TEACHING GRAMMAR WITH VISUAL AIDS USING VISUAL AIDS TO TEACH GRAMMAR TO

70 Pages·2017·1.51 MB·English

by  Sorany Hincapie

Running head: TEACHING GRAMMAR WITH VISUAL AIDS

USING VISUAL AIDS TO TEACH GRAMMAR TO CHILDREN IN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL

SORANY HINCAPIE CRUZ
SUGEY DAYANA MONTENEGRO MOSQUERA

Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira
Facultad de Bellas Artes y Humanidades
Licenciatura en Bilingüismo con Énfasis en Inglés
Pereira
2017
USING VISUAL AIDS TO TEACH GRAMMAR TO CHILDREN IN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL

SORANY HINCAPIE CRUZ
SUGEY DAYANA MONTENEGRO MOSQUERA

Trabajo de grado como requisito para obtener el título de Licenciado en Bilingüismo
con Énfasis en Inglés

Trabajo dirigido por:
Sandro Alfonso Echeverry Palacio
Asesor

Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira
Facultad de Bellas Artes y Humanidades
Licenciatura en Bilingüismo con Énfasis en Inglés
Pereira
2017
I

Abstract

The purpose of the present classroom project was to analyze the role of visual aids in
teaching English grammar to young learners. The population involved in this project consisted of
36 students from a fifth grade of a public school of Pereira. They were exposed to different
English grammar classes and visual material. The artifacts used to collect evidence during the
implementation were journals, observations, reflections from lesson plans, and students’
worksheets. The results showed that visual aids such as realia, pictures, and flashcards were
supportive and helpful material not only for the teacher to explain grammatical items, but also
for learners to comprehend and understand easier.

Keywords: Implicit instruction, English grammar, visual aids
II

Resumen

El propósito de este proyecto de aula fue analizar el rol que tienen las ayudas visuales en la
enseñanza de la gramática inglesa a niños. La población involucrada en este proyecto consistió
en 36 estudiantes de un grado quinto de un colegio público de Pereira. Los participantes fueron
expuestos a diferentes clases de gramática inglesa y material visual. Los instrumentos utilizados
para recopilar evidencia durante la implementación fueron diarios, observaciones, reflexiones de
la planeación de clases y trabajo de los estudiantes. Los resultados mostraron que el material
visual como objetos reales, imágenes y flashcards fueron de ayuda y apoyo no sólo para que el
profesor explicará elementos gramaticales, sino también para que los estudiantes comprendieran
y entendieran más fácil.

Palabras clave: Enseñanza implícita, gramática inglesa, material visual
III

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank God for his guidance and blessings to me. A special gratitude goes to
my parents Gloria and Orlando for their constant love and support, and to my colleague Dayana
for her responsibility and commitment. I would also like to thank everyone who helped me to
complete this project, especially to our advisor Sandro Echeverry. My sincere thanks also go to
every professor who has contributed to my personal and professional growth.
Sorany Hincapié Cruz

I would like to express my deepest and sincere gratitude to all the people who have contributed
in the development of this classroom project. First, I want to thank God for giving me wisdom,
health, the opportunity to live, and for being next to me in every step I took. He has strengthened
my heart and enlightened my mind to keep working hard until the end. Also, I thank God for
putting my project partner in my path who has been my support and company throughout this study
period. Second, I wish to render thanks to my parents and sister for being the fundamental pillar
in all that I am, in all my education and for their unconditional support perfectly maintained over
all this time. All this work would not have been possible without them. Last but not least, I am
grateful with all the professors from the English teaching program for their insightful comments
and encouragement that motivated me to continue with my learning process, especially to the
Professor Sandro Echeverry for his continuous support in this project, for his patience, guidance,
and knowledge that helped us to complete this classroom project.
Sugey Dayana Montenegro Mosquera
IV

Tabla de contenido

Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... I
Resumen ................................................................................................................................................. II
Tabla de contenido ................................................................................................................................. IV
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1
1. Justification ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 8
1.1.1. Teaching objectives: ......................................................................................................... 8
1.1.2. Learning objectives: .......................................................................................................... 8
2. Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................................... 9
2.1. Grammar and its role .................................................................................................................... 9
2.2. Two main approaches to teach grammar .................................................................................... 10
2.2.1. Deductive approach ............................................................................................................. 10
2.2.2. Inductive approach .............................................................................................................. 11
2.3. Young learners and grammar ...................................................................................................... 12
2.4. Visual aids ................................................................................................................................... 12
2.4.1. Flashcards ............................................................................................................................ 13
2.4.2. Pictures ................................................................................................................................ 14
2.4.3. Realia ................................................................................................................................... 14
2.5. Teaching model: ESA .......................................................................................................... 15
2.5.1. Engage ................................................................................................................................. 15
2.5.2. Study.................................................................................................................................... 16
2.5.3. Activate ................................................................................................................................ 16
3. Literature Review .......................................................................................................................... 17
4. Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 22
4.1. Context ....................................................................................................................................... 22
4.2. Participants ................................................................................................................................. 23
4.2.1. Students ............................................................................................................................... 23
V

4.2.2. Practitioners......................................................................................................................... 24
4.3 Instructional design ..................................................................................................................... 24
4.3.1. Design .................................................................................................................................. 24
4.3.2. Development and implementation ....................................................................................... 25
4.4. Assessment ................................................................................................................................. 26
4.4.1. Formative assessment .......................................................................................................... 26
4.5. Resources .............................................................................................................................. 26
4.6 Reflection stage ........................................................................................................................... 27
4.6.1. Students Linguistic outcomes ............................................................................................... 27
4.6.2. Professional development .................................................................................................... 27
4.6.3. Students’ responses ............................................................................................................. 27
5. Results ........................................................................................................................................... 29
5.1. Teaching ..................................................................................................................................... 29
5.1.1. Strengths ............................................................................................................................. 29
5.2. Learning ...................................................................................................................................... 32
5.2.1. Strengths ............................................................................................................................. 32
5.2.2. Challenges ............................................................................................................................ 34
6. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 35
7. References ..................................................................................................................................... 39
8. Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix A - Lesson plan ................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix B – Observation format ...................................................................................................... 49
Appendix B – Coding process (Observation format 2)......................................................................... 53
Appendix C - Systematization process ................................................................................................ 58
Appendix D - Photos .......................................................................................................................... 59
Appendix E - Worksheets ................................................................................................................... 60
Appendix F - Teaching material .......................................................................................................... 62
TEACHING GRAMMAR WITH VISUAL AIDS
1

Introduction

Grammar plays an important role in every EFL classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this
project was to explore an alternative for the teaching of English grammar with young learners.
We decided to use visual aids as supportive material to facilitate learning, and to demonstrate not
only that they are helpful to teach vocabulary but that they are also effective to teach
grammatical items. In the first chapter of this paper, further information about our motivations
and reasons to carry out this project will be addressed.

In the next sections, concepts and studies related to our project will be presented. Regarding
the conceptual framework, two types of grammar instruction will be explored to provide an
overview about what they mean and how they are different. Also, the three types of visual aids to
be used during this project will be explained: realia, pictures, and flashcards. The stages of the
teaching model that the teacher used to plan and implement the English grammar lessons will be
presented as well. Additionally, three different studies which deal with the teaching of language
through the use of visual aids will be provided. These studies were implemented in different
contexts and with different participants, but showed significant results that have contributed to
the development of our project.

In the fourth paragraph, the methodology used in this project will be presented. This will
show information about the context and the participants involved in this project as well as the
TEACHING GRAMMAR WITH VISUAL AIDS
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teaching method and techniques used during the implementation. Additionally, the materials to
be used in the grammar classes and artifacts to collect evidence are included.

After the consideration of concepts and studies and application of the methodology, the
results and conclusions are presented. The results of this classroom project are categorized into
two main areas: teaching and learning. The teaching section includes two subcategories:
teachers’ use of visual input, and teacher and learners’ interaction. The second section comprises
three subcategories, which two are strengths and one is a challenge: association of language and
visual input, learners’ use of grammar, and grammar difficulties. These categories and
subcategories were obtained after the analysis of the data gathered through a codification and
systematization process. Equally important, a section is devoted to our insights and conclusions
based on the implementation of this project.
TEACHING GRAMMAR WITH VISUAL AIDS
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1. Justification

The advantages of learning a second language could be numerous. It could improve
students’ comprehension in their native language as well as enhance their overall
communication and problem-solving skills. Besides, students could have benefits such as
travelling abroad, getting better career opportunities, and knowing more about different
cultures (National Research Council, 2007). Given the importance of learning a foreign
language, bilingual education has been promoted in Colombia by including in the
schools’ curriculums foreign languages such as Italian, French, and German, but the one
which prevails is English. In fact, it is stated that ‘‘learning English as a second language
will contribute to the insertion of the country in the processes of universal
communication, the global economy and cultural openness” (M.E.N. presentation, 2006).

Therefore, language proficiency turns into a need in which teachers focus on the four
English skills at the time of planning their lessons: speaking, listening, reading and
writing. Within these four skills the integral part and sub-skill that is usually present is
grammar, which is generally defined as how words or parts of words in a language are
put together to create meaningful units or sentences (Ur, 1996). Consequently, Students
can convey meaning more precisely by knowing grammatical rules. Otherwise, without
grammar, there would be only words or sounds, pictures, and body expressions to
communicate meaning. (Azar, 2007).