The Effectiveness of Reactive and Preemptive Focus on Form VS. Focus on Forms in Teaching Grammar Tenses

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Shahla Heidarzade ¹ (Department of English Language, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran)
Fatemeh Behjat ² (Departmnet of English, Abadeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abadeh, Iran.)
Ehsan Hadipour ³ (Islamic Azad University, Shiraz branch)

Received: 2024-06-15 Accepted : 2024-08-20 Published : 2024-02-03

Keywords: Focus on Forms, Focus on Form, Preemptive, Reactive, Grammar, EFL Junior High School Learners,

Abstract :

This study was an attempt to compare the effects of focus on forms and the focus on form from one side, and preemptive and reactive focus on form from the other side on EFL Junior High school learners’ grammar acquisition. For this purpose, 60 learners out of a total number of 110 grade eight learners studying at Daneshgah Shiraz High School in Shiraz, Iran were chosen based on their performance on OPT. Independent Samples test was used to check the homogeneity of learners. The 60 learners were divided into three groups, the focus on forms, and each of the two focus on form groups who were taught grammar through preemptive and reactive techniques. All the three groups were given a grammar pre-test. At the end of the study, the participants in all groups were given post-tests. Mann-Whitney U was run to test the null hypotheses. Results of the study showed a significant difference between the effect of the two methods with the focus on form groups outperforming the focus on forms group, and the preemptive group outperforming reactive group as well. The findings of this study have implications for EFL teachers, teacher educators, and material developers. The findings of this research are useful for teacher trainers to incorporate appropriate and practical techniques for the instruction of grammar through focus on form preemptively. They should be trained in terms of the ways through which they can initiate attention to form, mostly by bolding, and asking for highlighting of tenses, and give explanations preemptively based on their experience.

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