Pedagogical Efficacy of Planned v.s unplanned focus on form Instruction in Scaffolding transitional Devices used by Iranian EFL Learners in writing Paragraphs

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

University of İsfahan

Abstract

Indubitably, the efficacy of metalinguistic awareness in improving EFL learners’ grammatical knowledge and writing quality has long been an area of great interest in applied linguistics Brown (2001). Accordingly , the main objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of planned and unplanned focus on form instruction on students ability to learn grammar and use it appropriately in their writing . For this purpose three intact classes registering for the Grammar and Writing course in university of Isfahan ,Iran were chosen for teaching the target structure (i.e , transitional devices)through different methods of focusing on form instructions . The selected samples comprised 30 in each group, male and female sophomore students with the age range of 19 to 24 , studying English translation at university of Isfahan. The samples received instruction through planned focus on form instruction (PFFI) , unplanned focus on form instruction (UFFI) and zero focus on form instruction (ZFFI) respectively . the results of the post-test on paragraph writing and on the subsequent delayed post-test revealed that the participants in the planned group notably outperformed those in the unplanned and zero focus on form groups in handling transitional markers in the writing of paragraphs.

Keywords

References

Andrews, K. (2007). The effects of implicit and explicit instruction on simple and complex grammatical structures for adult English language learners. Journal of TESL-EJ, 11(2). Retrieved from http://tesl-ej.org/ej42/a5.html
 Bialystok, E. (1994). Representation and ways of knowing: Three issues in second language acquisition. In N. Ellis(Ed.) Implicit and Explicit Learning of Languages(pp.549-569). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles (2nd Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall/ Regents.
 Dekeyser, R. (1995). Learning second language grammar rules: An experiment with a miniature linguistic system. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 17, 379-410.
 Ellis, R. (2003). Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Ellis, R. (2008). The study of second language acquisition (2nd Ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Krashen, S. (1982)..Principles and Practice in SecondLanguage Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.
 Long, M. (1991). Focus on form in task-based language teaching. In R.D. Lambert(ed.)language Policy and Pedagogy (pp. 179-192). Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
 Macaro, E.,& Masterman, L. (2006). Does intensive explicit grammar instruction make all the difference? Language Teaching Research, 10(3), 297-327.
 Nunan, D. (2001). Designing tasks for a communicative classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
 Radwan, A. A. (2005). The effectiveness of explicit attention to form in language learning. System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, 33 (1), 69- 87. Retrieved December 7, 2008, from Eric database (EJ803865).
 Rahimpour, M. (2001). The acquisition of L2 in instructed and naturalistic situation. Journal of Faculty of Letter and Humanities,University of Tabriz, 44 , 10-39.
 Richards, J. C.,& Rogers, T. (1986). Approaches and methods in language teaching ( 2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
 Rivers, W. M. (1981). Teaching Foreign- Language Skills (2nd Ed.). Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Ruhi, A. (2001). Toward operationalizing focus on form in EFL classroom setting. MA. thesis. Tabriz University.
 Sargent, D. (2009). Implicit grammar teaching activities. The School of Teaching ESL. Retrieved from http://www.schoolofTESL.com
 Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. In C. Candlin & N. Mercer (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages(pp. 129-158).Cambrdige: Cambrdige University Press.
 Thornbury, S. (1999). How to teach grammar. Harlow: Longman.
 Widdowson, H. (1989). Knowledge of language and ability for use. Applied Linguistics, 10, 128-137.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics