Table 2: Students‟ past learning experience (number / percentage)
YES NO DON’T
KNOW Did your last language teacher always explain every point
for you?
35 92%
2 5.2%
1 2.6%
Did you have to guess the meanings/ rules yourself? 7 18.4%
26 68.4%
5 13.2%
Did you last teacher usually stand at the front of the class when she was teaching?
28 73.7%
6 15.8%
4 10.5%
Did your last teacher speak English most of the time in a lesson?
11 28.9%
26 68.4%
1 2.6%
Did you ever have to speak/ write about yourself in the English lesson or as homework?
24 63.2%
14 36.8%
0 0%
Did you get extra task or bad mark if you did not do your homework?
30 78.9%
7 18.4%
1 2.6%
Did you ever have to correct/ mark the work of another pupil?
30 78.9%
8 21%
0 0%
Did your teacher ever ask for your opinion about what to do in the lesson or how you would like to learn?
23 60.5%
11 28.9%
4 10.5%
Did you often use other materials in the lesson (or not only the textbook)?
22 57.8%
16 42.1%
0 0%
Students‟ past learning experience shows that their teachers used to teach them grammar in a highly teacher-centered model. 92% students say that their last language teacher always explained every point for them and students did not have to guess the meanings and rules themselves. Teacher often stood at the front of the class when she was talking and the teacher did not speak English most of the time in the lesson, either (68.4%).
To look on the brighter side, many students had the experience of writing/ speaking about themselves in the English lesson or as homework. Three quarters of students have ever corrected or marked the work of other pupils. 60.5% students claim that their teacher used to ask their opinion about what to do in the lesson and how they would like to learn. Some even say that their teachers were rather strict in checking their homework. It can be assumed that their past English teachers did their job in the right way. However, not many students really made an effort in learning. For example, half students did not often use other materials in the lesson.
Students learning styles
A questionnaire about learning styles was also given to the students. Participants were asked to tick the items that show the activities they often do in learning.
Table 3: Students’ learning styles
Number Percentage a,
In class, I like to play by games. 28 73.6 %
In class and at home, I like to learn by pictures, films, video and
cassette 28 73.6 %
I like to learn the foreign language by talking in pairs. 23 60.5 % I like to go out with the class to practice English 19 50 % b,
I like to study grammar 7 18.4 %
At home, I like to learn English by doing the exercise book 14 36.8 %
I like to study English by myself (alone) 7 18.4 %
I like the teacher to give use problems to work on. 23 60.5 %
I like to learn by reading newspapers 11 28.9 %
c,
I like to learn by watching, listening to native speakers. 17 44.7 % I like to learn by talking to my friends in English 10 26.3 %
I like to watch TV in English 20 52.6 %
I like to learn by English words by hearing them 20 52.6 %
In class, I like to learn by conversations 21 55.2 %
d,
I like the teacher to explain everything to us 32 84.2 %
I want to write everything on my notebook 16 42.1 %
I like to have my own notebook. 23 60.5 %
I like to have everything in my own textbook. 20 52.6 %
In English class, I like to learn by reading 20 52.6 %
I like to learn new words by seeing them 22 57.9 %
( Adopted Cambridge University Press 2000) Each group of sentences corresponds to a learning style, as follows: a) Concrete b) Analytical c) Communicative d) Authority oriented. (Scharle & Szabo, 2000, p.19)
The survey result shows that most students are characterized by a mixture of two or three styles, with a dominant one among them. Therefore, it is essential that the textbooks be able to cater various learning styles.
Learner attitude: In order to find the answer to the second question, a questionnaire on learners‟ learning styles, learning preference was conducted. Forty one questionnaires were distributed and thirty eight were turned back. While 100% learners think that grammar is necessary for them to learn English, 44.7% find it stressful and only 18.5 % find it enjoyable when learning English grammar at their school. Some think it is useful for them to learn English while others suppose it is not very important at all. Many students would like the English grammar learning to be more enjoyable by using competitive games or songs.
Do you think gramamr is necessary for you to learn English?
100%
0%
Yes No
How do you find your English gramamr learning at school?
Boring ; 13,1 Interesting;
21,1
Stressful; 44,7 Relaxing; 2,6
Enjoyable ; 18,5
Chart 1: Students’ opinion of the necessity to learn grammar
Chart 2: Students’ opinion of their English grammar learning at school
The research was conducted since the first lessons of the school year 2009-2010. After deciding the areas of focus, the first step to develop learners‟ autonomy is to analyze learners‟ attitudes, learning needs and learning strategies
I enjoy learning English ……….. very much / not much / not at all 13 24 1 (34.2%) (63.3%) (2.5%) This year term I expect to do…. very well / not badly / poorly
24 12 2 (63.2%) (31.5%) (5.2%) I …. think that learning English is a waste of time very often / sometimes / never
0 31 7 (0%) (81.6%) (18.4%) I like the friends in my class …. very much / not much / not at all
24 14 0
(63.2%) (36.8%) (0%) I would like to visit/have friends from an English
speaking country….. very much / not much / not at all
31 7 1 (81.6%) (18.4%) (2.5 %) I would like to live in a country where English is
spoken…. very much / not much / not at all
9 21 8 (23.6%) (53.3%) (21.1%) I …… like to learn English because it is necessary for
my future. very much / not much / not at all
30 7 1 (78.9%) (18.4%) (2.6%)
Table 4: Students’ attitude toward learning English
(The above number indicates the number of students and the lower indicates the corresponding percentage)
In general the students in class 10A4 keep a neutral view of English learning. 63.3% students claim that they do not enjoy learning English very much. But the same number of students keeps a positive expectation of the English study result this school year. However, a majority think learning English is a waste of time. In general, the class keeps a good relationship with each other, no one says they do not like the friends in their class at all. This is advantageous for teacher to carry out group or team work.
While the same few number of students would like to live in a country where English is spoken, a large number of students express their willingness to visit or to have a friend from an English speaking country. Furthermore, up to 78.9% claim that they like to learn English very much because it is necessary for their future. This shows that the students keep both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of learning English but the last two opinions entails their need for communicating in English and the need to use English in real life.
Learning preferences
Question: How would you like your English teacher to teach you grammar?
Responses
Questions
Like it very much
Like it but not very much
Don‟t like it at all
1: Explaining grammar rules in detail 25
(65.8%)
11 (28.9%)
2 (5.3%) 2. Illustrating grammar rules or structures through
examples
24 (63.2%)
13 (34%)
1 (2.6%) 3. Introducing grammar points in stimulated situations
(using pictures, playing games, telling stories, ect.)
32 (84.2%)
5 (13%)
1 (2.6%) 4. Introducing grammar points in texts or dialogues 10
(26.2%)
19 (50%)
9 (23%) 5. Explaining rules and then let learners practice the
grammatical points
11 (28.9%)
20 (52.6%)
7 (18.4%)
6. Giving students as much time as possible to speak and write in English using the new grammatical points
13 (34.2%)
10 (26.3%)
15 (39.5%) 7. Giving students chances to describe the rules of the
new grammar points
6 (15.8%)
12 (31.5%)
20 (52.6%) 8. Correcting students‟ grammar errors frequently 26
(68.4%)
11 (28.9%)
1 (2.6%) Table 5: Students’ preference to learn grammar
(The above number indicates the number of students and the lower indicates the corresponding percentage)
The table shows that a large number of students are still passive in their ways of learning grammar. 65.8 % students want the teacher to explain the grammatical points in details. Only 15.8 % students would prefer to be given to the chances to describe the rules of new grammar points.
Not many students want more communicative activities in the grammar lessons. 34.2%
students agree while an approximate number of students disagree. Most students want to introduce the grammar points in stimulated situation such as through games, English songs, poems, and visual aids compared with text and dialogues, accounting for 84.2%. They like to learn in a good relaxing environment, which allowed students to practice and comprehend grammar more easily. Up to 63.2 % students favor the grammar rules and structures to be illustrated through examples.
In summary, the data analysis shows that there is a need to change learners‟ attitude towards learning grammar. In other words, teacher should make learners become more autonomous in their decision making. Students should be trained to take charge of their own learning
process. As for students‟ attitudes towards grammar activities in class, we can be optimistic that almost all the students are in favor of communicative grammar teaching and learning.