Integrated Grammar Instruction: An Alternative Approach in EFL Classrooms on Oral Accuracy and Fluency
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main purpose of the study was to investigate to what extent the integrated-communicative grammar instructional approach would improve the students oral grammatical accuracy and fluency (information density and speech coherence), if at all it does? A descriptive case study design was employed over three months' periods to determine the impact of the proposed instruction. Twelve samples out of fifty-seven students and one English teacher in the Department of English from University of Gondar took part in this study. An oral test which included (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest design) were used as a quantitative part to collect oral data. Semi-structured interview and classroom observation instruments were employed as qualitative part. Interview was used to find out students' and the classroom teacher's views towards the study. Similarly, the observation tool was employed to get viable data from the overall happenings in speaking classes. After administering the three phases’ oral test, the data collected were subjected to statistical analysis. The data was analyzed using the simple descriptive statistical measure (i.e. percentage, mean average, paired t-test, and graphs) were used to see whether difference existed among sample students. The findings of the posttest and delayed posttest indicate that students improved their oral production components: information density, grammatical accuracy, and speech coherence in comparison to the pretest. In addition, the impact of integrated grammar instruction was also evident in promoting students spoken grammatical accuracy and production competence in the process of learning and teaching. The oral interview took place at the end of the training to see the views of students' and the classroom teacher's toward the instruction, teaching material, challenges, and opportunities during study periods. The findings show that sample students and the classroom teacher had positive views toward the application of integrating grammar and speaking skills. The findings of classroom observation also indicate that integrated grammar instruction in speaking classroom allowed students to work in pairs and groups and interact orally. Implications drawn from the findings suggest for teachers and material developers, this research could help them to scale up the current instructional performance and syllabus. Integrating grammar with speaking skills would be an alternative pedagogical approach. For this to happen, English teachers need to be given training on integrated instructional intervention in language teaching.
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An Alternative Approach in EFL Classrooms on Oral Accuracy and Fluency