Action Plan

Correct grammar usage is the essence of effective communication and the teaching of
grammar to ESL students while at times controversial, has been shown to enhance understanding
and aid in the acquisition of a second language. There are many possible grammar teaching
methods available to ESL teachers and the use of technology in the ESL classroom has recently
become a popular vehicle for supplementing student learning. Over the last few years I have
observed and worked alongside ESL teachers in a community college setting who employ
technology in varying levels. Based on my needs assessment and what I learned about my
students current opinions towards grammar, their academic achievement on grammar tests and
the consistent grammar errors they are making in spoken language, I recognized the need to
explore additional options for grammar teaching. In this action research study I plan to look
closely at the effectiveness of the Azar online grammar program as homework to complement in-
class instruction methods. I hope to be able to determine if students who are consistently using
the program and performing the required tasks demonstrate increased understanding and
comprehension of the grammar applications.
During my literature review I discovered many studies which investigated adult second
language learning styles and viewpoints about computer assisted learning. I intend to explore
how student attitudes about technology in the classroom affect their participation and completion
of the assignments. I feel that this study will help me to develop my own grammar teaching
techniques and will assist me in designing effective lesson plans in my future teaching.
My plan will take place at a community college mid-level ESOL 30 class with adult learners
and will focus on encouraging the students to improve their English grammar skills through
continued usage of the Azar interactive program. I had the opportunity to work at the ESOL 20
level last semester and have observed that some of the grammar points taught last semester are
not being used appropriately this year by a number of students who successfully completed the
ESOL20 coursework. There was no online grammar component used during the previous ESOL
20 course which prompted me to consider how this particular online software program could be
of help to these particular learners who are struggling with correct grammar usage.
My data collection strategies will include tracking and recording the weekly usage of the
Azar interactive online grammar course and noting the progress of the students. I will compare
the grades they achieve on weekly grammar quizzes as well as midterm and final tests with the
amount of time they have spent completing grammar tasks. I will also be overseeing the
students written journals to monitor how effectively they transfer their grammar knowledge to
their written assignments. The students will be responding to various free-write journal
prompts directly and indirectly related to their attitudes and perspectives about the online
grammar aspect of the class and its use and implementation. Throughout Phase One, students
will be aware that their online progress will be monitored and that their written journals will be
reviewed to evaluate the application of the grammar usage they have studied.
I will also be keeping an informal teachers journal of spoken language and how the
students are using the many tenses and grammatical rules taught thus far. The data collected
from each source will contribute to my understanding of how an interactive online grammar
program can affect ESL students grammar comprehension and test scores. By carefully
monitoring their interaction with the Azar program I hope to find out if this particular software is
beneficial to their language learning and also if it can improve their computer skills. And finally,
their journal responses regarding their personal feelings about using technology will inform my
inquiry as to student attitudes about using online software grammar programs.
While my students are completing all these tasks; online homework, quizzes, tests, and journals, I
plan to listen specifically to whether they are using the new grammar points in natural conversation and if
they are retaining the new information over the course of the semester. My goal is that they students will
not only be able to identify the grammar and correctly answer the quiz and test answers related to the new
points, but also be able to use the newly learned grammar correctly while writing and speaking. To
investigate their attitudes and perceptions I will dedicate a few minutes per student each week to catch up
on how they are personally feeling about their grammar progress and to encourage the use of the Azar
program as a tool for success. By implementing a simple tally sheet I hope to keep track of appropriate
grammar usage and errors. I intend to supply appropriate feedback both written in their journals and
orally during our informal conversations.
An example of a Journal Prompt:
How did you feel about using the online software grammar program, Azar Interactive, at the
beginning of the semester?
Possible Feedback Form questions:
Did you have any difficulty accessing the software?
Was the website easy to understand and move through?
Do you feel that the program helped you to understand difficult grammar topics?
Would you like to use this program in future ESOL classes? Why/why not?






Data Source 1

Data Source 2

Data Source 3

Data Source 4
In what ways can
the use of an
interactive online
grammar program
affect ESL students
grammar
comprehension and
test scores?

AZAR interactive
Online Software
Program

Grammar
Quizzes


Writing
Assignments


Informal
assessment of
spoken language
using tally sheets

Grammar
Midterm
And Final
How do students
reflect on the
practice of using
online grammar
programs?

Journal prompts

Journal Prompts

Journal Prompts

Journal prompts
To what extent do
student attitudes
about using online
software impact
performance?

Teacher-student
informal
conversation

Tally sheets

Can the use of this
online technology
improve students
computer skills as
needed for academic
success?

AZAR interactive
online software



Journal prompts