Grammatical Concepts Research Articles

Designing Effective Pedagogical Activities to Enhance Grammar Understanding and Communicative Competence in Intermediate-Level Adult SL Learners

This article explores strategies to enhance the grammatical understanding and communicative competence of intermediate-level adult second language learners by designing targeted pedagogical activities. It focuses on how pre-task, while-task, and post-task activities can effectively support learners in grasping complex grammatical concepts and applying them in real-world communicative scenarios. The study emphasizes that using grammar in authentic contexts significantly improves learners ability to communicate fluently in English, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.By integrating theory with practice, the article underlines the importance of designing teaching activities that are not only engaging but also aligned with the specific learning needs of adult students. The pre-task phase activates prior knowledge and introduces essential terms, while the while-task phase deepens understanding through critical discussion and note-taking. The post-task phase reinforces the application of learned grammar through role-plays and reflective writing, ensuring that learners can transfer their grammatical knowledge to everyday communication situations.Furthermore, the article provides practical insights into teaching strategies that foster active learning and critical thinking, encouraging learners to not only memorize grammar rules but also use them creatively in meaningful interactions. These strategies offer valuable guidance for educators in creating more effective grammar instruction plans tailored to adult learners' unique needs, ultimately enhancing both their linguistic proficiency and problem-solving skills.

A new argument for linguistic determinants of human thought

AbstractWe argue that the commonly accepted existence of grammatical concepts such as Person (in the grammatical sense) or Tense poses an unrecognized challenge to the idea that human thought is independent of language. The argument is that such concepts identify aspects of linguistic expressions that also systematically define the contents and identity of the thoughts expressed in language. Since grammatical concepts are not known to have non-grammatical analogues, the thoughts in question do not appear to be non-linguistic in nature. We conclude that language is unlikely to be merely a medium in which independently constituted thoughts are expressed.

Let’s Do It Differently: Exploring the Effectiveness of 5E-Supported EFL Grammar Instruction

The teaching of and research on grammar have long been central to language education, with an ongoing quest for more effective models for fostering student understanding and application. The 5E (viz., Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation) instructional model, recognized for its effectiveness in promoting engagement and active learning, may not only constitute an innovative approach to grammar instruction but also leverage an interactive inquiry-based environment which improves student comprehension and retention of grammatical concepts. This study examines the potential effectiveness of the 5E Model in EFL grammar instruction. The participants, 70 students in two intact tenth-grade sections from a public school in Irbid, Jordan, were randomly assigned into an experimental group (n=35), taught using the 5E Model, and a control group (n=35), taught per the guidelines of the prescribed teacher’s book. A pre-/post- test targeting five grammatical structures (viz., state and dynamic verbs, second conditional, making suggestions, defining relative clauses, and non-defining relative clauses) was used. The findings showed statistically significant differences (at α= 0.05) between the experimental and control group students’ performance in both overall grammar and each of the five structures in favor of the former. The study concludes with several pedagogical implications and recommendations for further research.

Teaching Chinese grammar through International Chinese Language Education micro-lectures: negotiating mass and presence through multimodal pedagogic discourse

Abstract Micro-lectures have become a prevailing resource for teaching Chinese grammar in International Chinese Language Education (ICLE). One crucial feature of these lectures is that they are inherently multimodal and the design of multimodal pedagogic discourse in these lectures is vital for the teaching of Chinese grammar. Based on this background, this paper investigates teaching Chinese grammar through multimodal pedagogic discourse in ICLE micro-lectures, focusing on the organization of complexity and abstraction of meaning for knowledge-building. Drawing on Systemic Functional Linguistics’ genre theory and ideational mass and presence, this paper views the organization as a dynamic negotiation of mass and presence across generic stages. Analyzing a representative ICLE micro-lecture on grammar, it scrutinizes the distribution of mass and presence across stages, along with multimodal pedagogic discourse features. The findings show that Presenting Scenarios, Example Extraction, and Grammar Explanation are pivotal stages for grammar instruction, each characterized by distinct mass and presence. Presenting Scenarios, featuring relatively weak mass and strong presence, employs non-technical and concrete multimodal texts to depict everyday scenarios, while Example Extraction with similar mass but weaker presence recontextualizes these scenarios into linguistic phenomena through non-technical linguistic text. Grammar Explanation characterized by relatively strong mass and weak presence distills grammatical knowledge from example sentences through technical and abstract linguistic text. Overall, the weakening of presence across the stages allows for recontextualizing scenario-based sentences as linguistic phenomena and generalizing these sentences into abstract grammatical concepts, while the strengthening of mass enables distilling meaning from example sentences and builds the complexity of grammatical concepts. The findings hold potential implications for the design of ICLE micro-lectures on Chinese grammar, which aims to facilitate the teaching of Chinese grammar through multimodal pedagogical discourse.

The Impact of the Meaning Construction Strategy on the Acquisition of Grammatical Concepts Among Fifth-Year Literary Stream Students

عدنان عبد الكريم محمود كلية التربية للعلوم الإنسانية، ديالى جامعة، ديالى، 32001، العراق الملخص يرمي البحث الحالي إلى تعرف (أثر استراتيجية بناء المعنى في اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية عند طلاب الصف الخامس الأدبي). ولتحقيق هدف البحث وضع الباحث الفرضية الصفرية الآتية: - لا يوجد فرق ذو دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى (0.05) بين النسبة المئوية لعدد المفاهيم النحوية للمجموعة التجريبية التي درست طلابها على وفق استراتيجية بناء المعنى، وبين النسبة المئوية لعدد المفاهيم النحوية للمجموعة الضابطة التي درست طلابها على وفق الطريقة التقليدية في اختبار اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية. لا يوجد فرق ذو دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى دلاله (0، 05) بين متوسط درجات المجموعة التجريبية التي درس طلابها باستراتيجية بناء المعنى ومتوسط درجات المجموعة الضابطة التي درس طلابها بالطريقة التقليدية المتبعة في اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية مجتمعة. ولتحقيق هدف البحث وفرضيتاهُ، اختار الباحث تصميماً تجريبياً ذا الضبط الجزئي لمجموعتين تجريبية وضابطة، وحدد الباحث المفاهيم النحوية ضمن الموضوعات المعدة في خطة البحث، معتمداً على كتاب قواعد اللغة العربية للصف الخامس الأدبي للعام الدراسي (2021-2022)، ثم أعد الباحث اختبار اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية النهائي المتكون من (54) فقرة (44) فقرة منها من نوع الاختيار من متعدد و(10) فقرات من نوع التوصيل، ولغرض التأكد من صلاحية فقرات الاختبار عرض الباحث الاختبار على مجموعة من السادة المحكمين للتعرف على الصدق الظاهري للاختبار، ونال موافقتهم، ثم طبق الباحث الاختبار على عينة استطلاعية تألفت من (100) طالب لمعرفة الوقت المستغرق في الإجابة على الاختبار، لغرض أيجاد مستوى الصعوبة والسهولة والقوة التميزية لفقرات الاختبار، وفعالية البدائل الخاطئة لاختبار اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية، ثم أوجد الباحث ثبات الاختبار بطريقة التجزئة النصفية لمعامل ارتباط بيرسون، وصححه في معامل سبيرمان براون، وصاغ الباحث أهدافاً سلوكيةً للمفاهيم النحوية المحددة في خطة البحث، وللمستويات الستة في المجال المعرفي لتصنيف بلوم، و بلغت (69) هدفاً سلوكياً، كما أعدَ الباحث خططاً تدريسية لموضوعات البحث، وعرض أنموذجاً منها على السادة المحكمين، ونال موافقتهم، واختار الباحث بطريقة السحب العشوائي اختيرت مدرسة (الرواد للبنين ) في مركز قضاء الخالص لإجراء التجربة، إذ تألفت عينة البحث من (66) طالباً وزعوا بالتساوي على مجموعتين ( تجريبية وضابطة) و كافأ الباحث في بعض المتغيرات منها ( العمر الزمني محسوباً بالشهور، ودرجات الطلاب في مادة اللغة العربية للعام السابق، والتحصيل الدراسي للوالدين ). وبعد الانتهاء من تدريس الباحث لمجموعتي البحث للموضوعات النحوية المحددة طبق الباحث اختبار أكتسب المفاهيم النحوية على عينة البحث، وبعد إجراء المعالجة الإحصائية باستخدام برنامج (Spss 19) للقوانين (للاختبار التائي (t-test) لعينتين مستقلتين، ومربع (كا2)، ومعامل ارتباط بيرسون-وسيبرمان براون) أظهرت النتائج منها الآتي: - تفوق طلاب المجموعة التجريبية في اختبار اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية الذين درسوا باستخدام استراتيجية بناء المعنى مقارنة بالطلاب في المجموعة الضابطة الذين درسوا باستخدام الطريقة التقليدية، في فرضيات الصفر الأولى والثانية. وفي ضوء نتائج البحث استنتج الباحث ما يأتي: إن استراتيجية بناء المعنى تحث الطلاب في التدريس على اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية. إضفاء جو من الحرية عند تقديم المادة النحوية يساعد في اكتساب المفاهيم النحوية، لذلك تفوق طلاب المجموعة التجريبية الذين درسوا باستراتيجية بناء المعنى على طلاب المجموعة الضابطة الذين درسوا بالطريقة التقليدية.

Effects of pedagogical gestures on learning abstract grammatical concepts in young adults

Effects of pedagogical gestures on learning abstract grammatical concepts in young adults

Challenges in English Oral Exams at Vocational High School

This study aims to investigate the challenges encountered by students during English oral exams at SMK 1 Vocational High School Gorontalo and elucidate their underlying causes. Through qualitative research methods, data were gathered from the participants. Employing thematic analysis, the research identifies two primary themes: insufficient vocabulary comprehension and low English mastery, compounded by psychological conditions. Methodologically, the study draws on participant narratives to uncover the intricacies of these challenges. The results reveal that inadequate vocabulary hindered participants' ability to articulate responses effectively, while low English mastery manifested in difficulties with grammatical concepts and comprehension. Psychological barriers, including anxiety and lack of confidence, further impeded oral proficiency. These findings align with prior research, highlighting vocabulary limitations and language anxiety among Indonesian students. Notably, the study underscores the pivotal role of vocabulary in oral proficiency and the influence of confidence on exam performance. Furthermore, environmental factors, such as limited English exposure, were identified as contributing to inadequate practice opportunities. However, the study acknowledges limitations, including its exclusive focus on speaking skills and the absence of proposed solutions. It calls for further investigation into effective strategies for addressing these challenges. Recommendations include the development of tailored learning materials and the creation of supportive environments to foster English language proficiency. By illuminating the interconnected nature of these challenges and their impact on student performance, this research aims to inform pedagogical practices and guide future research endeavors in the field of English language education. Keywords: English oral exams, vocabulary comprehension, learning materials, student performance

Using the Osborne Model to Develop Grammar Concepts in Morphology Teaching and Learning

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of teaching a unit of grammar using Osborne’s model of creative problem-solving, to help secondary school students in the United Arab Emirates develop grammatical concepts. The study sample consisted of 62 tenth-grade students from the Elite School in Abu Dhabi, with 32 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group. The participants were purposefully selected during the academic year 2023/2022. The results indicated statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group taught according to Osborne’s model of creative problem-solving in developing grammatical concepts. The study provides several recommendations, including retesting Osborne’s model for developing grammatical concepts on both male and female students and across different grade levels. We also suggest that teachers consider using Osborne’s model during their teaching or incorporating some stages of the model into Arabic language curricula, particularly in general education stages. Also, to implement the Osborne model to develop thinking skills at different levels, specifically critical thinking skills, creative thinking, and problem-solving.

Open-class-ness, Aspect, Iconicity, and Other Characteristics of Japanese Ideophones Viewed through the Lens of Closed-class Semantics

Abstract This paper adopts closed-class semantics (Talmy, 2000) to examine the semantics and morphophonology of Japanese ideophones. First, it considers the class category status of ideophones, arguing that the membership expansion of ideophones as open-class forms is impeded by iconicity, or the sound-symbolism of a phoneme. Next, it explores the relevance of three grammatical concepts expressed by closed-class forms (aspect, force dynamics, and perspective) to the meaning of ideophones, arguing that: (i) the forms of ideophones are iconic representations of (un)boundedness; (ii) ideophones can elaborate on the force enacted by the antagonist or agonist; and (iii) a proximal perspective underlies commonly used descriptions, such as dramaturgicness. The discussion touches on cross-linguistically common characteristics of ideophones, including use of a closed-class means such as reduplication to create aspect-informed forms. The paper shows that the class category status is an important measure to seize characteristics of ideophones, corroborating Dingemanse (2019, 2023).

The Effects of Using Google Docs on Writing Skills of Turkish EFL Learners

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of teaching writing skills via Google Docs in a blended learning environment on error correction skills of Turkish EFL learners. In total, there were 50 students from the 10th grade at a public high school in Turkey. The data were collected through a pretest and a posttest in the experimental and control group. According to the statistical results, it was found that there was a significant difference between the posttest scores of the experimental and control group regarding content, organization, vocabulary, grammatical concepts, capitalization, spelling and punctuation, but not in terms of mechanics. In light of the results, using Google Docs in a blended learning environment seems promising to enhance writing skills of language learners by providing immediate feedback and error correction facilities. Anahtar sözcükler: Web 2.0 tools, Google Docs, writing skills, error correction skills

Associated motion, associated posture and imperfective aspect in Tacana (Amazonian Bolivia)

Abstract This paper is the first detailed description of the exceptionally rich subsystem of verbal inflections that express imperfective aspect in Tacana, an endangered and underdescribed language from the Takanan family. The unusually high degree of elaboration of this system, which includes nine members in paradigmatic opposition, is achieved by co-expressing imperfective aspect with spatial meanings taken from two distinct categories: associated motion (with five values: ‘going’, ‘coming’, ‘going back’, ‘coming back’, ‘wandering’) and what I will call “associated posture” (with three values: ‘standing’, ‘lying/bending’, ‘hanging’). The ninth member is a default imperfective marker that does not carry any spatial meaning. The paper challenges linguistic theories that consider grammatical(izable) concepts as belonging to a strictly limited range of notional domains from which motion and posture are excluded. Additionally, the paper provides strong support for a new comparative concept of “associated posture” in linguistics.

Investigating the Role of Interactive Activities in Enhancing Pre-Intermediate English Grammar Learning: A Qualitative Inquiry at Universitas Klabat

This research aims to analyze Investigating the Role of Interactive Activities in Enhancing Pre-Intermediate English Grammar Learning: A Qualitative Inquiry at Klabat University. The type of research is descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis techniques using data reduction, data display and conclusions. research results The qualitative inquiry conducted at Klabat University delves into the significant role of interactive activities in bolstering pre-intermediate English grammar learning. Through meticulous observation and analysis, it becomes evident that interactive activities not only engage learners actively in the learning process but also facilitate a deeper understanding and retention of grammatical concepts. By fostering collaborative learning environments and promoting meaningful interactions, these activities cater to diverse learning styles and encourage students to actively participate in their own language acquisition journey. Thus, integrating interactive activities into English grammar instruction proves instrumental in enhancing the overall learning experience and proficiency levels of pre-intermediate learners at Klabat University.

FORMATION OF GRAMMATICAL CONCEPTS IN PRIMARY CLASS STUDENTS

This article analyzes grammatical concepts, their features, scientific and methodological works created in connection with their study in primary school. The morphological competencies developed in primary grades and interactive methods used for the effective acquisition of grammatical concepts are outlined. The practical application of the method is explained.

Improving Students’ English Grammar Through Incorporating Games

This classroom action research aimed to enhance English grammar learning at a junior high school level by incorporating game-based activities, focusing on the simple present tense. The primary objective was to address identified challenges, such as low student enthusiasm and understanding of grammatical concepts. The study used classroom action research, unfolded in three cycles, each refining the game-based approach based on insights from the previous cycle. The methodology involved pre-tests, game-based lessons, observations, and reflective assessments. Results demonstrated sustained improvements, with increased scores and active participation. Key findings indicated enhanced active participation, motivation, concept understanding, collaboration, spontaneous English use, and a deeper understanding of the game-based method's shortcomings. The time required for understanding they were varied, reflecting the effectiveness of scaffolding in the learning environment. Implications of the research suggest the continued integration of game-based approaches, recognizing the diverse learning needs of students. Teachers should tailor scaffolding strategies to individual ZPDs, fostering collaboration and addressing language apprehension. The study contributes to the broader discourse on effective language teaching methodologies, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of theory and practice in the language learning classroom.

Augmenting Freshman Rural Engineering Students’ Interaction in English Language using Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT)

Abstract— Today’s engineer constantly delivers on both national and international work fronts which gives interaction in English language a key role. This requires teachers to work on their interaction abilities especially for the students who come from rural background. It has been observed that rural students find it difficult to get acclimatized and comfortable with the usage of grammatical concepts in real time situations. This observation necessitates researchers to cater to the needs of these students through proper pedagogical interventions for continuous improvement. Over the years many researchers have used many theories and approaches to enhance interaction skills of rural students but these studies have given temporary solution. Here lies major lacuna thus the current study focuses on how rural freshman engineering students’ interaction can be augmented with the Task based language teaching approach. TBLT is an approach that emphasizes the learning of language through the completion of meaningful tasks. It is based on the belief that language is best learned when it is used to complete a real-world task. It provides students with immersive and engaging learning environment and promotes the practical and effective use of language in real-life situations. The study uses quantitative research approach. A sample of 35 rural freshman students of Technological University is obtained and analyzed. Based on the Pre-Intervention Test and the Post-Intervention Test the results reveal that TBLT strongly augments rural students’ interaction in English language using CEFR’s Common Reference Levels: Self- Assessment Grid. After the intervention, students were requested to evaluate their performance using the assessment grid once again. Encouragingly, there was a clear indication of improvement in their self-assessment outcomes. Keywords—Interaction; Engineers; Pedagogical Intervention; Task Based Language Teaching.

ChatGPT의 영어 문법성 판단에 근거한 타당성 검증

The present study is aimed at validating the efficacy of ChatGPT based on its explanations of grammatical concepts. Given the fact that more and more English teachers refer to ChatGPT for the purpose of judging grammaticality, this study attempts to probe the potentials and challenges of ChatGPT for English education and assessment. ChatGPT’s explanations of 140 paired sentences from 11 grammatical categories including sentence types, verbs, verbals, passive voice, subjunctive mood, relatives, special structures, conjunctions, nouns-articles, adjectives-adverbs, and prepositions were collected and examined to identify the extent to which the information was valid. The results were then compared against such authoritative corpus resources as the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and Google Books Ngram Viewer (GBNV). The results revealed the average accuracy of the explanations provided by ChatGPT was approximately 73%. While some grammatical explanations of ChatGPT were accurate, 27% of explanations included misleading or even self-contradictory information. According to the survey, the majority of teachers think somewhat favorably of ChatGPT’s potential for teaching and testing, but they are aware of its inherent inaccurate information. Overall, the findings suggest that even ChatGPT’s state-of-the-art technology has yet to meet the adequacy of grammaticality for teaching and testing and that it be supplemented by authoritative English corpora.

Representing temporal concepts using redundant gestures in L2 ongoing interactions

Human conversational interaction is multimodal, involving both verbal and non-verbal modalities. That is, when a speaker and listener interact, they use not only spoken messages but also manual gestures. Manual gestures and spoken messages are semantically and temporally related and work together to create and express a complete meaning. This study employs a data-driven approach to investigate how L2 learners spontaneously employ gestures to express temporal concepts in ongoing dyadic interactions using 11 recorded interactions among L2 learners. The distribution and frequency of specific types of manual gestures were examined using sequential and gesture analyses. The results showed that, when representing temporal concepts, the participants produced language-redundant gestures. For example, to convey temporal concepts, they tended to co-express the same information with manual gestures, namely abstract deictic and metaphoric gestures, on an imaginary mental timeline axis, which appeared to represent the English grammatical concepts of tense and aspectual meaning. Regarding the functional differences in gestures in interactions, based on sequential analysis, speakers employed language-redundant gestures to express time concepts explicitly in comprehension sequences and in the negotiation of meaning as a strategy of repair for lexical retrieval, paraphrasing, and clarification. These findings reveal that understanding the use of both modalities, speech and gestures, is critical in uncovering how speakers conceptualize time in their minds and integrate space and time in language.

Pembelajaran dan Pengajaran Tata Bahasa Berdasarkan Korpus

This study is prompted by the advancement of corpus-based methods in the realm of grammar education. The primary objective of this research is to assess the requirements and the perceived significance of integrating corpus linguistics into the methodologies of grammar instruction. Employing an experimental research approach, the study involves participants who are undergraduate students majoring in Indonesian Language and Literature Education as well as English Language Education. The research utilizes the Leipzig Indonesian Mix_2013 and English-corpus.org corpora. The outcomes of this investigation offer an insight into the teaching of grammar through the incorporation of corpora, drawing comparisons based on the outcomes prior to the experimental sessions. The findings from this study highlight that the implementation of corpus linguistics within grammar learning and teaching methodologies yields a favorable impact on students' comprehension of grammar rules. The analysis of needs underscores students' recognition of the importance of integrating corpus elements into grammar education, particularly given the diverse and evolving language contexts prevalent in daily life. This perception is further reinforced by the results of the experimental phase, which demonstrate a substantial enhancement in grammar comprehension within the group exposed to corpus-based instruction. The deeper understanding gained regarding the real-world application of grammar in communicative scenarios equips students with enhanced readiness to apply grammatical concepts effectively in practical contexts. In conclusion, this research underscores the pivotal role of corpus linguistics in augmenting the efficacy of grammar education. The study provides valuable insights into the potential advantages associated with the integration of corpus-driven methodologies into language instruction, considering the dynamic nature of language usage in contemporary society. Furthermore, the outcomes emphasize the significance of aligning teaching practices with the evolving landscape of language usage.

Exploring Students’ Perception in Teaching Tenses Through Poem in English Literature Students of Pamulang University

This research aims to investigate students' perceptions of learning tenses through the use of poetry and its effectiveness among students majoring in English literature at Pamulang University. Data was collected through analysis of responses from 30 students in the third semester using a questionnaire. Data analysis was used reduction of the data, display the data, and drawing conclusion and verification. The results of the analysis show positive student responses to this learning method, with the majority of students finding it to be an interesting and rewarding experience, the use of poetry in teaching tenses increases understanding of grammatical concepts, increases students' learning motivation, and strengthens their understanding of the everyday context of the tenses being taught. Thus, this research supports the use of poetry as an effective learning tool in improving English grammar learning at university level

Investigating the Utilization of the Song 'Darl+ing' by Seventeen K-Pop Group in Improving English Grammar Skill

Utilizing song as a medium for English language acquisition has emerged as a captivating and enjoyable approach incorporated within the curricula of Junior High School and Senior High School under the 2013 educational framework. This research aims to employ the song "Darl+ing" by Seventeen as a catalyst to reinforce and validate grammatical concepts. Through an intricate analysis of the song's lyrical content, this study endeavors to address two pivotal research inquiries: (1) the delineation of distinct grammatical structures presents within Seventeen's composition "Darl+ing" and (2) an exploration of students' perspectives about the integration of English songs for grammar instruction. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the data for this study was gathered from Senior High School students. Notably, 76% of respondents acknowledged the efficacy of employing the song's lyrics as an engaging pedagogical tool. In this model, the application of "Darl+ing" as an educational stimulus holds the potential to invigorate students' grammar learning experiences. The findings culminate in the observation that Seventeen's song encapsulates diverse grammatical elements, rendering it a captivating subject of study. Hence, leveraging song lyrics as a creative conduit serves as a source of inspiration, fostering students' grammatical proficiency and imbuing the learning process with a sense of enthusiasm. In essence, the researchers underscore the recommendation of song lyrics as an innovative strategy to facilitate a comprehensive grasp of grammatical nuances, particularly within the purview of tense variations