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Explicit or Implicit Grammar Teaching

This document discusses different approaches to teaching grammar in English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Some advocate for explicit grammar instruction, explaining rules and having students practice through drills, while others favor implicit instruction where students acquire grammar through meaningful use of language without direct focus on forms. Both approaches have benefits and drawbacks for developing students' mastery and fluency in using the language.

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Kory Baker
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156 views

Explicit or Implicit Grammar Teaching

This document discusses different approaches to teaching grammar in English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Some advocate for explicit grammar instruction, explaining rules and having students practice through drills, while others favor implicit instruction where students acquire grammar through meaningful use of language without direct focus on forms. Both approaches have benefits and drawbacks for developing students' mastery and fluency in using the language.

Uploaded by

Kory Baker
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Explicit or implicit grammar teaching?

Which grammar teaching method?


In ESL and EFL grammar teaching methods are debatable. Some see grammar as the backbone
of languages and learners should be presented with explicit grammar courses. Others, however,
think that knowing the grammar doesnt necessarily lead to language mastery. They contend that
focusing on explicit grammar teaching produces unsuccessful language users. Which one of
these methods is the right one?
Explicit grammar teaching
Teachers who focus on language forms presentation, explain the grammar rules and practice
through drilling hold a traditional view of language teaching. They equate language to grammar
mastery and accurate usage and create bored, disaffected students who can produce correct forms
on exercises and tests, but consistently make errors when they try to use the language in context.
In other words, students under this form of instruction know a lot about the language but they are
unable to use the language itself appropriately in contextualized situations these students
consistently make errors when they try to use the language in context. One of the most famous
methods which advocate this kind of instruction is the audiolingual method.
Implicit grammar teaching
By contrast some teachers think that people can acquire language without any overt grammar
instruction much in the same way children learn their mother tongue. They believe that
conscious use of language forms may result in high affective filter and consequently poor
language profeciency and fluency. These teachers prefer language use to language usage and
focus on meaning rather than form. For language activities, they provide contextualized and
authentic language and do not refer to rules or forms at all.

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