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The impact of implicit vs explicit grammar teaching through scaffolding on Iranian learners’ speaking achievement; focusing on fluency, accuracy, and complexity

Ali Akbar Moeen (Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, The Islamic Republic of Iran)
Daryoush Nejadansari (Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, The Islamic Republic of Iran)
Azizolla Dabaghi (Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, The Islamic Republic of Iran)

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

ISSN: 2050-7003

Article publication date: 26 July 2019

Issue publication date: 2 October 2019

633

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of teaching grammar through implicit and explicit approach by applying scaffolding technique on learners’ speaking abilities including: accuracy, fluency and complexity.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, 90 BA students of architecture in Yazd Azad University were selected and homogenized through Oxford Placement Test. They were assigned to three groups each including 30 participants, and took an IELTS speaking as pre-test to ensure that they had the same speaking ability prior to the begging of the experiment. In the course of the study, the first experimental group (EG1) received implicit instruction through scaffolding, and the second experimental group (EG2) was taught through explicit instruction. In contrast, control group did not receive any kind of grammar teaching. After the completion of the treatment, all groups took speaking post-test.

Findings

The results of the study showed that while both explicit and implicit teaching of grammar through scaffolding had a significant impact on learners’ speaking fluency, implicit teaching in comparison with explicit teaching was more significantly effective on learners’ speaking fluency. Similarly, both implicit and explicit teaching of grammar through scaffolding had significant impact on learners’ speaking accuracy and complexity, but explicit teaching compared to implicit teaching was more significantly effective.

Practical implications

The results of the study are mainly beneficial to teachers in the way that they can teach grammar in a more efficient way, and consequently improve learners’ speaking. In addition, curriculum developers and second language learners will benefit from the results of this research.

Originality/value

There has always been a controversy over an effective way to teach speaking skill in EFL classes over the last decades. In this regard, one of the most controversial approaches to teaching speaking arose from the dichotomy of teaching grammar through implicit or explicit teaching of rules. This paper has originality in that it delves into this controversial issue at length and in details.

Keywords

Citation

Moeen, A.A., Nejadansari, D. and Dabaghi, A. (2019), "The impact of implicit vs explicit grammar teaching through scaffolding on Iranian learners’ speaking achievement; focusing on fluency, accuracy, and complexity", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 800-813. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-01-2019-0021

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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