Teaching Grammar in ESL/EFL: A Critical Review of Widodo

Introduction

English is one of the hardest languages to learn. It has a number of complex grammatical structures and conventions that are often not aligned with other languages, making it difficult for learners to grasp English grammar while studying it as a second or foreign language in ESL or EFL classes. Traditional methods for teaching grammar are often inadequate in ESL and EFL courses. Thus, Widodo (2006) provides a series of alternative strategies with clearly outlined steps to help better introduce complex conventions of English grammar to those learning English as a second language.

Overview of Widodo's Framework

Widodo (2006) developed a five-point method for teaching English grammar within the context of his work, "Approaches and Procedures for Teaching Grammar." It is geared specifically towards teaching English as a second language in EFL and ESL courses. These students already have an advanced understanding of grammatical conventions in another language and are learning English as their second language. Widodo (2006) understands how important grammar conventions are in order to increase the degree of fluency students can achieve, and he developed a strategy that aims to use their advanced thinking skills to help them digest new grammatical materials and rules.

This five-point method contains a number of steps meant to introduce students to grammatical conventions, provide opportunities for practicing the skills they are learning, and support more comprehensive thinking that allows students to extend their knowledge of certain conventions beyond what they have been immediately taught. The steps include practice, conscious-raising, explicit and implicit knowledge, and deductive and inductive strategies for teaching grammar. Practice entails providing room for students to practice and then be evaluated on their performance, whereas conscious-raising activities are meant to make students aware of the context of certain grammatical rules.

Strengths of the Article

There are a number of strengths within the article that support its legitimacy and credibility within the field. Widodo (2006) thoroughly establishes the importance of grammar within language learning in order to demonstrate the necessity of his plan. He writes that "grammar is thought to furnish the basis for a set of language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing," and that "grammar plays a crucial part in grasping and expressing spoken language (e.g. expressions) since learning the grammar of a language is considered necessary to acquire the capability of producing grammatically acceptable utterances" (p. 122). In this statement, Widodo (2006) connects grammar to language learning not only from a written perspective, but also from an oral and literacy perspective. This legitimizes the need for a well-developed plan for teaching grammar by demonstrating its importance across all facets of language development. Essentially, Widodo (2006) presents a strong foundation for why his point-based plan is necessary in EFL and ESL learning, which makes a compelling case for his later recommendations.

Additionally, Widodo (2006) also points out some of the flaws in current strategies as a way to strengthen his own plan and legitimize his assumptions. He explains that in EFL, "teaching grammar has traditionally been dominated by a grammar-translation method" that uses the mother tongue as a basis for a deductive style of learning (Widodo, 2006, p. 123). Thus, grammar rules are taught separately from the actual vocabulary and speaking skills of the language itself. Yet, this can cause a disconnect between speaking and writing, as grammatical conventions are often not taught in a way that makes sense in both contexts. This, according to Widodo (2006), can be improved through the introduction of new and alternative teaching methods, such as those he presents in the paper. Again, Widodo (2006) demonstrates strength in his reasoning by pinpointing potential problems within teaching in the field and then using these issues to develop and introduce his own alternative methods.

Moreover, there is strength in the way Widodo (2006) presents each of his crucial steps. For each method — practice, conscious-raising, explicit and implicit learning, and inductive and deductive strategies — Widodo (2006) provides an outline of five steps to help introduce grammar concepts to the adult EFL or ESL learner. These are arranged in chronological order with respect to how a teacher would introduce the grammar being taught, allow students to practice, and carry out evaluation. There is also a thorough explanation of implicit and explicit learning, along with the differences between inductive and deductive approaches to teaching grammar to EFL and ESL students.

Widodo (2006) clearly outlines the differences between these approaches. He explains how it is crucial to teach students from both an explicit and an implicit approach. Explicit knowledge allows students to understand grammar from a practical usage perspective, where they can actually apply the rules they are learning. This is similar to deductive strategies, which are "rule-driven" and thus allow students to learn the rules of grammar first and then apply them appropriately to their own speaking and writing (Widodo, 2006, p. 125). This is the more traditional route. Yet, Widodo (2006) also makes a case for teaching strategies that heighten implicit knowledge, which "is unconscious, internalized knowledge of language that is easily accessed during spontaneous language tasks, written or spoken" (p. 125). This comes as a result of mastering more explicit tasks and signals more complex language acquisition and usage. Widodo (2006) also discusses inductive approaches, where individual observations lead to a greater understanding of comprehensive grammar rules. He does an excellent job of outlining the steps within these two methods of teaching while also comparing their advantages and weaknesses, so that individual teachers can decide which style is more appropriate for their classrooms. This makes his work flexible and practical enough for real-world application.

Conclusion

Overall, the essay presents a wide variety of options for teachers, but does so in a confusing manner. Although there is no real content that conflicts with other works in the bibliography, it is the format that detracts from the strength of the essay. Reworking the structure and providing greater depth for alternative options within each step would have greatly improved the informative value and practical efficiency of the strategies outlined in Widodo's (2006) work.