Enhancing Senior Secondary Students Knowledge of English Grammar through Two Modes of Explicit Grammar Instruction in Ibadan Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the effects of Direct Explicit Grammar (DEG) and Indirect Explicit Grammar (IEG) instructional strategies on achievement in English grammar and composition among secondary school students in Ibadan metropolis. The study adopted the pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental design using a 3x3x2 factorial matrix. Three local government areas (LGAs) were randomly selected out of the five in Ibadan metropolis and three public schools were purposively selected from each LGA .Nine intact classes of 274 senior secondary II students were used for the study. The intact classes were randomly assigned to DEG, IEG and control groups respectively. Treatment lasted six weeks. The instruments used were: English Grammar Achievement Test (r=0.81), English Composition Achievement Test (ECAT r = 0.84) and Teachers Instructional Guides. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance and Scheffe post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that there was a significant main effect of treatment on students’ achievement in English grammar (F(3,273) = 8.373; ŋ²=0.03).The DEG group obtained the highest posttest achievement mean score (?̅=21.95) in English grammar, followed by IEG (?̅= 21.88) and control (?̅ = 15.57) groups. Direct explicit and indirect explicit grammar instructional strategies enhanced students’ achievement in English grammar and composition in public senior secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis. Teachers should adopt both strategies in teaching English grammar and composition for improved performance.

Keywords: English grammar and composition, Direct and Indirect explicit grammar strategies, Senior secondary schools, Ibadan metropolis