or theories) (Felder & Henriques,
1995). In short, when we use induction, we observe a number of specific instances and
from them infer a general principle or concept.
In the case of pedagogical grammar, most experts argue that the inductive
approach can also be called rule-discovery learning. It suggests that a teacher teach
grammar starting with presenting some examples of sentences. In this sense, learners
understand grammatical rules from the examples. The presentation of grammatical
rules can be spoken or written. Eisenstein (cited in Long & Richards, 1987) maintains
that the inductive approach tries to utilize the very strong reward value of bringing
order, clarity and meaning to experiences. This approach involves learners‘
participating actively in their own instruction. In addition, the approach encourages a
learner to develop her/his own mental set of strategies for dealing with tasks. In other
words, this approach attempts to highlight grammatical rules implicitly in which
the learners are encouraged to conclude the rules given by the teacher.
Of the two approaches above, which is best? This question relates to a long-
standing debate among language teachers in the context of English foreign language,
since the two have their own significance for particular learner progress. For example,
a study of various language learners shows that some learners achieve better in
deductive language classes; on the other hand, others perform better in more inductive
classes. This difference in cognitive styles may be associated with different
neurological mechanisms in learners (Eisenstein, 1987). Whether grammatical rules are
12

taught inductively or deductively relies upon certain structures, since some are more

amenable to a deductive approach, while others can be learned very well by an
inductive approach. To sum up, both deductive and inductive presentations can
successfully be applied depending on the cognitive style of the learner and the
language structure presented (Eisenstein, 1987; Brown, 2007).
1.4.3. Communicative approach
Communicative language teaching makes use of real-life situations that necessitate
communication. The teacher sets up a situation that students are likely to encounter in
real life. Unlike the audiolingual method of language teaching, which relies on
repetition and drills, the communicative approach can leave students in suspense as to
the outcome of a class exercise, which will vary according to their reactions and
responses. The real-life simulations change from day to day. Students' motivation to
learn comes from their desire to communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful
topics.
Margie S. Berns, an expert in the field of communicative language teaching, writes
in explaining Firth's view that "language is interaction; it is interpersonal activity and
has a clear relationship with society. In this light, language study has to look at the use
(function) of language in context, both its linguistic context (what is uttered before and
after a given piece of discourse) and its social, or situational, context (who is speaking,
what their social roles are, why they have come together to speak)" (Berns, 1984, p. 5).
Teachers in communicative classrooms will find themselves talking less and
listening more—becoming active facilitators of their students' learning (Larsen-
Freeman, 1986). Therefore, in teaching grammar, the teacher sets up the exercise, but
because the students' performance is the goal, the teacher must step back and observe,
sometimes acting as referee or monitor. A classroom during a communicative activity
is far from quiet, however. The students do most of the speaking, so in a grammar
lesson working in pairs of groups to discuss the grammar rules is likely to happen.
13

Because of the increased responsibility to participate, students may find they gain
confidence in using the target language in general. Students are more responsible

managers of their own learning (Larsen- Freeman, 1986) which facilitates students'
memory of grammar rules that they learn and practice in class.
1.5. Factors affecting language acquisition
Some students learn a new language more quickly and easily than others. This
simple fact is known by all who have themselves learned a second language or taught
those who are using their second language in school. Clearly, some language learners
are successful by virtue of their sheer determination, hard work and persistence.
However there are other crucial factors influencing success that are largely beyond the
control of the learner. These factors can be broadly categorized as internal and external.
It is their complex interplay that determines the speed and facility with which the new
language is learned.
1.5.1. Internal factors
Internal factors are those that the individual language learner brings with him or
her to the particular learning situation. These consist of students‘ anxiety and their
motivation.
1.5.1.1. Students’ anxiety
Anxiety, simply speaking, is a kind of troubled feeling in the mind. Spielberger
(1983:1) defines anxiety as ―the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension,
nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the automatic nervous system‖
(as cited in Brown (2007:161). More simply, it is associated with feelings of
uneasiness, frustration, self-doubt, apprehension or worry (Scovel, 1978:134). If the
students are afraid of losing face as making mistakes or being laughed at by other
students, they are certain to keep quiet and wait until they are required to speak in
English lessons.
In short, anxiety is obviously an important factor in the second language
acquisition. Therefore, language educators should strive to promote a non – threatening
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environment and have techniques to reduce students‘ anxiety like: creating a relaxed
and safe atmosphere for students, avoiding negative evaluation of students in

classrooms and comment on students‘ behaviors with more encouragement and taking
some measures to relax students‘ attention to exams or evaluation.

1.5.1.2. Motivation
The role of motivation in second language acquisition has been the subject of
extensive scholars, closely influenced by work in motivational psychology. Motivation
is a key factor to understand the student's affective state. A common problem
associated with motivation has been its conceptualization. There have been different
approaches and definitions of this construct, so it is difficult to compare results.
Harmer (1999:51) divides motivation into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is possessed by people having personal interest in doing
something. On the contrary, extrinsic motivation is caused by such outside factors, not
for their own sake, as the need to pass an exam or the hope of financial reward.
1.5.2. External factors
External factors are those that characterize the particular language learning
situation. They are learning context, teacher‘s methodology, classroom atmosphere and
materials.
1.5.2.1. Learning context
Davies and Pearse (2000: 63) state that ―an appropriate context helps learners begin
to understand the use of the item as well as its basic meaning. The item is associated
with a certain type of context or situation‖.
―If learners have to perform certain activities on unfamiliar structures in texts, there
is a good chance of retaining the structures. The activities comprise guessing meaning,
and the use from context and analysis of the forms to recognize relationships between
the new structure and the already known‖. (Hedge, 2000: 120)
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It is agreed that a new structure is better acquired not in an isolated form but in a
context or situation. Although a learner has grasped the form, use and meaning, a text
with the appearance of that structure will help deepen the structure in the learner‘s

mind.
1.5.2.2. Teacher’s methodology
The teacher‘s methodology refers to the approach or method and the teaching
techniques he uses in the classroom. Through the history we have experienced the
existence and development of many teaching methods that can be divided into two
types: teacher – centered and learner – centered methods. Traditional methods such as
the Grammar Translation Method, the Direct Method are teacher – centered ones which
mostly focus on grammatical and phonological accuracy. These techniques are choral
repetition, drilling substitution, content explanation and narrative presentation seem so
mechanical and simple that they will result in learners‘ passiveness and limit their
participation in learning. In the recent time, in the light of Communicative Language
Teaching, teacher‘s technique turn from teacher – centered method into learner –
centered method. The teaching techniques consist of games, pair work, group work,
etc. However, no teaching method is the best one as each one has its own advantages
and disadvantages. In order to apply a suitable teaching method, the teacher should
take some of the following factors into consideration including learners‘ level, interests
and purposes. Applying the appropriate method can have positive effects on students‘
learning and participation in classroom‘s activities.
1.5.2.3. Classroom atmosphere
Classroom atmosphere plays an important role in students‘ in language learning.
According to Underwood (1987:34-44), both students and teachers take the
responsibility for creating a good teaching and learning environment with the following
points:
- Balancing fluency and accuracy: The teacher should balance the encouragement
of fluency with the need for accuracy. If she focuses too much on accuracy, weaker
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students will be shy and reticent to practice. Then, they will lose the confidence in
showing their answers, and the gap between the weak students and other fellow
students become bigger.

- Using appropriate language: Classroom expressions are highly appreciated to be
used regularly in the class. However, the language should be clear, understandable and
it matches students‘ level.
- Giving encouragement: When students are trying their best to reach the goals,
the teacher should give an appropriate comment to encourage them. A comment like
―Good‖, ―Well done‖, ―That‘s right‖ can make students feel more confident and
motivated, and more importantly they are eager to participate in the tasks more often.
- Involving all the students: Underwood suggests some ways of endeavoring to
include all the students such as using the class register list, setting rules and games to
encourage all students to participate in the activities.
- The place of examination and tests: Students are often nervous and anxious
about the exams and tests. Thus, the teacher shouldn‘t put too much weight on giving
marks or tests.
- Extra-curriculum activities: Extra-curriculum activities conducted outside lesson
times can make a significant contribution to maintaining a good atmosphere in the
classroom. If students have more interesting activities, they will take a more positive
attitude towards their studies.
1.5.2.4. Materials
It appears as an agreement that materials affect the learning grammar in a
supportive way. Evans and St. John (1998: 170-172) introduce some reasons for using
materials. Materials can be a source of language, a learning support, for motivation and
stimulation and for reference. As a source of language, ‗materials need to present real
language, as it is used, and the full range that learners require‘. As a learning support,
materials need to ‗involve learners in thinking about and using the language. The
activities need to stimulate cognitive not mechanism processes. The learner also needs
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a sense of progression. Materials also need to be challenging yet achievable; to offer
new ideas and information; to encourage fun and creativity. It can be concluded that
materials assist the learning and teaching procedures. Materials act as resources for

language learning.
1.6. Summary
In this chapter, the researcher has presented a number of issues related to the
research questions. These include the definitions of grammar, the roles of grammar in
language teaching and learning, explicit or implicit teaching, three core approaches in
grammar presentation as well as the factors affecting grammar acquisition. This
literature review serves as the theoretical framework for the researcher to build up
questionnaires, then to analyze the data collected as well as to suggest some
pedagogical implications for learning of grammar at Ngo Quyen Secondary School.