Difficulties in teaching and learning grammar in an efl context

Declarative vs procedural knowledge 

Statement 1 (My students find it difficult to transfer their grammatical 

knowledge into communicative language use), designed to identify teachers’ 

beliefs about the possible transfer of declarative knowledge (i.e., knowledge 

about grammar) into procedural knowledge (i.e., ability to use that knowledge 

in actual communication), produced a mean score of 3.81 (Table 2 - 

ANNEXURE – II). This indicates that responding teachers recognise this 

process of transfer of one kind of knowledge into another as a problem for a 

large number of their students.   

This gap between students’ grammatical knowledge and communicative ability 

is not surprising to teachers, who often find that most of their students can recall 

grammatical rules accurately and perform very well on discrete-point grammar 

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exercises, but fail to achieve such grammatical accuracy in actual 

communication.  

This fact is corroborated by the responses to Statements 17 and 18 (My students 

find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical knowledge within 

a totally communicative  writing/speaking activity), which produced a mean 

score of 4.10 and 3.73 respectively (Table 2 - ANNEXURE – II).   

In terms of teacher qualifications, teachers with a diploma agree strongly (mean 

of 4.33) that their students find it difficult to transfer their grammatical 

knowledge into communicative language use. The mean for this statement for 

teachers with higher qualifications is lower (Table 6 - ANNEXURE – II).  

The use of grammatical terminology 

The use of grammatical terminology in the EFL classroom is seen as a 

necessary part of the explicit method of teaching grammar. When students and 

teachers talk about grammar (i.e., in meta-linguistic discussion), which is one of 

the characteristics of explicit language teaching (Stern 1992: 327), they need to 

use grammatical terms.  

Two statements (14 & 19) sought to explore teachers’ perceptions of how their 

students feel about the use of grammatical terminology. Statement 14 (My 

students find grammatical terminology useful) and Statement 19 (My students 

find it difficult to use grammatical terminology) produced a mean score of 3.82 

and 4.07 respectively (Table 2 - ANNEXURE – II). This indicates that, in the 

responding teachers’ perception, their students see grammatical terminology as 

useful, but find difficulty in using the terms to be of a greater magnitude.  

Interestingly, the usefulness of grammatical terminology seems to be linked to 

the students’ preference for explicit grammar instruction.   

The difference in mean between teachers of Grades 1-4 and 11-12 on the one 

hand (mean of ≥ 4) and those of Grades 5-10 (mean of 3.4), however, seems to 

be higher with regard to their perceptions of the usefulness of grammatical 

terminology to their students.  That is, teachers of the lowest and highest levels 

think that their students find grammatical terminology more useful than those of 

the middle grades. There is a significant difference at the level of 0.05 in terms 

of the level taught with regard to the usefulness of grammatical terminology 

(statement 14) (Table 5 - ANNEXURE – II). 

In terms of teacher qualifications, teachers with a diploma agree very strongly 

(mean of 4.50) that their students find it difficult to use grammatical 

terminology and the majority of teachers surveyed, who have a bachelor's 

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degree, also seem to show a high level of agreement with regard to the same 

statement (mean of 4.04).  The mean for this statement for teachers with higher 

qualifications is lower (Table 6 - ANNEXURE – II).   

Error Correction 

Teachers generally tend to believe that errors of form committed by EFL 

learners should be corrected even when communicative goals are intended. This 

need for correction of form even within a communicative context, either spoken 

or written, may arise from a concern for grammatical accuracy in students’ 

communicative output or for avoiding fossilization of errors in their 

interlanguage. Statements 15 and 16 aim to capture teachers’ perceptions in this 

regard. 

Statement 15 (Teachers find it difficult to correct student errors of grammar 

within a written communicative context) and Statement 16 (Teachers find it 

difficult to correct student errors of grammar within a spoken communicative 

context) produced a mean score of 3.26 and 3.57 respectively (Table 2 - 

ANNEXURE – II). It may be inferred from the results that the responding 

teachers experience more difficulty in correcting their learners’ spoken 

communication than written. 

Problem-solving techniques 

Problem-solving techniques in relation to grammar teaching are inductive 

techniques that require learners to find form-function matches by themselves. 

(e.g., Hall and Shepheard, 1991). Responses of teachers surveyed in the present 

study produced a mean score of 3.58 for Statement 2 (My students are 

motivated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar), showing a 

link to responses to Statement 5 about students’ preference for finding matches 

between meaning and structure for themselves. Surprisingly, however, the same 

responding teachers produced a mean score of 3.60 for Statement 20 (My 

students are frustrated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar) 

(Table 2 - ANNEXURE – II).  

A possible interpretation could be that teachers, while recognising the 

motivational potential of problem-solving techniques, also observe their 

students’ frustrating experience with such techniques, possibly because they are 

too ‘challenging’ for the learners to cope with. Another interpretation could be 

that teachers’ responses to Statement 2 are based on their theoretical assumption 

about what these techniques could do to the learners, while those to Statement 

20 could be based on teachers’ assessment of the ground reality.   

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With regard to the statement about students being motivated by problem-

solving techniques for learning grammar (Statement 2), there is also a 

significant difference at the level of 0.05 between males and females in their 

perceptions (Table 4 - ANNEXURE – II).  

The use of authentic texts for grammar instruction 

Authentic texts are texts that are not produced artificially for the purpose of 

language teaching, but are used for genuine purposes in the real world, like 

newspaper articles and recipes. By implication, these texts are contextualised 

and communicatively complete in themselves. They focus is on conveying real 

meaning rather than on form. Decontextualised examples of language, on the 

other hand, are one-sentence examples usually found in EFL textbooks and 

grammar practice books. They illustrate grammatical forms and structures in 

context-free sentences and are generally associated with the explicit method of 

teaching grammar.  

The use of texts illustrating authentic communication for presenting grammar is 

generally seen as posing problems to teachers and students alike. Students’ 

problems with their use arise from difficulties of variety of structures 

(Statement 7), culture (Statement 8), vocabulary (Statement 9), and implicit 

form-function matches (Statement 10), besides an overall difficulty in handling 

grammar presented within authentic texts (Statement 6). Teachers’ difficulties 

with authentic texts include those arising from the amount of time needed for 

using them (Statement 11) and producing suitable tasks from such texts 

(Statement 12). 

According to the responding teachers’ perceptions, students experience greater 

difficulties from vocabulary (Mean=3.52), variety of structures (Mean=3.49) 

and finding form-function matches (Mean=3.43) than from handling from 

presented within authentic texts (Mean=3.33) and culture (Mean=3.26). 

Statements 11 and 12 relating to teachers’ difficulties in using authentic texts 

produced a mean score of 3.03 and 3.09 respectively (Table 2 - ANNEXURE – 

II), which indicates a lower perception of teachers of their own difficulties than 

those of students. 

The use of spoken and written communicative activities 

Statements 17 and 18 refer to the possible difficulties students might have in 

improving the accuracy of their grammatical language within totally 

communicative activities. Responding teachers produced a mean score of 4.10 

and 3.73 for the two statements respectively. In fact, the highest mean score of 

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all scores for the survey questionnaire (4.10) was obtained for Statement 17 (My 

students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical 

knowledge within a totally communicative writing activity) (Table 2 - 

ANNEXURE – II).  

The results indicate that, in teachers' perceptions, totally communicative 

activities, whether written or spoken, pose great difficulties to students for 

learning grammar and improving grammatical accuracy, writing activities 

proving more challenging than spoken ones. It might be inferred that the 

teachers surveyed might have a serious concern about the lack of sufficient 

focus on form in purely communicative activities or tasks for developing 

students' grammatical knowledge. Practising language as communication in 

real-life tasks might not give sufficient opportunities for students to improve 

their grammatical knowledge. 

In terms of teacher qualifications, teachers with a diploma agree very strongly 

(mean of 4.67) that their students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of 

their grammatical language within a totally communicative writing activity and 

the majority of teachers surveyed, who have a bachelor's degree, also seem to 

show a high level of agreement with regard to the same statement (mean of 

4.01). The mean for this statement for teachers with higher qualifications is 

lower (Table 6 - ANNEXURE – II). 

CONCLUSION 

Generally speaking, in teachers’ perceptions, both teachers and students 

invariably face serious difficulties with regard to EFL grammar instruction, 

students facing them to a greater extent than teachers. It is obvious that EFL 

teachers consider these difficulties quite serious, which suggests that serious 

attention needs to be paid to them. 

There may be generally recommended ways of teaching EFL grammar (for 

example, the implicit method), but it would not be proper to adopt them 

universally without looking at the possible difficulties that might go with those 

methods suggested. While a less favoured method might pose fewer problems 

and hence be more effective, a more favoured method might be less effective 

owing to greater difficulties or problems in implementing it. The difficulties 

may also be influenced by the context in which a particular method is used.  

It is, therefore, necessary to make a detailed study of such difficulties faced by 

teachers and students in specific contexts, take appropriate steps to overcome 

them, and adapt the method to suit the actual teaching and learning 

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environment.  This is not to suggest ‘diluting’ a sound approach or method, but 

only to plan mediating or supplementary tasks to help learners tide over the 

difficulties.  

IMPLICATIONS 

The findings of the present study point to the following implications: 

1. EFL Curriculum and material developers should show an understanding of 

learners’ and teachers’ difficulties, and provide sufficient guidance and 

help in the curriculum document and the teachers’ book showing how the 

potential difficulties could be addressed in planning their classroom 

activities. Teachers may be given examples of mediating tasks, which 

would mitigate the difficulties. 

2. As Morelli (2003: 33-34) has pointed out, students need to be taught 

grammar through various methodologies and approaches to cater to their 

individual styles of learning, and educators should consider students’ 

attitudes and perceptions when making decisions about how to teach 

grammar. 

3. EFL teachers would do well to understand and address their learners’ 

concerns in planning their lessons and classroom activities, and use 

supplementary materials, if necessary, to help learners cope with the 

difficulties.  

4. Both in-service and pre-service training programmes should be planned in 

such a way that student-teachers and practising teachers articulate the 

potential and actual difficulties and discuss ways of overcoming or at least 

coping with them.  

The database relating to teaching English as a foreign language, including the 

difficulties of learners and teachers with regard to grammar instruction, should 

be enriched by more detailed research and analysis, which would enable 

generalizations across the gulf countries.

 

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REFERENCES 

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New Haven, NJ: Yale University Press. 

Borg, S. (1999a). The use of grammatical terminology in the second language 

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Linguistics, 20 (1): 95-126. (cited in Burgess and Etherington, 2002) 

Borg, S. (1999b). Teachers’ theories in grammar teaching. ELT Journal, 53 (3): 

157-167.  (cited in Burgess and Etherington, 2002). 

Brindley, G. (1984). Needs Analysis and Objective Setting in the Adult Migrant 

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Burgess, J. and Etherington, S. (2002). Focus on grammatical form: explicit or 

implicit? System, 30: 433-458. 

Cohen, L. and Manion, L. C. (1994). Research Methods in Education. London: 

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European Commission (2006). The Main Pedagogical Principles Underlying the 

Teaching of Languages to Very Young Learners. Final Report of the EAC 

89/04, Lot 1 Study: Edelenbos, P., Johnstone, R. and Kubanek, A. 

Hall, N. and Shepheard, J. (1991). The Anti-Grammar Grammar Book. London: 

Longman. 

Kumaravadivelu, B. (1991). Language learning tasks: teacher intention and 

learner interpretation. ELT Journal, 45 (2): 98-107. 

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2002). The Grammar of Choice. In E. Hinkel and S. Fotos 

(Eds.). New Perspectives on Grammar Teaching in Second Language 

Classrooms. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 

Leki, I. (1995). Good writing: I know it when I see it. In In D. Belcher and G. 

Braine (eds.) Academic Writing in a Second Language. Norwood, NJ: Ablex 

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Morelli, J. A. (2003). Ninth Graders’ Attitudes toward Different Approaches to 

Grammar Instruction. Unpublished Dissertation. The Graduate School of 

Education, Fordham University, New York. 

Schultz, R. (1996). Focus on form in the foreign language classroom: students’ 

and teachers’ views on error correction and the role of grammar. Foreign 

Language Annals, 29(3): 343-364.  

Schultz, R. (2001). Cultural differences in student and teacher perceptions 

concerning the role of grammar instruction and corrective feedback. USA-

Colombia. The Modern Language Journal, 85(ii): 244-258. 

Spratt, M. (1999). How good are we at knowing what learners like? System, 

27:141-155. 

Stern, H. H. (1992). Issues and Options in English Language Teaching. Oxford: 

Oxford University Press. 

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University Press. 

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ANNEXURE - I 

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT – QUESTIONNAIRE 

STUDENT AND TEACHER DIFFICULTIES WITH GRAMMAR 

These are questions about how students and teachers deal with grammar in the classroom.  Please indicate 

how far you agree or disagree with these statements.  If you agree strongly, mark a 5 on the scale; if you 

strongly disagree, mark a 1 on the scale. 

No.

Statement 

SA A N D SD 

1  My students find it difficult to transfer their grammatical knowledge into communicative 

language use. 

 

 

 

 

 

2  My students are motivated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar. 

 

 

 

 

 

3  My students expect teachers to present grammar points explicitly. 

 

 

 

 

 

4  My students prefer to learn grammar from one-sentence examples. 

 

 

 

 

 

5  My students prefer to find matches between meaning and structure for themselves. 

 

 

 

 

 

6  My students find it difficult to handle grammar presented within authentic texts. 

 

 

 

 

 

7  My students find authentic texts difficult because of the wide variety of structures which 

appear. 

 

 

 

 

 

8  My students find authentic texts difficult because they are too culture bound. 

 

 

 

 

 

9  My students find authentic texts difficult because of the vocabulary used. 

 

 

 

 

 

10  My students cannot find form-function matches in authentic texts without explicit direction 

from teachers. 

 

 

 

 

 

11  Teachers find the use of authentic material 

too 

time-consuming. 

      

12  Teachers find it difficult to produce tasks of a suitable level from authentic texts. 

 

 

 

 

 

13  A lack of explicit grammar teaching leaves my students feeling insecure. 

 

 

 

 

 

14  My students find grammatical terminology useful. 

 

 

 

 

 

15 Teachers find it difficult to correct student errors of grammar within a written 

communicative context. 

 

 

 

 

 

16 Teachers find it difficult to correct student errors of grammar within a spoken 

communicative context. 

 

 

 

 

 

17  My students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical language within a 

totally communicative writing activity. 

 

 

 

 

 

18  My students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical language within a 

totally communicative speaking activity. 

 

 

 

 

 

19  My students find it difficult to use grammatical terminology. 

 

 

 

 

 

20  My students are frustrated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ANNEXURE – II 

Table 2.  Teachers’ Perceptions of Difficulties with EFL Grammar (N = 90) 

Statement 

Mean 

SD 

1. My students find it difficult to transfer their grammatical knowledge into communicative language 

use. 

3.8111 

.93490 

2. My students are motivated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar. 

3.5778 

.97125 

3. My students expect teachers to present grammar points explicitly. 

3.6111  1.04607 

4. My students prefer to learn grammar from one-sentence examples. 

2.9667  1.49494 

5. My students prefer to find matches between meaning and structure for themselves. 

3.5889 

.94684 

6. My students find it difficult to handle grammar presented within authentic texts. 

3.3333  1.03858 

7. My students find authentic texts difficult because of the wide variety of structures which appear. 

3.4889  1.01941 

8. My students find authentic texts difficult because they are too culture bound. 

3.2556  1.03382 

9. My students find authentic texts difficult because of the vocabulary used. 

3.5222  1.07293 

10. My students cannot find form-function matches in authentic texts without explicit direction from 

teachers. 

3.4333  1.02825 

11. Teachers find the use of authentic material too time-consuming. 

3.0333  1.05415 

12. Teachers find it difficult to produce tasks of a suitable level from authentic texts. 

3.0889  1.16739 

13. A lack of explicit grammar teaching leaves my students feeling insecure. 

3.3778 

.97816 

14. My students find grammatical terminology useful. 

3.8222  1.25937 

15. Teachers find it difficult to correct student errors of grammar within a written communicative 

context. 

3.2556  1.25027 

16. Teachers find it difficult to correct student errors of grammar within a spoken communicative 

context. 

3.5730 

.83785 

17. My students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical language within a totally 

communicative writing activity. 

4.1000 

.90006 

18. My students find it difficult to improve the accuracy of their grammatical language within a totally 

communicative speaking activity. 

3.7333 

.99210 

19. My students find it difficult to use grammatical terminology. 

4.0667 

.87152 

20. My students are frustrated by problem-solving techniques for learning grammar. 

3.6000  1.08927