Factors influencing grammar learning of in service students of english at ussh

The results of the study also show some real existing problems in in-service grammar teaching and learning, which are 1 lack of teaching facilities for grammar teaching and learning, 2 l

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE

FACTORS INFLUENCING GRAMMAR LEARNING OF IN-SERVICE STUDENTS OF ENGLISH AT USSH

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL

by

LE THI THANH LAN

Supervised by Senior lecturer: PHAN THI KIM LOAN, M.A.,

HO CHI MINH CITY, JULY 2011

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis submitted today entitled:

FACTORS INFLUENCING GRAMMAR LEARNING OF IN-SERVICE

STUDENTS OF ENGLISH AT USSH

in terms of the statement of Requirements for Theses in Master’s Programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee

Ho Chi Minh City, July 14, 2011

LE THI THANH LAN

RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS

I hereby state that I, Le Thi Thanh Lan, being the candidate for the degree of Master of TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Library for care, loan or reproduction of theses

Ho Chi Minh City, July 14, 2011

LE THI THANH LAN

My special thanks go to Ms Pham Thi Ngoc Hoa, Mr Nguyen Hoang Linh,

Dr Le Hoang Dung, who gave me useful advice and helped me think through the problems at the beginning of conducting the survey

Finally, I appreciate my best friends for their help in terms of references and ideas I am greatly indebted to my parents, who have always been wholeheartedly supportive and understanding so that I could devote all the time to the writing of the thesis

ABSTRACT

This thesis discusses factors which influence grammar learning of in-service students of English at USSH Data were collected through two survey questionnaires: one for teachers, another for in-service students who have just completed the grammar program; and the interview for two different groups of students: high-performing and low-performing students The problems were identified and categorized under five factors in descending order of influence: learners, methodology, materials and syllabus, learning environment, and assessment However, there is a contrast between the two groups in choice of the influence of the factor learners This factor has the most important influence on grammar learning for the high-performing students whereas the low-performing ones consider it less important than the factor materials and syllabus

The results of the study also show some real existing problems in in-service grammar teaching and learning, which are (1) lack of teaching facilities for grammar teaching and learning, (2) lack of matching the meaning of English structures to their equivalents in Vietnamese language, (3) students’ low frequency of practice, (4) a problem rising from program innovation, (5) inappropriateness of materials, and (6) lack

of application of grammar to speaking and writing

Based on the findings of the study, the thesis contributes some reasonable recommendations to facilitating grammar teaching and learning On the one hand, learning environment should be well-equipped for teaching and learning better and more interestingly Students should be provided with the appropriate materials (coursebooks

or textbooks) and syllabus On the other hand, grammar learning should be taught in the light of integrated approach It needs good input not only for presentation and practice

of form and meaning but also for production in term of speaking and writing Obviously, teachers are responsible for carrying out changes of teaching methods to help students apply grammar to speaking and writing More importantly, students play a crucial role

in serious practice and frequent application of what they have learned

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certificate of originality i

Retention and use of the thesis ii

Acknowledgements iii

Abstract iv

Table of contents v

List of tables ix

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

1.1.Rationale of the study 1

1.2.Background to the study 2

1.3.Aims of the study 4

1.4 The significance of the study 4

1.5 Overview of the study 4

Chapter 2 Literature review 6

2.1 Definitions of grammar; the importance of grammar in English teaching and learning 6

2.1.1 Definitions of grammar 6

2.1.2 The importance of grammar in English teaching and learning 7

2.2 Perspectives about grammar teaching and learning 9

2.2.1 Principles for grammar teaching 9

2.2.2 Different points of view about grammar teaching and learning 11

2.2.2.1 Difference between traditional method and communicative approach 11

2.2.2.2 Explicit and implicit teaching 11

2.2.2.3 Teaching grammar as product and as process 12

2.2.2.4 Teaching grammar in combination of traditional structures and communicative functions 13

2.3 The role of materials and syllabus on grammar learning 14

2.3.1 Definition of materials and syllabus 15

2.3.2 The necessity of a coursebook in learning 15

2.4 Teaching grammar to adult learners 16

2.4.1 Differences between teaching adult learners from teaching younger learners 17

2.4.2 Some characteristics that adult learners bring to class 19

2.4.3 The importance of motivation for grammar learning 21

2.4.4 The need for integration of grammar teaching and learning 25

2.4.4.1 Advantages of the integrated-skill approach .26

2.4.4.2 Grammar and speaking 26

2.4.4.3 Grammar and reading .27

2.4.4.4 Grammar and writing .27

2.5 Local researches on grammar teaching and learning 28

2.6 Summary 30

Chapter 3: Methodology 31

3.1 Research questions 31

3.2 Research design 31

3.2.1 Subjects 31

3.2.1.1 Students 31

3.2.1.2 Teachers 32

3.2.2 Instruments: questionnaires and in-depth interview 32

3.2.2.1 Questionnaires for students 32

3.2.2.2 Questionnaires for teachers 34

3.2.2.3 In-depth interview 36

3.2.3 Data collection procedures 37

3.3 Summary 37

Chapter 4: Data analyses and findings 38

4.1 Data analyses 38

4.1.1 The in-service students’ background 38

4.1.2 Factors influencing grammar learning of in-service students 40

4.2 Summary from the in-depth interview 67

4.2.1 The reasons for students’ learning result 67

4.2.2 The degree of influence of the five factors on students’ grammar learning 69

4.2.3 Other influential factors on students’ grammar learning besides the five above-mentioned factors 70

4.3 Findings 70

4.3.1 Learning environment factor: Lack of teaching facilities 70

4.3.2 Learners factor 71

4.3.2.1 Lack of matching English structures’ meaning to their equivalents in Vietnamese language .71

4.3.2.2 Students’ low frequency of practice 71

4.3.3 Assessment factor: A motivational factor 72

4.3.4 Syllabus and materials factor 72

4.3.4.1 A problem rising from program innovation 72

4.3.4.2 The inappropriateness of materials 72

4.3.5 Methodology factor: Lack of application of grammar to speaking and writing 73

4.4 Summary 73

Chapter 5: Implications and recommendations 74

5.1 Implications 74

5.2 Recommendations 75

5.2.1 To the institution .76

5.2.2 To students 78

5.2.3 To teachers 80

5.2.4 Some techniques for teaching grammar to in-service students 82

5.3 Summary 92

Conclusion 93

Bibliography 95

Appendix 1: Questionnaire to students (Vietnamese version) 100

Appendix 2: Questionnaire to students (English version) 104

Appendix 3: Questionnaire to teachers (Vietnamese version) 108

Appendix 4: Questionnaire to teachers (English version) 112

Appendix 5: In-depth interview .116

Appendix 6: The in-service student respondentss’ occupation 117

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Grammar program to in-service students at USSH

Table 3.1 Questionnaire for in-service students

Table 3.2 Questionnaire for teachers

Table 4.1 The in-service students’ gender, age and occupation

Table 4.2 The main purposes of learning English

Table 4.3 The in-service students’ and teachers’ comments on learning conditions affecting grammar class

Table 4.4 The in-service students’ ideas about the influence of instructors’ attitude toward grammar teaching on grammar learning

Table 4.5 The in-service students’ and teachers’ opinions about the importance of grammar learning to English learning

Table 4.6 The reasons for the importance of grammar learning

Table 4.7 The influence of Vietnamese language on English grammar learning

Table 4.8 The influence of age (older learners) on English grammar learning

Table 4.9 The influence of class attendance and participation score on grammar learning

Table 4.10 The influence of final exam score on grammar learning

Table 4.11 The in-service students’ views on Practical English Grammar 1

Table 4.12 The in-service students’ views on Practical English Grammar 2

Table 4.13 The inservice students’ views on Mosaic 1

Table 4.14 The in-service students’ views on Mosaic 2

Table 4.15 The in-service sudents’ and teachers’ views on the amount of time for grammar class

Table 4.16 Exploration of techniques used to present a new structure

Table 4.17 Exploration of techniques used in practice and production stage

Table 4.18 Techniques that students believe to be helpful for their learning in presentation stage

Table 4.19 Techniques that students believe to be helpful for their learning in

practice and production stage

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

This thesis reports the results of a survey on factors which influence grammar learning of in-service students of English at USSH and gives some suggestions to facilitate grammar teaching and learning This introduction presents rationale of the study, background to the study as well as aims and overview of the study

1.1 Rationale of the study

Talking about learning English grammar, some students like learning it because they think it is helpful and interesting On the contrary, other students do not like grammar since they believe that to learn and remember it is not easy Lewis & Hill (1985:86) state, “Very often, learners think of grammar as an unpopular and difficult part of their language lessons Even more worryingly, that attitude is one they have usually caught from their teachers” However, these two authors stress that grammar can be fun because grammar practice can be both lively and amusing Moreover, grammar is an indispensable part of learning and using language as Bowen and Marks (1994:83) say, “Grammar organizes language structures and makes a language understandable for a learner” In other words, grammar helps learners speak out well-organized and structural sentences in order to make themselves be understood and understand what interlocutors mean

Like adult learners rushing to numerous foreign language centers to take up English courses, in-service students come to USSH with a hope that they can use English well enough to serve their own purposes such as their work, promotion, getting better scholastic achievement and even academic success; or simply with a desire to study English to be able to communicate with other people in their real life Two skills for their good communication are speaking and writing Unfortunately, a common phenomenon is that many of them, after four years, taking graduation exams, fail to write grammatically Their writing skill is not expectedly good enough This may result from different causes, and one undeniable factor which has a huge

impact on their writing quality is grammar Moreover, although grammar can be underestimated in conversation or communication as long as communicators understand and are understood, speaking grammatically is more appreciated When I taught grammar to in-service classes, I noticed that some students tried to speak fluently regardless of grammar and others unconsciously spoke out ungrammatical sentences Accordingly, some questions are raised - whether they pay attention to grammar in speaking and writing, if they apply grammar to speaking and writing during grammar learning process, and how they learn and are taught grammar More importantly, there has been no local reseach on grammar teaching and learning of in-service students at USSH so far Therefore, the researcher’s interest is aroused to find the answers to the above-raised questions in this study

1.2 Background to the study

This section is a brief description of In-service students and grammar teaching coursebooks at USSH The purpose is to provide the necessary background information for discussion of the issues in this study

Being in-service students, most of them work at day time and go to class after work; a few work on shift and they are all over 20 The in-service grammar program

at USSH includes four stages in the first two years, and each stage lasts 45 periods The first two stages, Grammar 1 and 2 are for first-year students The students have

“Practical English Grammar” (textbook 1 by Nguyen Viet Thu, 2006 and textbook 2

by Nguyen Huynh Dat and Pho Phuong Dung, 2008) as their grammar coursebooks The aims of these textbooks, according to the authors, assist students to practice grammar points in context and equip them the ability to speak and write English grammatically The next two stages are designed on a basis of the combination of the two books: Mosaic 1 (by Werner, 2006) and Mosaic 2 (by Werner and Nelson, 2007) when students are in the second year The third stage, Grammar 3 covers the last 4 units in Mosaic 1 (one out of four is for students’ self-study) and the first three units

in Mosaic 2 The other units in Mosaic 2 are included in the last stage, Grammar 4

In fact, the above-mentioned program was the new one However, after a period of time the old grammar program or syllabus is used again as follows:

GRAMMAR

1

Practical English Grammar

BOOK ONE HCMC Uni

Practical English Grammar

BOOK TWO HCMC Uni

Publishing House

 The use of tenses

 The use of tenses in conditional sentences

GRAMMAR

3

Practical English Grammar

BOOK TWO HCMC Uni

Practical English Grammar

BOOK TWO HCMC Uni

Publishing House

 Adverbs

 Phrases + Clauses

 Reported speech

Table 1.1 Grammar program to in-service students at USSH

A problem in teaching grammar among teachers in charge of their classes is lacking unity in using materials for students One teacher uses Practical English Grammar: book 2 for sophomores while another uses Mosaic 1 and the others use Mosaic 1 and

2 Moreover, a change of using materials for the same students (for example, in two stages) who do not yet finish a 4-stage-grammar program confuses teachers and students They are confused about where to start, what textbook to use On the whole, the grammar programs among classes are different and then final papers are not similar Every class separately takes the final exam designed by the teacher in charge

of this class Accordingly, there is a gap of grammar proficiency level among the

complaint from some grammar teachers about the textbooks For example, the textbooks have no answer key and the textbooks are not appropriate for in-service students Therefore, it seems that the textbooks have some negative influences on grammar teaching and learning of in-service students at USSH

1.3 Aims of the study

In a combination of rationale of the study and background to the study, there is

a need to carry out the thesis with a hope to find out the answers to the mentioned problems Moreover, grammar has a big impact on other skills, especially writing skill in graduation examination, so it entails that much attention should be paid to the learning of this subject Therefore, another question is raised regarding what hinders in-service students from learning grammar besides the problems above (concerning materials and methodology) As a result, the aim of the study is to investigate factors influencing grammar learning of in-service students of English at USSH

above-1.6 The significance of the study

The sudy is needed as a preliminary for teachers who teach grammar to service students On the basis of findings of influential factors and suggestions for grammar teaching and learning, the teachers can find the best way to design their own lesson plan for a particular grammar point so that the interference can be eliminated

in-1.5 Overview of the study

The subject of this thesis is focused on the in-service sophomores who have just finished the grammar program Questionnaires were delivered to students to find out which factors have much influence on learners’ grammar and then the reason why students speak and write ungrammatically Eventually, the study comes up with feasible suggestions to facilitate students’ grammar learning, especially to improve their grammatical writing skill and to limit their grammatical mistakes in communication as well The thesis consists of five chapters:

 Chapter 1 introduces the rationale of the study and provides the background information to the study: a brief description of the subjects who participated in the study, coursebooks and syllabus in use for in-service students at USSH

 Chapter 2 presents a review of literature relevant to grammar teaching and learning issues in five major sections: (1) Definitions of grammar and the importance of grammar in teaching and learning; (2) Perspectives on grammar teaching and learning; (3) The role of materials and syllabus on grammar learning; (4) Teaching grammar to adult learners; (5) Local researches on grammar teaching and learning

 Chapter 3 is about the methodology of the study which is designed in two sections The first states research questions employed to guide the study The second describes the subjects (in-service sophomores and teachers) to whom the questionnaires were delivered The in-depth interviews were carried out with two different groups of students: one is high-performing and the other low-performing

 Chapter 4 analyzes the questionnaire responses and students’ opinions from the in-depth interview The data analysis mainly aims to identify factors influencing grammar learning and to give recommendations for improving the situation

 Chapter 5 provides feasible suggestions to grammar teaching and learning

As a result of this, the quality of the students’ writing is improved and the increase in application of grammar to speaking helps students reduce grammatical mistakes in communication

In the light of factors which have much effect on grammar learning of service students and then reasonable and useful suggestions, the thesis is conducted with a hope to benefit our teachers and students in grammar teaching and learning, especially in-service students at USSH

in-CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

In the previous chapter, the rationale of the study in conjunction with the background to the study shows a need to carry out the study This chapter is a review

of issues relevant to grammar teaching and learning: (1) Definition of grammar and the importance of grammar in teaching and learning; (2) perspectives on grammar teaching and learning; (3) the role of materials and syllabus on grammar learning; (4) teaching grammar to adult learners; (5) local researches on grammar teaching and learning The review provides a theoretical foundation to discuss what factors influence grammar learning of in-service students at USSH

2.1 Definitions of grammar; the importance of grammar in English teaching and learning

2.1.1 Definitions of grammar

There have been many definitions of grammar in literature Cobbett (1983:33) states a definition of grammar as follows:

“Grammar […] teaches us how to make use of words; that is to say, it teaches

us how to make use of them in proper manner […] to be able to choose the words which ought to be employed, and to place them where they ought to be placed, we must be acquainted with certain principles and rules; and these principles and rules constitute what is called grammar.”

Like Cobbett, but to make it simple, Sesnan (1997:54) says, “Grammar is the set of rules for choosing words and putting words together to make sense.”

Another definition of grammar from a dictionary is taken into consideration:

“The study and practice of the rules by which words change their forms and combined into sentences.” [Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, cited in Harmer, 1987:1]

According to Nunan (1999:97), notions of grammar have changed over the years, “These days, at least grammarians are a little more careful than in the

Cobbett’s day to focus on describing language as it is used, rather than prescribing how it should be used.”

In fact, no matter what above-mentioned notions, people generally do not learn language by memorizing millions of sentences Instead, they learn to attach meaning

to particular words, and then they begin to acquire Simply, grammar allows us to generate language and make completely different sentences if we use different words

In other words, the sentence can change, but the rule can remain Therefore, grammar is associated with a set of rules or principles operating in language and grammar provides some general and systematic guidance on the structure and syntax

2.1.2 The importance of grammar in English teaching and learning

The sentence we are reading now, the one we were reading a minute ago, and the one we will be reading in a moment may be completely original Each may have never been spoken, written or heard before How is it possible? It is grammar Wilkins (1976:66) points out, “Acquiring the grammatical system of the target language is of central importance, because an inadequate knowledge of grammar would severely constrain linguistic creativity and limit the capacity for communication”

Ur (1988:4) agrees that grammar is important; “There’s no doubt that knowledge – implicit or explicit – of grammatical rules is essential for the mastery of

a language.” Harmer (1987) discusses shift away from grammar teaching and concentration on how people learn language and what they want to say Some people feel that teaching grammar of a language is unnecessary for language use For example, somebody knows the verb to be, it does not mean that he or she will be able

to use it to introduce themselves or others Therefore, language functions should be taught instead of teaching grammar because language is used to perform certain functions like inviting, apologizing, introducing, suggesting, and so on Harmer (1987), however, points out that the sentences, which perform functions, are also made up of grammatical elements As a result, there is a need to learn how to

perform the functions of language, but students should need to know grammar or at least a basic knowledge of grammar as well to perform language functions

The place of grammar in the teaching of foreign language is controversial Ur (1996) expresses some opinions which were extracted from literature relating to the teaching of grammar

Extract 1: “The important point is that the study of grammar as such is neither necessary nor sufficient for learning to use a language.”

Extract 2: “The student’s craving for explicit formulization of generalization can usually be met better by textbooks and grammars that he reads outside class than by discussion in class.”

[cited in Ur, 1996:77]

Extract 1 means that learning grammar is unnecessary and insufficient to language learning, and extract 2 adds that it is better for learners to study grammar individually and independently than as a part of the classroom Ur (1996:77) seems

to incline against the two extracts although he partly agrees with the first extract’s idea, “one learns one’s mother tongue without studying grammar” On the other hand,

he says, “the important thing is not whether teaching and learning grammar is necessary and / or sufficient for language learning, but whether it helps or not”, and

he admits that grammar helps a lot In addition, he believes that if grammar is better studied outside class; and if learners see the study of grammar as desirable as part of their learning, why is not it provided and practiced in the classroom?

In short, some authors are in favour of the importance of grammar, but others object to that This dispute over the place of grammar in English teaching and learning among authors is unavoidable, since people say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ In my opinion, grammar exists to enable learners to convey what they mean and understand what other people mean It is impossible to communicate beyond a very rudimentary level without grammar because when learners talk, they are not just repeating sentences that they have already learned but they can also use

their own words and organize these words into grammatical sentences In other words, they are creating completely new sentences thanks to grammar of a language

2.2 Perspectives on grammar teaching and learning

2.2.1 Principles for grammar teaching

Harmer (1991:22-23) states, “Since knowledge of grammar is essential for competent users of a language, it is clearly necessary for our students” He adds,

“Our aim in teaching grammar should be to ensure that students are communicatively efficient with the grammar they have at their level [and thus] we should make sure that they can use what they know” Some basis rules for grammar teaching which will serve as the criteria for evaluating the practical approaches are suggested by Thornbury (1999) as follows:

The E-factor: Efficiency = economy, ease, and efficacy when considering an activity for the presentation or practice of grammar, the question echoes ‘How efficient is it for teacher as well as students?’ Because the classroom time is very limited, and if a grammar activity requires a great deal of time to set up or a lot of materials, is it the most efficient deployment of teacher’s limited time, energy and resources? Efficiency can be broken down into three factors: economy, ease and efficacy

‘Economy’ factor simply means ‘the shorter the better’ when presenting grammar to make students avoid being confused On the other hand, most teachers lead busy lives, have many classes, and cannot afford to sacrifice valuable free time preparing elaborate classroom materials Therefore, ‘ease’ factor recognizes ‘the easier the better’ The last but not least important factor is ‘efficacy’ Will grammar activity work? This factor is evaluated by the degree of attention it arouses That is to say, it draws learners’ attention and prevents them from distractions Attention without understanding, however, is probably a waste of time, so efficacy will in part depend on the amount and quality of contextual information, explanation and checking Finally, understanding without memory would seem to be ineffective, so

how memorable it is will also be a decisive impact on the efficacy factor of presentation Nevertheless, none of the above-mentioned considerations will be sufficient if there is a lack of motivation including some external motivational factors such as an examination, the participation of opportunities to use the language

It is the teacher’s job to choose relevant tasks or materials with an achievable outcome and an element of challenge to engage the learners

The A-factor: Appropriacy; no class of learners is the same: not only are their needs, interests, level and goals different, but their beliefs, attitudes and values will not be the same As a result, an activity that works for one group of learners and fulfils the E-factor criteria is not necessarily going to work for another Thus, it may simply not be appropriate; then appropriacy, like efficiency factor, is taken into account as a criterion to evaluate any classroom activity Factors to consider when determining appropriacy include:

 The age of the learners

 Their level

 The size of the group

 The constitution of the group

 The learners’ needs

 The learners’ interests

 The available materials and resources

 The learners’ previous learning experience and hence present expectation

 Any cultural factors

 The educational context

These principles can benefit teachers in grammar teaching in a number of ways Teachers are oriented to design their lesson plans so that teachers can save time in preparing materials and setting up activities but ensure that grammar learning

is efficient In order to succeed, teachers have to consider the factor learners that play

a decisive role in whether or not teaching method is appropriate for the learners

2.2.2 Different points of view about grammar teaching and learning

2.2.2.1 Difference between traditional method and communicative approach

Traditional teachers often focus on grammatical rules rather than meaning when teaching grammatical structures because they believe that learning a foreign language is learning to master its linguistic system and if learners know grammatical rules, they will be able to communicate in the language Unfortunately, the fact, however, is different from what they think and believe Although the learners can learn and remember grammatical rules well, they still fail to communicate in the target language What makes communicative approach different from traditional methods is that teachers pay more attention to enabling learners to work with the target language as much as possible Moreover, the teachers try to create real and like-real situations in which language can be used to draw the learners’ attention to and interest in their lessons as well as help them use language to communicate in their real life

2.2.2.2 Explicit and implicit teaching

Bygate, Tonkyn & Williams (1994) introduce different approaches to grammar in their book “Grammar and the Language Teacher” including ten articles which reflect the revival of interest in grammar in second language teaching However, some are only concerned in this study The first author is Geoffrey Leech, who mentioned three varieties of grammar: pedagogical grammar or grammar for learners, teachers’ grammar and academic grammar (for university students) In relation to grammar for learners, opinions are given as answers to question ‘how far

do learners need to become consciously aware of the grammar knowledge?’ some people favor traditional grammar instruction through explicit learning throughout the presentation of rules meanwhile others prefer implicit learning of grammar through

exposure to, practice in and the language in use However, most of them eventually agree that it is necessary and indeed unavoidable to combine explicit and implicit learning in most learning situations

Mitchell (1998) conducted an investigation into the thinking of foreign languages teachers in Hampshire schools on the topic ‘knowledge about language’ and its role in language teaching and learning Mitchell revealed these teachers’ view,

“Pupils could effectively assimilate new structures through active practice and use However, some feeling was also expressed that ‘more able’ and / or ‘older’ pupils wanted, and could benefit from, systematic and explicit presentation of grammatical rules and explanations, and also that grammatical expositions could assist pupils in shifting from rote learning to a more creative use of the target language.” [Cited in Bygate, Tonkyn & Williams, 1994:217]

In Teaching and Learning Grammar, Harmer (1987) deals with one of the most controversial questions “Should we teach grammar? If yes, why, when and how?” Harmer says that grammar teaching of both the overt and covert kind has a real and important place in the classroom With overt grammar, teachers provide learners with grammatical rules and explanations It is to say that with overt teaching, the teachers are explicit and open about the grammar of the language With covert grammar, the learners can acquire and practice the language but they do not pay conscious attention to any of the grammatical facts of the language In other words, covert grammar is taught implicitly Harmer concludes that at the beginner level the teaching of grammar is likely to be covert, for the main aim is to get the learners to practice and use the language as much as possible On the other hand, at intermediate levels it would probably be more overt because they can actively study grammar in more overt ways when they get more advanced

2.2.2.3 Teaching grammar as product and as process

Batstone’s article considers different ways of exploiting grammar in the classroom, comprising the teaching of grammar as product and as process In other

words, the careful control language for the learner is seen as product, and the creative use of language by the learner as process However, product teaching faces various critics and arguments because it disregards the factor of language use There

is a more moderate version, which argues for product approach “Teaching grammar

as product can give the learner a clear and explicit framework… [which can bring the learner] a much needed feeling of security, [and] a motivating effect” In another circumstance, “product approaches are criticized for not providing sufficient input of this ‘rich’ variety.” Through a form-focused product approach, learners may not long retain what they have been taught On the contrary, Batstone notices, “if learners are

to learn grammar to the point where they have effectively internalized it, then they will need considerable practice in language use, involving a genuine focus on meaning and on self-expression” This can help them “reorganize their knowledge of language, store it mentally as a large network of routines – fixed or semi-fixed expressions which can be activated at speed”, thus the learners are equipped to handle the communicative stress typical of much real-time communication [Cited in Bygate, Tonkyn & Williams, 1994:226-227]

2.2.2.4 Teaching grammar in combination of traditional structures and communicative functions

Littlewood (1981) sees a communicative approach as a solution to help learners communicate more effectively in a foreign language Communicative approach in language teaching starts from a theory of language as communication This approach makes us consider language not only in terms of its structures but also

in terms of the communicative functions that it performs As a result, there is a combination between the traditional structures with the newer communicative functions to achieve a more complete communicative view This is to say that teachers provide the learners with an amount of fuller knowledge of grammar structures and communicative functions in real situations as well as with opportunities to use the language themselves for communicative purposes

In Practical Techniques for Language Teaching, Lewis & Hill (1985) do not deny the advantage of grammar rules They notice that good rules can help learners since ‘good’ means a compromise between accuracy and accessibility and ‘rule’ is a combination of cyclically presented well-chosen examples and verbal description, not just a brief verbal description It means that language teaching based entirely on getting the forms correct become meaningless, boring and difficult to be communicative when hearers and speakers fail to understand each other Thus, they suggest learners should practice form as well as use and the teaching should link practices on fluency with those on accuracy or combine language function and structured form

In summary, different points of view from many authors draw a complete picture about grammar teaching and learning Explicit and implicit teaching can be combined to make presentation on grammar rules so that teaching grammar is more flexible and interesting However, a consensus is that explicit or overt teaching serves older learners better than implicit or covert one Moreover, there is a need to focus not only on form but also on meaning What learners gain is important, but what learners retain what they have gained is more important

2.3 The role of materials and syllabus on grammar learning

Materials and syllabus in any language teaching and learning program are necessary for teachers and learners to follow Syllabus describes the content of the course and materials provide at least some general frameworks as a basis to present the content of the course In case of grammar, as stated above, good rules can help students and good rules can be presented in a certain grammar coursebook Materials

or grammar coursebooks give grammatical rules, explanations, examples and a variety of practical activities These things help learners understand the significance

of particular points of usage, see how the language is used, and then apply what they learn in practice and communication Moreover, without grammar coursebook, teachers have to take a great deal of time to prepare the whole package to provide

learners As for learners, they have nothing to follow and self-study, so they may totally learn grammar in reliance on what teachers supply and they become passive

As a result, it is necessary to include materials in grammar teaching and learning

2.3.1 Definition of a syllabus and materials

“A syllabus [may be commonly] defined as a document which consists of a list This list specifies all the things that are to be taught in the courses for which the syllabus was designed.” (Ur, 1996:176) In a grammar course, like syllabus, “Most people associate the term ‘language learning materials’ with coursebooks because that has been their main experience of using materials,” (Tomlinson, 1998:2) and the term ‘coursebook’ is used here to mean a textbook followed by teacher and learners for a language course In some places, coursebooks are taken granted In others, they may not be used at all since teachers work on the base of a syllabus or their own programme They use coursebooks and supplementary materials as the need arises

2.3.2 The necessity of a coursebook in learning

In the University of Social Sciences and Humanities a coursebook or textbook serves as a syllabus for in-service training programme; therefore, it is the same as a guiding star in learning process for not only teachers but also learners Ur (1996) very much prefers to use a coursebook in fact He finds that a set framework helps him to regulate and time his programme and provides a firm jump off point for creation of imaginative supplementary teaching ideas According to his experience, learners too prefer to have one He says that the classes, which he has tried to teach

in reliance on a selection from different sources, have complained of a sense of lack

of purpose, and they feel their learning is not taken seriously He comments that it seems the possession of a coursebook might carry a certain prestige

Materials, that is to say a coursebook or textbook, play an important role in language learning Nunan (1998) points out that there is the need to relate theory, research and methods to classroom action This point is important in case of materials also Richards and Rogers (1986) hold the same view with Nunan that

materials take an important play for teaching and learning As a result of that, Nunan (1998:209) suggests, “When selecting materials, it is essential to match materials with the goals and objectives of the programme, and to ensure that they consistent with one’s beliefs about the nature of language and learning, as well as with one’s learners’ attitudes, beliefs and preferences.”

We are able to come to a conclusion about the role of the materials in facilitating grammar teaching and learning They appear to guide all classroom work and intend to stimulate learners’ creative ideas by engaging their interest and challenging their intellect so that they can become more independent in their learning and in their use of English grammar On the other hand, coursebooks support teachers by providing ready-made presentation material, ideas for teaching grammar with different topics, reading texts, conversations or dialogues and so on They also provide a methodology, or at least an approach to grammar learning as one of the guidelines for material evaluation Cunningsworth (1995) suggests

To elicit in-service students’ views on their coursebooks, the author of this study also bases on Cunningsworth’s guidelines and picks out some of the important criteria for coursebook assessment carried out by Ur (1996) which are relevant to grammar coursebook assessment, including (1) clear attractive layout or clear instructions and print easy to read; (2) good grammar explanation and practice; (3) varied topics and tasks, so as to provide for different learner levels, learning styles, interest; (4) language appropriate for learners’ level

2.4 Teaching grammar to adult learners

Teaching, learning a foreign language in general and English grammar in particular have to stick together Teaching is guiding, facilitating learning, setting the conditions for learning, and enabling learners to learn as well Principle for grammar teaching requires taking the factor, the age of learners, into account It aims to ensure that methodology is appropriate for a certain kind of learner because grammar teaching methods are different if learner populations are different In addition, the

age of the learners influences grammar learning, since learning English grammar seems like learning grammatical rules and how to use these rules in communication

It needs capacity of memory and more regular practice and application whereas the law of nature says, ‘you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ Therefore, grammar teachers need to know the age of learners to employ appropriate techniques

2.4.1 Differences between teaching adult learners from teaching younger learners

Difference in age between adult learners and younger learners entails difference in their teaching and learning From a commonly held view of many people’s experience, younger children learn languages better than older ones and children learner better than adults However, another assumption is that young children have not yet developed the cognitive skills and self-discipline that enable them to make the most of limited teacher-mediated information Therefore, we have

a consideration on cognitive perspective researched by the cognitive psychologist Ausubel (1964) and mentioned by Brown (2000) as follows:

Under cognitive consideration, adults learning a second language could profit from certain grammatical explanations and deductive thinking Whether adults do profit from such explanations depends on the suitability and efficiency of the explanation, the teacher, the context and other pedagogical variables, however On the contrary, it is pointless for children to be taught grammar deductively Children learn second language well without the benefit of formal operational thought (age from 11 to 16) Young children are generally not aware that they are acquiring language, nor are they aware of societal values and attitudes placed on one language

or another Ausubel (1964), moreover, makes distinction between rote and meaningful learning and concludes if adults learning a foreign language by rote method in comparison with children learning in a natural meaning context, the child’s learning will seem to be superior He adds that the cause of such superiority might not be in the age of the person, but in the context of learning

Another perspective on age and second language acquisition is the affective domain, which includes many factors: empathy, self-esteem, extroversion, inhibition, imitation, anxiety, attitudes and so on Several decades ago, Alexander Guiora, a researcher in the study of personality variables in second language learning suggests that the child’s ego is dynamic, growing, and flexible through the age of puberty Younger children are less frightened because they are less aware of language forms, and the possibility of making mistakes in those forms They do not pay much attention to mistakes that one really must make in an attempt to communicate spontaneously In contrast, the language ego may account for the difficulties that adults have in learning a second language, or grammar They are afraid of making mistakes in producing grammatical forms, so they develop inhibitions to serve as a wall of defensive protection around the ego Consequently, they are full of embarrassment in communication Having said that, those who are possibly successful in second language learning are able to bridge the affective gap and master the necessary ego strength to overcome inhibitions [Cited in Brown, 2000: 64-65]

On the whole, teaching grammar to adult learners is different from that to younger learners because of their differences under the cognitive and affective consideration Adult learners can get benefits from explicit presentation and explanation of grammatical rules as the result of Mitchell’s investigation in 1988 showed above However, their language ego may hinder them from learning grammar The cause of this is that they are frightened to make mistakes in performance of language forms They are afraid of losing their faces with their classmates, so they seem to be under high pressure to perform in front of class Although they are more likely to have a number of skills and strategies, it is still hard for them to learn and absorb new things, especially English grammar, a second language, without the right methods As a result, when teaching grammar to learners,

teachers should know who they are, what their characteristics are and the like to come up with methods that fit them

2.4.2 Some characteristics that adult learners bring to class

Who are the adult second language learners in context of Vietnam? They are probably emigrants to survive and thrive in their new environment or local workers

to raise their chances of finding a proper job, to function more efficiently on the workfloor, or simply to know a new language In case of emigrants or local employees, often a limited length of time is allowed for language study before they are good enough expected to be self-sufficient There are great differences from one country to another for adult learners learning second language What they bring to class, however, seems to be in common, and is important to take into consideration according to McKay and Tom (1999):

 Language: all of adult learners already know their native language well, and

that language is a vital part of their identity and a means through which they relate to others The sound and structure system of their mother tongue both help and hinder learning a new language, by inference the effect of the first language on the second language is also a crucial factor in adult second language learning The first language may be used to bridge gaps that adult learners cannot fill by generalization within the second language In this case, the first language can be a facilitating factor instead of just an interfering factor

 Background knowledge: going along with language is background

knowledge including previous educational experiences, knowledge of the world in general as well as professional knowledge and experience gained and accumulated from work Accordingly, teachers are able to not only exploit a rich resource of knowledge and experience but also have a base on which to build new knowledge

 Expectation: closely tied with learner’s background knowledge, learners with

prior language learning experiences are likely to bring with them expectations

of how language classes should be organized and taught Those who have had little schooling or who lack literacy skills in their first language may find language classes frightening and boring unless a special effort is made to welcome and include them In contrast, those who have studied a second language previously will be influenced by that experience It is important for the teacher to find out what the students’ expectations are and to address areas

in which the students’ expectation differs from the teacher’s

 Learning style: like other learners, adult learners have different learning

styles Some feel comfortable to learn by watching and listening whereas others feel they cannot learn unless they take down notes and analyze rules It

is learning style that contributes to different learning result of each individual

 Confidence: adult learners also bring many other personal characteristics,

most of which is confidence or the lack of confidence Many students with little initial proficiency leap ahead of their classmates since they are confident that they can and will learn the language On the contrast, others of comparable ability and background may languish at a low level of proficiency due to lacking of the confidence to use the language

 Motivation: this is one of the most deciding seeds for language learning

success, and one’s motivation is different from another’s No matter what motivation it is, it must come from within them and be based on their perception that what they are learning is of interest and of value to them

 Personal circumstances: age, health and other personal circumstances to

some extent also influence adult learners Adult classes often include learners ranging in age over 18 who may feel that they share something Difficulties with hearing, eyesight and memory need to be taken into consideration In addition, personal circumstances such as childcare, away on business,

transportation, tiredness of work, even private problems All make attendance, punctuality and concentration difficult for a number of learners

In brief, knowing the students such as who they are and what they bring to class are will give the teacher a complete profile of learners After that, teachers take the initiative in devising the idea of how to provide grammar lessons with good rules (clear presentation and explanation, well-chosen examples) and a variety of activities that will be the most motivating, most beneficial to the students in application of grammar to communication

2.4.3 The importance of motivation for grammar learning

Why are some students successful at language learning while others are not? There are a number of factors which seem to have a strong effect on a student’s success or failure Harmer (1991:3) suggests, “The motivation […] is the biggest single factor affecting their success.” Motivation is some kind of internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action If we achieve what we wish and

if what we wish is sufficiently attractive, we will be strongly motivated to do whatever is necessary to reach it

According to Harmer (1991), motivation is typically considered in terms of the extrinsic and intrinsic motives of the learner As mentioned above, adult learners come to class with motivation of which the ‘needs’ concept is also one of the most important factors Those who believe that mastery of the target language will be instrumental in getting them a better job, position or statue are interpreted as

‘instrumental needs’ and thus they are viewed as language learners On the other hand, those who have integrative motivation are attracted by the culture of the target language community, and wish to integrate themselves into that culture Maybe students wanting to study abroad and live in foreign country have this kind of motivation Those who desire to attain such goals, either instrumental or integrative motivation, are described in this motivation – extrinsic motivation It is reasonable to suppose that many adult learners have some degree of instrumental motivation rather

than integrative one in fact If extrinsic motivation is concerned with factors outside the classroom and then intrinsic motivation takes place inside the classroom If it is reasonable to suppose that many adult learners have some degree of instrumental motivation and then it is also clear that the attitude of learners can be affected not only by their previous experiences as language learners but also by members around them This results in what happens in the classroom plays a vital part in determining their attitude to the language, and thus in success of language learning Harmer (1991) suggests considering factors affecting intrinsic motivation as follows:

 Physical conditions: are environmental ingredients with a great effect on learning either positively or negatively Air, natural or artificial lighting, smell, sound, board, tables, and so on all can motivate or demotivate the learners in learning In general, classroom conditions should be made as pleasant, comfortable as possible

 Method: although no research clearly shows the success of one method over another and although a really motivated student probably succeed whatever method, the method by which students are taught must have some effect on their motivation If they find it deadly boring, they lose confidence in the method or they will probably become de-motivated; in contrast, they will find

it motivating

 The teacher: has a direct impact on the students Different teachers using the same method can have different results What qualities does a teacher need to help in providing intrinsic motivation? Harmer (1991) discusses the result of the study conducted in 1970 by Denis Giard, who attempted to find out the answer to this question The study shows that interesting and enjoyable classes are more concerned and the relationship between teacher and students are very important Sesnan (1997) summarized the qualities of a good teacher in three main points:

 A good teacher knows what to teach

 A good teacher knows a variety of effective teaching methods

 A good teacher is ‘on the side of the pupils’, knowing their strengths and weakness and always helping them to improve

It is true that if the teacher makes lessons enjoyable, the students learn better

 Success: is also an essential part in the motivational drive of a student Those who learn language desire to be successful Nevertheless, complete success may be de-motivating because they no longer have goal to achieve Similarly, failure is a helpful motivation for the students to make an effort for success, but complete failure may have a negative effect on their motivation As a result, it should be teachers’ duty to set goals and tasks at appropriate levels neither high challenge nor very low so that the students do not lose their motivation although teachers may have high expectations for them In short, success should not be too easy or too difficult, and be careful with it since it is not always as easy to do as it sounds

In addition to above-mentioned factors, assessment can have a great deal of

contribution to learners’ extrinsic motivation for grammar learning According to Ur (1996), there are some ways of gathering information for assessment The most common way is through tests The test gives a score which is assumed to define the level of knowledge of the learner or the testee Ur suggests many reasons for testing, one of which is that tests may be used as a means to motivate learners to learn or review specific material Moreover, tests can get learners make effort (in doing the test itself), which is likely to lead to better results and a feeling of satisfaction Satisfaction itself sustains learners’ motivation in learning grammar The other options for assessment exist and Ur (1996) summarized as follows:

1 Teacher’s assessment: the teacher gives a subjective estimate of the learner’s overall performance

2 Continuous assessment: the final grade is some kind of combination of the grades the learner received for various assignments during the course

3 Self-assessment: the learners themselves evaluate their own performance, using clear criteria and weighting systems agreed on beforehand

4 Portfolio: the learner gathers a collection of assignments and projects done over a long period into a file; and this portfolio provides the basis for evaluation

 Assessment at USSH: teachers are allowed to use different ways to assess learners’ achievement but a final test at the end of the course is definitely obligatory Some grammar teachers give 100% final grade for a final test only

at the end of a grammar course Others ask students to perform in both midterm test (for example, accounting 30% out of 100% final grade) and final test (70% out of final grade) The others divide the final grade into many parts, including 10% grade for learners’ attendance and participation in class activities; 10% for homework or assignments; 20% for midterm test; and 60% for final test

Tests motivate learners to learn and review what they learn, and thus learning result may be better In fact, the question is whether the different ways for assessment have any influence on learners in their grammar learning process in terms

of motivation and demotivation My teaching experience tells me that the final grade should be an accumulation of the grades learners received for their attendance, participation, assignments and tests during a grammar course, since these assessments keep learners on their toes However, they should be given in an atmosphere of support and warm solidarity to promote and encourage their learning, not put them down, and this will be answered through the responses from in-service students and teachers in charge of in-service classes in this survey

In summary, motivation is one of what adult learners bring to class with them What kinds of motivation they have, what degree of success they get in grammar learning As supposed above that adult learners have some degree of instrumental motivation or intrinsic motivation rather than integrative or extrinsic one Their

intrinsic motivation is under consideration of some influential factors in classroom and assessment has a contribution to extrinsic motivation For this reason, understanding and sustaining learners’ motivation is very important to effective grammar teaching and learning

2.4.4 The need for integration of grammar teaching and learning

It may be true that motivating students in language learning in general and in English grammar learning in particular is a key to the success of teaching and learning From this view, the solution to the problem of teaching grammar to adult learners might be a variety of activities throughout presentation, practice and production process in the light of integrated-skill approach

Discussed the integration approach, Oxford (2001) stereotypes the image of a tapestry for teaching English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) The characteristics of the setting, the learner, the teacher, and the relevant languages (English and the native languages of the learners and the teacher) are employed as strands to weave the tapestry However, it is not easy to produce a large, strong, beautiful and colorful tapestry if these strands are not woven in positive ways, and thus teaching holds the same view He says that the instructor’s teaching style must motivate the learner, address the learning style of the learner; the setting must provide resources and values to strongly support the language teaching Moreover, in the tapestry, there exist the four primary skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and associated skills such as knowledge of vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, syntax, meaning and usage All of these lead to optimal communication when they are interwoven during instruction Therefore, this is known as the integrated-skill approach However, integration here not only mentions to a-four-skill integration but also to another area of integration – grammar, for example, with skills In other words, skills are taken advantage of for the sake of teaching grammar

2.4.4.1 Advantages of the integrated-skill approach

According to Oxford (2001), two types of integrated-skill approach are content-based and task-based language instruction The first one centers on learning content through language whereas the second emphasizes doing tasks for communicative language use Both of these benefit from a diverse range of materials and technologies for the language classroom The integrated-skill approach exposes English language learners to authentic language and challenges them to interact naturally in the language Learners rapidly achieve richness and complexity of the language in communication In addition, this approach stresses that English becomes

a real means of interaction and sharing among people, not a key to pass an examination Integrating the language skills allows teachers to track students’ progress in multiple skills simultaneously Eventually the integrated-skill approach, whether found in content-based or task-based instruction, can highly motivate students of all ages and backgrounds, and therefore learners can use English effectively for communication

2.4.4.2 Grammar and speaking

According to Kurland (2000), when we speak, we do not really speak one word at a time but we break the flow of words into chunks but not randomly We break the flow of meaningful chunks by pauses or intonation It means we are actually doing grammatical analysis, and we do this to facilitate mutual understanding On the other hand, in order to learn grammar, the brain cannot simply receive information but it must process the information so that it can be stored and recalled When students use the language and apply what they have just learned, they tend to retain it more than they simply hear it They get practice in actively producing meaningful conversation, for example, and they gradually take a more direct route to fluency and precise In other words, speaking and grammar are to certain extent of interrelation

2.4.4.3 Grammar and reading

Although words appear on a page one word after another, readers do not read word by word or one word at a time Meaning is contained not so much in individual words as a collection of words conveying ideas that are more specific Like speaking, readers find meaning of a sentence by grouping words into meaningful chunks as they read Therefore, grammar is an important tool in reading ranging from drama, poetry, fiction to non-fiction due to beneficial effect of grammar application on reading Vice versa, reading texts bring grammar structures to learners in context through which they can grasp not only forms but also meaning and use of a specific grammar pattern

2.4.4.4 Grammar and writing

For Vietnamese teachers of English, grammar is clearly a vital component of EFL teaching and learning as well as teaching and learning second language writing Actually, “Grammar and writing have been so inextricably linked as to be virtually synonymous To study one is to study the other” (Vo Thi Nu Anh, 2004:14) Application of grammar to writing was also proved by a number of researches in Vietnam A survey of writing problems of USSH first-year students of English carried out by Nguyen Minh Tho (2000:56) proved: “No matter what one may say, grammar is very important in writing” because nearly all the investigated students (98%) said ‘Yes’ to the question “Is grammar necessary for effective writing?” Moreover, when asked “What do you think is the most appropriate approach of teaching writing to first-year students?” the teachers responded that it should focus

on grammar Another survey toward teaching adults by Nguyen Huu Luom (2005) showed the role of grammar in second language writing When asked to comment on the significance of grammar in second language acquisition, although most of teachers involved in this study thought semantic aspects deserved the learners’ more attention, none of them denied importance of grammar and they agreed with the following remarks by Bowen and Marks (1994)

 Grammar plays a significant role in language since every single change in any grammatical structure causes a change in meaning

 Grammar organizes language structures and makes a language understandable for a learner

 Grammar is the most important thing in learning a foreign language If you do not know grammar, you would not be able to speak or write in that language Integrative grammar combines a form-based and meaning-based focus The integration of form and meaning becomes increasingly important in accordance with learners’ needs The learners should be able to learn explicit grammar rules as well

as have a chance to practice them in communication in the authentic or simulation tasks Interestingly, the integration gives them a chance to look at how the grammatical rules are applied in written and oral communication as well

2.5 Local researches on grammar teaching and learning

Up to now there have been five researches related to grammar teaching and learning conducted by authors in Vietnam The first thesis is “How to teach grammar communicatively to primary-school pupils in Tra Vinh province” (Nguyen Thi Hue, 1999) She concluded that the traditional method still existed and influenced teaching and learning of teachers and pupils although the schools applied communicative approach to their grammar presentation Her thesis contributed to upgrading the educational system in Tra Vinh province particularly and in Vietnam generally

Another effort to address the similar problems but at higher level is the thesis

“How to teach grammar communicatively” (Nguyen Lien Huong, 2005) conducted

at Nong Lam University She found that communicative language teaching was not encouraged and teachers had a lot of difficulties in applying it to teaching grammar However, they all agreed that using communicative approach in teaching grammar was helpful and should have been encouraged In addition, some changes in syllabus, textbooks, learning conditions and teachers’ attitude towards their job and their

students should be made The thesis was a great effort to find the most suitable way

to apply communicative approach to teaching grammar in Nong Lam University

One more thesis on teaching grammar communicatively to children conducted

by Nguyen Phuong Y Nhi (2007) proved that it was very necessary and indispensable to teach grammar in a combination of explicit grammar instruction and communicative language teaching Moreover, she said that it would be more effective if a grammar class was integrated into the curriculum instead of the grammar-only classes In addition to the change of the syllabus, it is an urgent need

to change the textbooks

The same issue of applying communicative approach to teaching grammar could be found in thesis of Nguyen Luu Dong Truc (2007) Limited training in communicative language teaching and difficulties caused by students such as their passive learning style, lack of motivation in English, use of Vietnamese during pair work as well as group work, and their different English backgrounds hindered teachers from applying communicative approach at her school As a result, there was

a need of a combination of communicative language teaching and traditional method and changes in equipping facilities as well as in learning conditions

Looking at another thesis on teaching grammar to high school pupils conducted in Bien Hoa city by Dinh Thi Phuong Thoa (2010), there were difficulties

in applying communicative language teaching to grammar teaching and learning because of examination pressure and achievement over-emphasis, and thus lack of time for students’ practice To solve these problems, there needed to be changes in the ways to assess teachers’ quality and students’ testing, and to give more time for teaching and learning English, especially for grammar Moreover, the researcher concluded that a combination of communicative language teaching and traditional methods was needed for a better result

The researches show the importance of English grammar teaching and learning in Vietnam Among the five researches, two dealt with teaching grammar to