Grammar Accuracy Research Articles

Non-Technological Teaching Aid: Effectiveness in Developing Young Learners' Grammatical Accuracy

With the rapid development of educational technology in the teaching and learning of English, many instructors are beginning to integrate various technology related activities in their lesson. However, many of the recent studies states inaccessibility to technological infrastructure had hindered the implementation of said activities in the classroom. This study hence investigates the effectiveness of an interventional teaching aid that does not need technology on improving young learners’ grammar accuracy in terms of using preposition accurately and forming simple sentences using preposition. Sixty (n=60) year 4 learners of a primary school were enrolled in the quasi-experimental research where the Experimental Group (EG) were involved with the interventional teaching aid called Dice and Paste (DAP) activity. The results indicated that among the two groups, the EG who received instructions based on DAP activity improved the most in post-test for both preposition test (section A) and also simple sentence formation using preposition (section B). This researcher recommends ESL language instructors, other subject instructors, program coordinators, and other stakeholders to adopt DAP especially in an environment where technological infrastructures were lacking.

Peningkatan Keterampilan Bercerita Melalui Kartu Gambar pada Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini di IAIS Sambas

Storytelling is one of the habits of ancient people in conveying a message or telling an activity that has happened. A person's storytelling skills are closely related to the speaking skills that the person has. There are two important elements that must be mastered by students in storytelling, namely linguistics and the elements of what is told. Accuracy of speech, grammar, vocabulary, fluency and smoothness, illustrate that students have good speaking skills. Departing from the phenomena in the field, researchers see that students' storytelling skills are still lacking. This study aims to explore the improvement of storytelling skills in students of early childhood education study programs using picture cards. The method used is a quantitative approach with a descriptive type of research. The results show a significant increase in storytelling skills using picture cards.

Assessment of EFL Teachers' and Students' Writing Skills by Using the Grammarly Program

Lecturers and students may now use automated online tools to undertake corrective assessments when assessing their EFL writing skills for different academic purposes. Grammarly is an automated internet program and an online proofreading service that checks for plagiarism and the accuracy of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. This study examined the Grammarly program's usage to assess EFL teachers' and students' writing skills. The qualitative method was used to collect data by interviewing 5 lecturers and writing assessments for 10 students. The results of the study revealed several writing mistakes the students committed, both in accuracy and clarity. In writing, correctness is concerned with following the rules of mechanics, whereas clarity is concerned with using clear, succinct language. Although grammatical problems in students' papers include subject-verb disagreement, the abuse of the passive voice, and imprecise, wordy, and unfinished sentences, spelling mistakes are often seen as text consistency issues, misspelling words, and poor formatting. The study tries to answer these two questions to find out the results of using the Grammarly application. The questions are: 1. Do Kurdish EFL students' writing scores significantly differ after using Grammarly software? 2. How do the Kurdish EFL teachers feel about utilizing Grammarly in their writing classes? The study findings demonstrate that lecturers may evaluate and analyze in depth while correcting students' grammatical problems without exerting much effort. For instructors who need to edit -EFL students' work, Grammarly might be considered a helpful tool. Grammarly will automatically verify or recognize the writing as it is entered based on several relevant factors. While this happens, punctuation problems may be seen in the overuse of commas inside clauses, incorrect configuration, and inappropriate punctuation marks in compound/complex sentences.

Exploring EFL learners’ perceived promise and limitations of using an artificial intelligence speech evaluation system for speaking practice

This study explores English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' perceptions of the promise and limitations of EAP Talk, an AI-based speech evaluation system, for speaking practice. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 366 EFL learners across five universities through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that EAP Talk significantly enhances speaking skills, including pronunciation, grammar accuracy, idea-organization, read-aloud, and presentation skills. Participants appreciated the convenience, motivational aspects, and institutional efficiency of EAP Talk, which allowed for flexible and autonomous learning. However, several limitations were identified. Issues with the accuracy of voice recognition and score feedback affected learners' confidence in the feedback. The relevance of practice materials to academic courses was another concern, as was the limited detail in the feedback provided by EAP Talk, which often lacked comprehensive explanations and corrective guidance. The absence of feedback on grammar accuracy and speech organization further limited the tool's effectiveness for developing comprehensive speaking proficiency. These findings suggest that while EAP Talk holds significant potential for enhancing language learning, ongoing improvements are necessary to address its limitations. This study contributes to the understanding of how AI tools can support EFL learners for speaking practice.

THE INTEGRATION OF GOOGLE TRANSLATE AS A MACHINE TRANSLATION AID IN EFL STUDENTS’ THESIS COMPOSITION

This study aims to examine the integration of Google Translate as a machine translation tool in the EFL students’ thesis writing process. Framed within the explanatory sequential mixed methods, the study utilized a survey and an open-ended interview. Using a purposive sampling technique, this study included fifty EFL students in North Bali, Indonesia, in the survey and five students voluntarily in the interview session. Measured using the Gregory Formula, content validity results from the two raters showed that the survey and interview guide were valid (.1) and reliable (α=.809). The survey data were analyzed using Ideal Mean Score analysis and the interview transcripts data were analyzed using Interactive Model analysis. Results reveal that Google Translate benefited the students in the thesis writing process. The interactive model analysis resulted in main themes of the strengths, comprising sub-themes of functions and features of Google Translate and weaknesses, involving sub-themes of contextuality, grammar accuracy, and academic integrity issues. It can be concluded that the use of Google Translate can be helpful in assisting students’ thesis writing with several considerations.

Teacher-Student Collaborative Assessment and Content-Based Instruction: A Case Study of English Writing at a Chinese University

This study delves into the impact of corrective feedback within a Teacher-Student Collaborative Assessment (TSCA) and Content-Based Instruction (CBI) framework on EFL (English as Foreign Language) students' English writing and grammar learning. A ten-week experiment with one hundred participants explores this question. Divided into three groups, one receives direct corrective feedback, another navigates indirect feedback, and a control group receives none. Evaluating writing performances across these groups, the study aims to assess the combined efficacy of TSCA and CBI in promoting English grammar learning.
 Preliminary findings suggest that corrective feedback within the TSCA and CBI framework significantly enhances grammar accuracy. This study proposes an innovative methodology, highlighting comprehensive corrective feedback as a transformative catalyst for grammar development. It introduces a unique module for EFL students, fostering proficiency in English grammar and potentially transcending limitations associated with TSCA alone. This approach paves the way for a fresh paradigm within EFL grammar learning.

Bilingualism and Translation: A Teaching Proposal

In Italy the teaching of translation as a specific skill for bilingual speakers is normally not included in the programs of Russian special schools, the so-called subbotnie školy, where the development of language skills (especially listening, writing and grammar accuracy) in heritage speakers generally takes top priority. As already pointed out in other works (Perotto 2020, 2022), the activity of translation exerts an important influence on the cognitive development of the child, especially if bilingual. It helps him/her not only to differentiate and develop two parallel linguistic and cultural systems, but to approach them with a greater metalinguistic and cultural awareness. On the basis of translations made by bilingual participants to the international Cultural Bridge competition, Russian-Italian an Russian-English parallel corpora were created for the analysis of translation difficulties of heritage speakers living in Italy and USA. These difficulties will be analyzed separately or comparatively on the Sketch engine platform, providing some basic indications for a more targeted teaching of translation. The use of corpora can be an important teaching tool to improve heritage speakers’ linguistic competence and translation awareness.

The Impact of the Big Five Personality Traits on College Students’ Views of ChatGPT in English Language Learning

This study explores the relationship between college students’ personality traits and their perceptions of using ChatGPT. Twenty-three participants, who were enrolled in an Englishmedium instruction class participated in the study. They were asked to complete the Big Five Inventory, which examines one’s personality traits and a questionnaire gauging their perceptions of ChatGPT use. To analyze the data, correlation and frequency analyses were performed. The results of the correlation analysis revealed a robust correlation between conscientiousness and item 1 and between conscientiousness and item 3. In addition, an association was found between extraversion and item 5 and agreeableness and item 5. Furthermore, there was a strong relationship between conscientiousness and item 7 and between neuroticism and item 11. Regarding students’ perceptions of ChatGPT, the findings indicate a generally positive outlook on ChatGPT among students, particularly in enhancing grammar and vocabulary skills, and this is evidenced by self-reported improvements in writing abilities and grammar accuracy. However, participants expressed concern about the potentially diminishing effects on their critical thinking skills due to overreliance on ChatGPT. The implication of the study highlights that the identified correlations between personality traits and specific questionnaire items offer insights into potential usage patterns of ChatGPT among students. This finding implies that teachers should consider exploring ChatGPT as a pedagogical tool, tailoring its integration into teaching materials to align with students’ diverse personalities and learning preferences.

Effects of Dynamic Assessment of Grammatical Structures on Learners’ Speaking Accuracy: The Case of Hawassa University, Ethiopia

One of the central problems second language (L2) students face during speaking is the frequent use of ungrammatical structures. Scholars suggest Dynamic assessment (DA), which integrates language instruction and assessment in L2 classrooms, is very helpful in enhancing learners’ speaking accuracy. However, the DA as an L2 instruction/assessment approach and the Weighted Clause Ratio [WCR] as a method of analyzing speaking accuracy has never been addressed in Ethiopia before. Therefore, this research examined the extent of the effects of DA on English language structures during dialogues on learners’ speaking accuracy during monologues. To do so, an experimental study was conducted on 48 second-year English language students of Hawassa University, Ethiopia. The participants took static pretests prepared based on the IELTS Speaking Exam Syllabus. Subsequently, each student’s monologue was transcribed and the grammar accuracy was scored using a Weighted Clause Ratio (WCR). Then, the students (n=48) were assigned to the experimental and control groups based on systematic random sampling, and the equivalence of these two groups was checked. Finally, the treatment group received DA of speaking skills, whereas the control group got a Non-dynamic assessment (NDA) of speaking skills for 12 weeks. The result showed that DA had a statistically significant effect on students’ oral accuracy. The finding implies that applying DA in ELT classrooms helps to sp facilitate learners’ L2 acquisition.

The Implementation of Task-Based Language Teaching to Develop Students’ Grammar Accuracy

This research aims to find out; (1) whether task-based language teaching can develop students’ grammar accuracy; and (2) whether the implementation of Task-Based Language Teaching can develop class condition in grammar class of the second-grade students of English Department of Universitas Harapan Bangsa. The method used in this research is classroom action research. It was conducted in two cycles from October to December 2021 at the first-grade students of English Department of Universitas Harapan Bangsa. The research result shows that the use of Task-Based Language Teaching can develop the students’ grammar accuracy. The students succeed to make sentences in various tenses with correct form and meaning. The results of all cycles conducted as follows; the average score of post-tests in cycle I is 64, and post-test in cycle II is 73. The class condition also became better since the method was applied. They are more active joining the learning process. They applied the language rules they learned communicatively in the spoken and written forms. This condition made them aware of their ability to use the standard language in the communication. In conclusion, task-based language instruction can improve the classroom environment and the students' grammar proficiency. Both the academic performance and the learning environment of the students are benefited by this approach.

The Effects of Languaging in Response to Automated Written Correction for Grammar Accuracy Improvement

This study explored the role of written languaging (WL) in response to automated written corrective feedback (AWCF) in L2 accuracy improvement in English classrooms at a university in China. A total of 254 freshmen enrolled in intermediate composition classes participated, and they wrote 4 essays and received AWCF. A half of them engaged in WL after receiving correction, while the other half did not. To measure whether WL could contribute to L2 accuracy improvement, error correction tests were conducted three times. AWCF targeted all types of errors, but the study focused on investigating six language features (nouns, conjunctions, subject-verb agreement, sentence constituents, articles, and prepositions) known as the most frequent errors intermediate students make. The results proved that WL had a positive effect on accuracy improvement overall. However, when individual language features were considered separately, the effects were not the same. The inherent complexity of the features along with L1 influence appeared to affect the effects of WL for accuracy improvement.

Analysis of Discourse Markers in Paragraph Writings of Preparatory Elective Class Students in a State University

Writing is one of the productive skills and it is very important. However, it is a very difficult skill to develop even in the native language. In other words, knowing the grammar rules and vocabulary do not create a perfect writing. Using discourse markers between the sentences to relate them with one another makes it more coherent. Therefore, in this study it was aimed to scrutinize the use of discourse markers (DMs) in the paragraphs of high-scored students and low-scored students. In the final exam paper, students were asked to write a story about one of three pictures they chose. They were expected to narrate a story with 100-120 words as they were intermediate level students (B1). After two instructors evaluated each of the students’ writing exams based on the non-academic criteria with the following sub-criteria: “accuracy of vocabulary, variety of vocabulary, accuracy of grammar, variety of grammar, paragraph structure, quality and relevance of ideas, linking words, punctuation and capitalization, and spelling mistakes”, the writings of students who sent their consents were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively in this current study. 10 papers for each category (low-scored students’ and high-scored students’ paragraphs) were examined. Results showed that high-scored students used more DMs than low scored-students. Furthermore, misuse of DMs and overused DMs, which result in redundancy in the texts, make the writings disorganized and incomprehensible. Finally, there was a positive relationship between advanced uses and writing scores. As an implication of the study, it should be noted that students should be equipped with the semantically and functionally correct use of DMs. Therefore, teachers should attempt to use different methods or ways to teach them in the classroom.

The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Writing Achievement among English as a Foreign Language Learners at the University of Jeddah

The present study investigated the relationship between writing self-efficacy and writing achievement among undergraduate EFL female learners studying a Technical Communication Writing Course in their first year in the Computer Science and Engineering Technology Department at The University of Jeddah. Forty-four learners participated in this study by completing a writing task and filling out an online survey. Learners’ writings and responses to the questionnaire were then analyzed to determine the correlation between their self-efficacy level and their writing performance. Results indicate that the perceptions students have of their writing self-efficacy have a significant moderate positive correlation with their overall writing performance score (r=0.464; p< 0.05) and their grammar accuracy (r= 0.367; p< 0.05). However, no significant correlation was detected as far as the specific writing ability aspects under investigation are concerned. 

Using the Tsanawiyah English Grammar Android Application to Improve Grammar Accuracy and Build Islamic Values

The goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the Tsanawiyah english grammar (TEG) Android-based application for teaching grammar to seventh-grade students at Islamic Junior High School (MTs) Al-Muhsin II and for developing Islamic character values. A one group pre-test post-test design was used for the preexperimental investigation and interviews. 20 seventh-grade students from MTs Al-Muhsin II took part in this study, and the experimental class, VII.A, was recruited through purposive sampling. The mean post-test score (82.6) was higher than the mean pre-test score (66.85) and this difference was significant. According to the effectiveness criteria, employing the TEG learning app was beneficial in teaching grammar to the students. Moreover, the students said that TEG gave examples of how to behave based on Islamic values, which would have been difficult to otherwise learn through online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Keywords: Android-based application, grammar accuracy, Islamic character

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SKILL IN WRITING NEWS ITEM TEXT BY IMPLEMENTING SILLY NEWS REPORTS GAME

The tendency to ignore the lesson and make distraction in writing course led to bad result in writing assessment especially in news item text. This research intended to see how silly news reports game improve students’ skill in writing news item text particularly in improving students’ motivation as interest in writing. This research was a Classroom Action Research (CAR) in three cycles to 37 students at class XII IPA 6 of SMAN 3 Pontianak in academic year 2019/2020. The result of the data collection showed that implementing silly news reports game improved students’ skill in writing news item text in terms of writing composition and grammar accuracy on using reported speech, and improved students’ motivation as interest in writing. Based on the observation, the highlight of the improvement by the game implementation was on the content of silly news reports game which is ridiculous yet easy to understand supported by the guided question worksheets that made the students able to produce a well-organized writing by considering the composition of the writing such as the organization of the text and the language features used in the news item text. The improvement of each cycle differed one to another. While cycle one found the gap of the student improvement, cycle two solved the problem of students writing composition and using reported speech, and cycle three solved the problem of students’ behaviour. Therefore, the researcher recommends that the teacher implement silly news reports game to teach news item text of writing course.

Intelligent Data Mining-Based Method for Efficient English Teaching and Cultural Analysis

The emergence of online education helps improving the traditional English teaching quality greatly. However, it only moves the teaching process from offline to online, which does not really change the essence of traditional English teaching. In this work, we mainly study an intelligent English teaching method to further improve the quality of English teaching. Specifically, the random forest is firstly used to analyze and excavate the grammatical and syntactic features of the English text. Then, the decision tree based method is proposed to make a prediction about the English text in terms of its grammar or syntax issues. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of English grammar or syntax recognition.

Exploring and Analysis of Student Engagement in English Writing Grammar Accuracy Based on Teacher Written Corrective Feedback

Exploring and Analysis of Student Engagement in English Writing Grammar Accuracy Based on Teacher Written Corrective Feedback

WRITTEN CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON ONLINE LEARNING

WCF from the lecturer is useful information for student writing improvement. It aids students in identifying their English learning problems and skills. Students, on the other hand, may interpret lecturer WCF differently than the lecturer intended. This study is aimed at describing the type of lecturer’s WCF and the students’ perception of lecturer’s WCF in a paragraph writing class. It is descriptive qualitative research, employing documentation and interview as research instruments, which was conducted with 18 students of the third semester English department students of Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo. Furthermore, there were five out of 18 students randomly selected to be interviewed to discover students’ perspective of the given feedback. The findings revealed that, firstly, the lecturer use praise, criticism, and suggestion based on students task in paragraph writing class. Secondly, students’ positive responses of having feedback and the benefit of written corrective feedback that students get. Finally, most students responded that they appreciated the lecturer’s WCF. In addition, the students believed that lecturer’s WCF could improve student’s writing especially on grammar accuracy and organization, and it could motivate the student in developing the ideas. Keywords : Student’s Perspective, Written Corrective Feedback, Writing

The Difficulty in Writing Insya' Weekely Program and Its Solution Given by the Teacher in Ponpes Muharrikun Najah Klaten / صعوبات كتابة الإنشاء الأسبوعي وحلّ المعلّم عليها بمعهد محرّك النّجاح بكلاتين

This study aims to describe the difficulty of students in writing Insya' Usbu'i. The method of the study is a descriptive qualitative method, while the research subject is santriwati, and the data source in this study is the director of the institute and the supervisor. The data collection techniques used in this study are interviews, observations, and documents. The result of this study can be known that: 1) the difficulty of students in insya' includes the lack of vocabulary that students have and the low understanding of students to nahwu Sharaf; 2) composing sentences include difficulty in choosing vocabulary, syntax, and morphological grammar accuracy, 2) The first language of the students still dominates so that interest in Arabic is still lacking; 3) the efforts of teachers to improve students' ability to write Insha' is to give notes one by one of the students' work and explain each mistake.

Using Speaking Frames as Scaffolding Tools to Teach University Students to Speak in ESP

This paper deals with the issue of using speaking frames as scaffolding tools for teaching software engineering students to speak in an ESP (English for Specific Purposes) course. We believe that students’ knowledge of the process of learning, and developing their metacognitive skills, may influence their learning outcomes greatly. So, in the study, we used frames as generalized scaffolds, with the idea that, by assigning meanings to objects, images and representations, we could manipulate cognitive functions, such as remembering, perceiving and concentrating, which, in turn, could influence speaking production positively. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of using frames as knowledge representation elements for improving speaking skills of software engineering students in an ESP course, as well as determining the attitudes of these students to using speaking frames for developing their speaking skills. We applied the hypothesis that the quality of students’ monologues may increase considerably if they practiced using scaffolding tools such as speaking frames on a regular basis. We used a mixed research design, and combined qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative approach was aimed at collecting data about students’ attitudes to using speaking frames while developing professional communicative competence in spoken production. For that purpose, we used a questionnaire for students, containing open- and closed-ended questions. The quantitative approach was focused on evaluating the effectiveness of using speaking frames in experimental learning, by comparing the students’ monologue speeches before and after the experimental learning using speaking frames. The study took place in 2019–2020 and involved 41 third-year students of Heat and Power engineering faculty of the National Technical University of Ukraine Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The results of the study show that the use of speaking frames enabled a significant increase in the number of students who demonstrated a sufficient level of speaking competence. Using frames helped students to reduce repetitions, hesitations, false starts and pauses, and to significantly increase the number of continuous utterances while delivering monologues. The use of speaking frames contributed not only to the improvement of grammar accuracy and formation of lexical fields, but also to the structuring of students’ speech.