1. EDU 702
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
TEACHING GRAMMAR EXPLICITLY IN ESL
CLASSROOM FROM TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE
NOOR ILLI BT ELAS
2014749339
SUBMITTED TO:
DR JOHAN EDDY LUARAN
2. CHAPTER 1
1.1Introduction.
English is an important language around the world and it is a worldwide used as the lingua
franca. In Malaysia, English has been known as second language and thus it is important to be
emphasized among the students in Malaysia. English is the way for the people to interact each
other especially who comes from different countries, culture and social context. Therefore,
teaching science and mathematics had been established on 2003 for the sake to improve English
among the students and been abolished in 2011. The stress is on the primary school since these
students are the one who will further their study in secondary and tertiary education.
English from a new perspective can be considered as the only one language which is able to
bridge the gap of different cultures and races as well. Even though, these particular countries still
maintain their first language and at the same time they are focusing on the English as their
second language. So, in schools and even in the university, they will teach English from the basic
so that their students will be fluent with English. For Irmscher (1979) grammar not only makes a
Person more conscious of stylistic effects but also helps a writer in diagnosis writing problems
and explaining them to others.
As stated by Debra Hills and Annabel Watson (2013) stated that the teaching of grammar over
50 years is one of contestation, debate and discussion. This means that the educators are actually
facing the same problems over a period of time. The teaching of grammar had been fought over
decade on how to instill the best methods for teaching. However, this depends on the teacher
3. how to emphasize on grammar teaching. If a teacher is able to attract the students to learn the
grammar, then the basic skills of language such as writing, speaking, listening and writing skills
can be emphasized
1.2. Background of the research
English user or learner as referring to learning grammar is important as well as other than the
four skills that need to be emphasized. But, in the classroom, as the researcher can see that most
of the teachers tend to teach the literature and emphasize the 4 skills in English learning.
Furthermore, the teachers are rushing to finish the syllabus and at the same time, they need to
focus on the tests and examinations as well. So, they need to prioritize what is important thus
they neglect the teaching grammar. To add to this point, if a teacher decides to teach the
grammar to the students, they will choose the easiest grammar to teach such as simple present
tense, past tense and past continuous tense, irregular verbs, modal and etc. They will neglect the
other grammar which is quite complicated such as verb to have, verb to do and verb to be.
The research will be carried out to find the exact reasons for the teachers to neglect the teaching
grammar. Moreover, this research will be helpful if the way to teach the grammar separately will
be approved by the other teachers. Other than that, the study will be focused more on the
students and teachers because these both is the main subjects for the research. Morelli (2003:33-
34) has observed, “Grammar can be taught traditionally or contextually, but student perception
should be considered by teachers in the decision-making process. Students need to feel confident
that educators have met their needs . . . and educators should be willing to consider the attitudes
and perceptions of students when making decisions about how to teach grammar.” This shows
how the teaching of grammar needs to be taken into consideration in teaching language.
4. 1.3. Statement of problems
As the researcher understands that grammar is one of the compulsory elements for teaching
English, some of the teachers are neglecting to teach the grammar in classroom. The steps taken
are to allocate more time in teaching English at school as to make it more effective in teaching.
The four important skills be thought separately which mean will be focusing more on one skill
on that particular day. Indeed, as statement stress that “no other issue has so preoccupied
theorists and practitioners as the grammar debate, and the history of language teaching is
essentially the history of the claims and counterclaims for and against the teaching
of grammar. Differences in attitude to the role of grammar underpin differences between
methods, between teachers, and between learners”. (Thornbury, 1999:14) showed that the
teaching of grammar totally depend on how teacher will use any methods to attract the students
to learn the grammar.
Besides that four skills, they are also others component in English syllabus such as literature and
language art which totally will not focused on grammar. Unfortunately teaching of grammar is
still being neglected as it is thought indirectly although the rules be stated in textbook. The
research is focusing on teaching grammar in secondary school because the secondary school is
important for emphasizing the grammar because this stage is where they are the one who will
continue their study in the tertiary education. According to Peng (2007) has summarized that
from a historical point of view, people began to learn English grammar in the 16th century,
during which anti-grammar teaching ever occurred, and subsequently English grammar in
language teaching experienced several ups and downs. It states that if the basic of grammar is not
5. strong, how a student will be fluently speaking and using English Language in their daily life.
Indeed, if the problems can be overcome, the teaching of grammar will be fully utilized in the
ESL Classroom. So, for the purpose of this study, the researcher intended to find the solution to
overcome this problems and at the same time to study the reasons behind the problems in
teaching grammar in ESL Classroom.
1.4. Research Objectives
The objectives of the research study are to:
4.1.1 to identify the reasons for teachers to neglect the teaching of grammar in lesson.
4.1.2 to understand the problems that the students are having in learning the grammar.
4.1.3 to understand the problems ann causes that the teachers are having in teaching grammar.
4.1.4 to suggest the teaching methods that understandable for the students to learn grammar in
classroom.
1.5.Research Questions.
The questions of the research are to:
5.1.1 Why the teachers neglect the teaching of grammar in the classroom or as in the lesson?
5.1.2 What are the problems or causes that the students are having in learning grammar.?
5.1.3 What are the problems that the teachers are having in teaching grammar?
6. 5.1.4 What are the appropriate teaching methods and materials to teach the grammar in the
classroom?
1.6.Operational Definitions.
Grammar
Greenbaum (1982) states, among other definitions, that "grammar refers to the properties and
processes that underlie the use of the language — that underlie the ability of speakers to speak
and understand the language". Grammar is stated that it has its own way to understand it and can
be used in enhancing 4 important skills in learning grammar. Besides that, there is the way to
instill the learning of grammar in daily uses through speaking and writing. Therefore, as the
researcher believes that grammar is one of the important basic in language skills and language
area, the teaching methods should be conducted successfully in lesson.. For the purpose of this
study, this is indeed very useful for the researcher to use in this study to learn and understand
better about the grammar.
Teaching.
According to H.C. Morrison – Teaching is an intimate contact between a more mature
personality and a less mature one which is designed to further the education of the latter.
Teaching is an important of actions to instill knowledge, skills and experience either in the
classroom or outside the school. Teaching of grammar is indeed very important as it can help the
students to understand the basic learning of language. Not only that, being fluently in using
grammar through variety of teaching methods and approaches will indirectly enabled the
students to fully utilize using English language in communication or in the daily life. The
7. researcher believes that, teaching methods and approaches are actually related to the teacher in
conducting the lesson. For the purpose of this study, the researcher intended to study the
appropriate teaching methods and at the same time to investigate the problems in teaching
grammar in ESL Classroom.
Learning
Learning according to Oxford 2009 means the underlying actions that the learners take up to
understand better about the knowledge or skills that had been taught either in the classroom or
outside the classroom. Indeed, the learning of grammar is essential for the students and it is
compulsory for understand the language. To add to this point, the learning of grammar enabled
the students to learn more about the underlying principles of grammar. This is actually will help
the students to be able to use the language fluently. Therefore, the researcher intended to learn
more about the learning of grammar among the students especially who takes interest in learning
English as their second language. For the purpose of this study, the researcher intended to see the
perspectives and the progression of the students when they are involving in learning grammar
explicitly that will be conducted in this research.
1.7. Limitations of the study.
The study will be conducted in one of the primary school in Semenyih. Semenyih is known as
one of the development area which is having the changes in the aspects of technology and
modernization. Therefore, Semenyih is having rapid developments and it is considered from
being classified as the rural area to semi urban area. Therefore, the school that the researcher
chose is situated in the main town of Semenyih. The school is known as Sek Keb Semenyih with
8. 1033 students. There is two sessions which is known morning session and evening session. The
research will be conducted for 30 students which the students will be chose from 3 different
levels of learning; weak, intermediate and advanced. The students will be chose basically
following the ratio of 1 : 1 : 1 which it means that 10 students will be chose from each level of
learning. The teachers will be focused on English teaching at that school. The teachers that had
been chosen basically are the ones who teach the evening session. It is because, the researcher
decided to focus on standard 2. The reasons this study will be focused on standard 2 because this
is the age that is actually appropriate to teach the basic language. According to Chomsky, the age
around 6 to 10 will be appropriate to instill the basic language among the children.
1.8. Significant of study
The research is important for the teachers as it can help the teachers to construct the methods to
teach the grammar the classrooms. And now, the education department needs to start to make the
changes in curriculum especially in English because of the rejecting of learning science and
mathematics in English either in primary or secondary school. The steps taken are to allocate
more time in teaching in teaching English at school as to make it more effective in teaching. If
the grammar can be used in the correct way, the community can use the English as the medium
of interaction in social context. The students can actually use the grammar in the proper way
when they write the essay or in the conversation with the correct pronunciation.
9. CHAPTER 2
2.0 Introduction
As we already well aware how the importance of learning grammar to the students as well as the
teaching grammar for the language teachers, but how the depth of this importance in language
learning can be measured?. This question arouses a lot of speculations and insights regarding the
learning of grammar as well as the teaching of grammar in the English Second Language (ESL)
classroom. In this scenario, previous researchers had given their opinions and views in their own
respective study about the learning and teaching of Grammar.
2.1 Approaches to Teach Grammar.
According to Handoyo Puji Widodo (2006) in the research entitled “ Approaches and procedures
for teaching grammar” stated that Ellis (2002) defines consciousness-raising as an attempt to
equip learners with an understanding of a specific grammatical feature, to develop declarative
(describing a rule of grammar and applying it in pattern practice drills) rather than procedural
(applying a rule of grammar in communication) knowledge of it. This had been proposed as one
of the ways to teach grammar in this research. Moreover, Handoyo had outlined two cores of
approaches of teaching grammar that are known as the inductive approach and deductive
approach with their own advantages and disadvantages respectively. Indeed, this had shown that
teaching grammar need an absolute approach to instill the basic learning of grammar among the
students. These both approaches also related to Krashen’s theory as stated in this research but
however, there is no specific explanation regarding this relation between these two approaches
and that theory about teaching grammar. Therefore, Handoyo had proposed a procedure for
teaching Grammar which the activities involve five steps in this research :The first step, building
up students’ knowledge of the rule or rule initiation; The second step, eliciting functions of the
rule or rule elicitation;The third step, familiarising students with the rule in use through exercises
or rule practice;The fourth step, checking students’ comprehension or rule activation; and The
fifth step, expanding students’ knowledge or rule enrichment. These five steps are coming with
advantages and disadvantages as explained in the research but in my opinion, it is slightly
different with what I would like to propose that is to teach grammar explicitly means that, out 8
10. hours of teaching language in the secondary school, the teacher can used 2 hours only to focus on
teaching and learning Grammar in the classroom.
2.2 The Effective Ways to Teach Grammar
Diane Larse Freman in chapter teaching Grammar emphasized on a three dimensional
framework together with inductive and deductive approach. In this chapter, Diane states that
teaching grammar should emphasized on form, meaning, use as well as providing positive
feedback. Other than that, teaching grammar is about the pattern and reasons for using grammar
in essay as well as the other skills. It is basically not a teaching of the rules in grammar and the
language teacher are always wrongly interpreted the grammar as a rule in ESL classroom . In
this scenario, as I decided to carry out the study regarding the teaching grammar, I want to find
out how the language teachers usually teach grammar in the classroom. The questions that arouse
are:
1. What are the ways that the teachers usually teach in the classroom?
2. Is that the teacher introduces the grammar as the rules in language rather than explaining the
pattern and reasons of grammar in ESL classroom?
Therefore, approaches and strategies had been outlined to make the students understand better
about the grammar and do not get confused in learning grammar. These two questions will be a
part of the research questions that will be asked in my questionnaires. It is because, the
researcher wants to understand the perspectives about teaching grammar from the teacher’s side.
2.3 The Challenges of Teaching Grammar.
Abdu Mohammed Al Mekhlafi and Ramani Perur Nagaratnam in their research “ Difficulties in
Teaching and Learning Grammar in EFL context” address the difficulties about teacher’s
perception in teaching grammar. This can actually assist the researcher to cover the reasons why
the teachers always neglect the teaching of grammar in the classroom. Even though the teachers
11. teach the grammar, but they tend to teach the basic and easy grammar rather than follow up the
syllabus for teaching grammar steps by steps. In this research, they proposed an approach which
is known as explicit grammar teaching in the ESL classroom but the explanation is not very
deep. However, my research is basically about teaching grammar explicitly and therefore, this
idea can actually give a hint to further the research regarding the trivial. From the other
perspectives, they also explained about the declarative versus procedural knowledge, the use of
grammatical terminology, error correction, problem solving technique, the use of authentic text
and the use of spoken and written communicative. The short explanations for each approach are
actually can assist me to understand about the teaching of grammar that had been studied in
previous research. This actually gives tons of the ideas to write a brief explanation regarding
teaching grammar explicitly in the school. The challenges of grammar actually involved in the
classroom as teacher will be the one who transmits the knowledge to the students.
2.4 Ways to Attract the Students to Learn Grammar.
As to continue the study, researcher would like to find out what are the ways to attract the
students in teaching grammar. It is believed that the way to teach the grammar is not by
introducing the grammar as the rules but as a way to understand the grammar. This is stated by
Rabeya Nasrin Khan (2007) in her thesis about “Effective Grammar Teaching in ESL
Classroom” propose that if the teacher avoid the traditional rule of teaching and teach grammar
inductively, the students will be able to understand the grammar better. Other than that, the
researcher prefer to propose that to teach the grammar is by using realia, pictures and technology
aids. As stated by Rabeya Nasrin Khan(2007) in her same thesis proposed that one of the
effective recommendations and ways to teach grammar is by teaching through pictures and
physical objects. It is because, visualization enables and reinforce the students to understand
better the grammar in the classroom. This actually enables to give a hint to answer the research
question about to find out the best ways to teach the grammar effectively in the teaching
grammar explicitly. This in directly also provide a new scope and range in adapting the teaching
methods that appropriate with the levels of students.
12. 2.5 Problems for the students in learning Grammar.
As to study more about teaching grammar explicitly, the main ideas is to find out what are the
underlying basic for the problems that the students unable to cope with the learning of grammar.
Indeed, as it had been reviewed more, the curiosity arise as to study whether the teaching should
be focus on materials or the methods for teaching grammar. As the previous research had
already well aware that grammar is essential for learning and mastering the four skills, the
researcher needs to find out what are the best methods and materials to teach grammar. It is
already know that by using communicative Language Teaching with the appropriate methods,
the learning can be done smoothly but the materials which are not productive might be the
problems. It is stated in the Grammar based Teaching : A practitioner’s perspectives by Betty
Azar that other varieties in grammar materials (e.g., some grammar handbook-workbook
combinations) are limited fairly strictly to a focus on form, providing information accompanied
by a small sampling of manipulative exercises, with no particular attention paid to the
development of speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills.
2.6 Linguistic Competence.
Teaching grammar is the basic principles for all the 4 main skills In language learning. Indeed,
this principle had been focusing on linguistic competence in language acquisition. In related to
this point, the learning of grammar actually assists the linguistic learning to be more competence.
As stated by Wang, Fengjuan in the thesis “ The necessity of Grammar Teaching “ explained
about the concept of "linguistic competence" is put forward by Chomsky (1965) on the basis of
denying the language theory of behaviorism and defined as language knowledge system of native
speakers' internalization, including sound, lexicon, syntax, semantics and other rules, and the
linguistic competence native speakers have enables them to understand and produce grammatical
sentences they have never contacted before”. The teacher should be well aware that to teach
grammar, all of this element should be instill in the grammar teaching for the ESL students.
13. 2.7 Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework had been explained in previous research about the teaching take
places in the classroom. As this research will be carried out in the school, the purpose is to find
out the effects about teaching grammar explicitly in the classroom.
The teaching of grammar explicitly enable the teachers to specific time two periods only on
focusing the grammar without mixing with other elements in Language Acquisition Learning.
Therefore, the students can focus their attention in understanding the grammar in that two
periods.
TeachingandLearning
Grammar
StudentsTeachers
Teaching Learning
The effects will be either positive or
negative about carrying the teaching and
learning Grammar explicitly in ESL
Classroom.
14. CHAPTER 3
3.0 Introduction
In this study, the researcher had addressed the methods and research design that appropriate with
the research. Indeed, the researcher is surveying on the current issues about learning English as
Second Language in the secondary school. To add to this point, after the abolishment of English
in Science and Mathematics, the learning of English had been shortened to learn English only in
English period and not throughout the learning in school. So, the learning of English had been
limited in the secondary school as well as the learning of vocabulary in English. As the study
will be continued, the researcher wants to propose that teaching Grammar Explicitly is the way
to understand the learning language. Teaching Grammar Explicitly means that out of 10 periods
of learning Grammar in the secondary school, the teacher only take out 2 periods out of 10
periods for teaching grammar only. These two periods of teaching will be only focusing on
Grammar and not mixed with other teaching in language such as teaching the 4 skills ( writing,
speaking, reading and listening ), vocabulary or the literature.
3.1 Research Design
The research design will conducted in the qualitative design which is to seek the opinion of
teacher about teaching grammar explicitly in the classroom and to see whether they are agreed
with this proposal. Other than that, the questions will be asked to investigate about the teaching
experience among the teachers as the researcher want to find out why the teachers kind of
neglecting the teaching of grammar in the classroom. Furthermore, qualitative design will enable
the researcher to find out what are the best methods to teach grammar in the classroom either by
using realia, pictures, technology aids materials and etc.
3.2 Population and Sample
The place that had chosen in my study will be in Semenyih, Selangor. It is can be considered as
the development place which is near Kajang and Riching. The primary school that had chosen
will be Sekolah Kebangsaan Semenyih with the population of average 1000 to 1500 students in
the school. The English Teachers are totally 10 of them including the senior teachers. The reason
15. the researcher choose this school is because it is in development area which is having a
transformation from having rural area to urban area. The sample which can be considered as the
experimental groupstudents are fromdifferentproficiency level(advanced,intermediateandslow).The
quantity for the sample will be 30 of them for which it represents each 10 students for the different
level respectively.The students willbe givenquestionnairesaboutthe learning grammar and pre test to
seektheirunderstanding about the grammar before the experiment had been started. Sooner, after 6
weeksof conductingthe research,the posttestwill be givento see the result of their understanding in
learning grammar explicitly.
3.3 Sampling methods and Research Design.
The sampling method that the researcher decided to use is that purposive sampling method which is
focusingonthe teachersinorder toanswerthe researchquestions in this research. The teacher will be
givenoutthe questionnaire and this will help the researcher to collect as much as information that re
needed in this research.
The researchdesign that the researched intended to use is experimental. This means that 30 students
from three different levels will be gathered and be taught explicitly about grammar. The outcome for
this experiment will be the results that are needed in this research.
3.4 Sample and Instrumentation
The instruments that will be used in research is that questionnaire, tests and the interview.
For Teachers:
Part A and Part B will be combine in one questionnaire.
• 1. Part A
To gather the background information of teachers to seek their qualification and their
experience in teaching English.
• 2. Part B
16. To elicit their knowledge in understanding of teaching grammar and their opinion in
helping them to teach grammar.
For Students:
Tests (Post Test and Pre Test)
The students will be tested with two types of test that is known as pre-test and post-test.
The pre-test will be tested out before the research been carried out. The purpose is to see
the level of their understanding before the research be carried out. The post-test will be
done after the research was carried out. The purpose is to see the achievement of the
students after they had gone through the treatment.
Questionnaires
The Questionnaire will be handed to them before the treatment to see what the difficulties
are and trivial that the students faced when they are learning the grammar. The
questionnaires that will be handed out to them after the research are to see their opinion
about learning grammar explicitly.
3.5 Data Collection
The respondents for the questionnaires will be the teachers and the students. There are two types
major of the questionnaires that is one for the teachers and the other one is for the students. The
questionnairesforthe teacherwillexist of two types of minor questionnaires that are known as part A
and part B. There are twotypesof testthat will be carriedoutonlyfor the students. The pre testwill be
givenoutbefore the classof teachinggrammarexplicitly starts and the post test will be given out after
the conduction class had been carried out. This is the mind map for the data collection to make it
understandable in the research.
17. Before the research will be conducted, a short briefing about the questionnaires and the test will be
carriedout to make the respondentsunderstandthe research.The experimental students will be chose
by their English language teachers for standard 6. The questionnaires 1 and questionnaires 2 will be
distributedtothe teachersandthe teacherscan answerthe questionnaires within that week. Later on,
the questionnaires3will be distributedtothe studentsorthe followingdaytogetherwith the pre-test..
Moreover,Inthe same week,the researchhadbeencarriedoutuntil the fifth or sixth week depend on
the time constraint. The lesson plan for teaching grammar for each class will be presented in this
research. Afterthe researchhadbeencarriedout, I will distributethe post-testtotestthe achievement
that had beengainedthroughoutthe research. The questionnaire 4 will be distributed to see whether
the students agreed with the learning grammar explicitly.
Students
Post-testQuestionnaires3Questionnaires1
Pre-testQuestionnaires2
Data Collection
Questionnaires Test
Teachers Students
Questionnaires4
