Grammar Instruction in ESL Coursebooks and in Second Language Acquisition Research
Bibliographic record
Abstract
This article presents a critical, descriptive analysis of the convergences and divergences between grammar instruction in English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) classrooms and in research-based recommendations found in instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) research. Using coursebooks as the representation of classroom grammar instruction, we analysed the grammar components of six popular, international, intermediate-level ESL/EFL materials. We then interpreted the analysis with reference to ISLA research and theory concerning the selection, presentation, and practice of language forms. Where there were divergences, we considered some of the classroom realities that have not been adequately addressed in ISLA research to date. The findings demonstrate that despite an apparent shift toward more interactive and learner-driven grammar lessons, coursebooks remain largely anchored in decontextualized presentation and controlled practice approaches to grammar instruction. It is hoped that the article will provide guidance to teachers who are working with coursebooks with respect to the use and adaptation of different types of grammar activities. Cet article présente une analyse critique et descriptive des convergences et des divergences entre l’enseignement de la grammaire dans les classes d’anglais langue seconde/étrangère (ALS/ALE) et les recommandations fondées sur la recherche dans le domaine de l’acquisition d’une langue seconde appliquée à l’enseignement (ISLA). En utilisant les manuels pédagogiques comme représentation de l’enseignement de la grammaire en classe, nous avons analysé les composantes grammaticales de six matériels pédagogiques populaires, internationaux, de niveau intermédiaire pour l’apprentissage de l’ALS/ALE. Nous avons ensuite interprété l’analyse en nous référant à la recherche et à la théorie en ISLA concernant la sélection, la présentation et la pratique des formes linguistiques. En cas de divergence, nous avons pris en compte certaines réalités de la classe qui n’ont pas été suffisamment prises en compte dans la recherche sur l’ISLA à ce jour. Les résultats montrent qu’en dépit d’une évolution apparente vers des leçons de grammaire plus interactives et axées sur l’apprenant, les manuels restent largement ancrés dans des approches de présentation décontextualisée et de pratique contrôlée de l’enseignement de la grammaire. Nous espérons que cet article fournira des conseils aux enseignants qui utilisent des manuels en ce qui concerne l’utilisation et l’adaptation de différents types d’activités grammaticales.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.014 | 0.044 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.000 | 0.001 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.006 | 0.004 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.004 | 0.018 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.010 | 0.008 |
| Open science | 0.001 | 0.008 |
| Research integrity | 0.001 | 0.003 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.003 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".