Perceptions of Pre-service Teachers of English towards Grammar Teaching in the Turkish Context

Abstract

Problem Statement: ESL/EFL grammar teaching has been a controversial issue due to the contextual differences. Therefore, there is a growing need to explore how English teachers perceive and practise grammar teaching in a variety of contexts. Research studies into this issue can provide them with context-sensitive perspectives. Purpose of Study: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and classroom practices of Turkish pre-service teachers of English employing a quantitative research design. Methods: In this study, which employs a quantitative research design, the questionnaire adapted from a recently conducted study was distributed to 39 female and 5 male senior students at the Department of English Language Teaching at an English-medium state university in Turkey. They were all enrolled in the course Practice Teaching. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18. Findings and Results: The student-teachers favored benefiting from not only form-focused instruction and but also holistic, meaning-based approaches. They assumed an active role in the teaching process as informed decision-makers sensitized to cultural and individual variables in their contexts within which their perceptions were shaped. Instructional challenges were the establishment of form-meaning mappings, informed use of authentic texts, contextualization, target language use, and skills integration. Conclusions and Recommendations: Classroom experience has helped student-teachers internalize the need for a balanced approach to grammar. Practice teaching course hours should be increased to proceduralize the skills of context-sensitive adjustments.