UiTM Students’ Perception Toward Grammar-Related Autonomous Supportive Practice (GRASP) as a Grammar Learning Tool: Is It Enjoyable to Use and Effective in Strengthening Grammar Comprehension?

Abstract

With the intention to help students learn English grammar better and in a fun way, a language-learning game called Grammar-Related Autonomous Supportive Practice (GRASP) was developed by a group of researchers. The inclusion of fun elements like pictures on grammar question cards, the determination of the winner according to who is the fastest to arrive at the finish line, the penalty for giving wrong answers, and a surprise penalty or reward can result in the players being more interested in learning English grammar, thus improving their grammar comprehension for more grammatical English use. To identify whether this game was perceived as an enjoyable grammar learning tool and if it was effective in strengthening grammar comprehension, 114 Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pulau Pinang students, who played GRASP, were given a questionnaire which contained 20 self-reporting statements about the game for them to complete. It was discovered that most of the respondents believed that GRASP managed to engage them in an enjoyable grammar learning experience as they admitted to have enjoyed testing their grammar understanding through playing this game (M = 4.43, SD = 0.515). The majority (M = 4.18, SD = 0.632) of the participants also claimed that their English grammar had improved after playing GRASP, as presented by the findings in item 19. Obviously, GRASP was perceived positively by the respondents as an effective learning tool for them to utilize.