Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281

Akdeniz Language Studies Conference 2012

An action research: Using videos for teaching grammar in an

ESP class

a b
, Abdurrahman Kutluayc*
a
Assistant
b
MA candidate
c
MA candidate,

Abstract

Teaching grammar is a process, which has been a problem for many language teachers around the world.
Considering the results revealed in the previous studies, this problem places itself especially in English for Specific
Purposes (ESP) classes. The aim of this action research is to search for probable effects of videos to be used to
teach grammar explicitly in an ESP grammar class. Since the students do not want to use traditional course
books and get bored with the activities that are not related with the context and their aims, the present study deals
with the use of technology in an ESP class.
2012
2012The Authors.by
Published Published
ElsevierbyLtd.
Elsevier Ltd. Open
Selection access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
and/or peer-review under responsibility of ALSC 2012
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ALSC 2012
Keywords: teaching grammar; ESP students; using videos; adult learners

1. Introduction

Teaching grammar is an area that has been frequently investigated. The most frequent problem is that
grammar presentation in the textbooks is evaluated as decontextualized. As Nunan (1998) stated

authentic context that the communicative value of a grammar item can be appreciated by the learners.
Textbook activities also lack the nonverbal elements of the communication like body language, mimes,
gestures and emotions. These shortcomings call for the use of audio-visual aids.

*
Corresponding author. Tel.:+00 90 505 6024346.
E-mail address: akutluay@gmail.com

1877-0428 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ALSC 2012
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.065
 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281 273

In this respect, a widespread multimedia tool that has both visual and audio content is video. It is
possible to state the advantages of videos via using the terms diversity , facilities and creativity .
Videos can be useful particularly to create learner curiosity and arouse interest. Zhu (2012) focuses on the
diversity feature of videos. Video appeals to different senses via (p.
136) at the same time. This variety is of great significance in terms of addressing different learners and
learning styles. Besides image and sound, video also offers facilities (Pujola, 2002, p. 235), which are
play controls, transcripts, subtitles and captions.

Furthermore, technology brings flexibility and choice to education (Crawford, 2002). Teachers have
the freedom to create their own videos using different multimedia tools such as cameras, mobile phones,
websites and animation software. That is to say, instead of mechanical Fill in the blanks or Write the
past form of the verbs exercises in the coursebooks, an animated video would be more beneficial. Along
with these, videos can be of vital help in contextualizing the language items. On the other hand, there are
also cautious approaches to multimedia tools. In this context, the issues that attract notice are purpose
and selection of videos , and nature of language .

As suggested by Zhu (2012, p.135),

means of assistance for English teaching but not the whole teaching The video should be used to reach a
learning goal (Motteram, 2011; Kervin & Derewianka, 2011), not just to color the lesson. It is not realistic
to expect learners to learn language more easily and effectively because of just using technological
devices. Similarly, t
level, age, interest and background should be considered (Tomlinson, 2011). A material that worked well
in a class may not work in another class.

Another point that needs to be kept in mind is that languages are spoken in communities. Thus,
; p. 305).
Learners need to interact emotionally, cognitively and socially in meaningful and purposeful situations to
use language. On the whole, if used carefully and purposefully, and supported with opportunities to use
language authentically; videos with their variety, flexibility and productivity have a lot to offer for
language learning processes of the learners. In the light of the previous research and the very specific

1. What happens when grammar is taught through videos in an ESP class?

2. Will there be a change between the grammar teacher models of the students after learning grammar
through videos?

2. Methodology

2. 1. Method
As for the method, action research cycle has been used. Richards & Farrell (2005) points out that

study was conducted in line with the cycle adapted from Ferrance (2000). For the present study,
collaborative action research cycle has been used. Ferra

describes the nature of collaborative action research as follows:

274 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281

Action research becomes collaborative when it is done in partnership with colleagues, or with students,
or with university faculty, or with parents, or a combination of partners. It engages both first- and
second-person research/practice and, in large collaborative action research networks, third-person
research/practice. The process emphasizes growth through group dialogue, reflection, and action.
Participants may pursue individual studies bound together by a common theme, concern, or problem
and then come together to share their work and develop a common set of recommendations for
educational improvement. Or participants may form research teams to study one particular issue over
time (p. 49).

2. 2. Participants
Four adult learners taking English courses for business purposes at a private language school
constituted the participants of the study. The students, at the time of the study, were taking an ESP course
at A1 level. Derived from their assumption on the best way to learn a foreign language, they displayed a
common positive attitude toward particularly studying the form of the language rather than the meaning
or use and were insistent on receiving explicit grammar instruction. This attitude inspired the theme of
this study.

2. 3. Procedure
I
Repertory-Grid technique. This technique, originally used for clinical psychology, is a two-way
classification of data in which events are interlaced with abstractions in such a way as to express part of a
-references between his personal observations or experience of the world, that is
elements, and his personal classifications or abstractions of that experience, that is, constructs (Shaw &
Gaines, 1987).

Similarly, Tan & Hunter (2002, p. 2

effective aid to the studies seeking w

repertory-
understand the ways the respondent construes over the issues that are of interest to the researcher.
Second, Rep-
conceptions, and eventually it produces valid and reliable data. Finally, Repertory grid technique also
enables us to refine our research and put forward a more objective picture than we could obtain from
exploring how our participants would perceive and report to us (Rep-Grid Manual, 1993). Thus, by the
use of this technique, the probability of influencing the participants with interview or questionnaire
questions were eliminated.

For the first step, at the very beginning of the study, repertory grids were given to the participants in
order to identify how these students conceptualised an effective grammar teacher. To elaborate, they were
invited to think about three grammar teachers, one they deemed as effective, one they deemed as typical
and finally an ineffective teacher in their opinion keeping these teachers anonymous, and write down their
resembling and contrasting properties. For the second step, video materials in line with the curriculum of
(see the References). Screenshots
from the video materials used to teach grammar items are illustrated in Appendix A.

These video based instructions were applied in the classroom for a month, totally 24 hours. At the end
of this one month period, the students were given the repertory grids once again in order to find out, in
 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281 275

spite of the short time period, whether or not the students went through a process of change in the way
they construed over the qualities of an effective grammar teacher.

3. Results and Discussion

The results reached after the analysis of the Rep-Grids, we come to the conclusion that each participant
went through a change in their way of constructing an effective grammar teacher. The figure below

Fig.1. focus analysis (a) Time 1 and (b) Time 2

When we look at the focus analysis of

associate at 100% level. The four constructs mentioned above form one pair within a cluster with three
isolated constructs. This means that St1 has already developed an understanding of an effective teacher on
the basis of these cons sfactory
276 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281

doe appear to be isolates together with the

qualities. Yet, he seems to

comes to the perception of effective typical and ineffective teachers it appears that he has not fully
developed an idea of an effective teacher yet.

In the second implementation of repertory grid; at the end of the period through which grammar
instruction was offered using technological devices to the ESP class, we see that St1 has gone through
some changes in terms of both content and structure: For example; St1 now believes that an effective
did not exist in Time 1 Grid,

this appears to be an isolate. Although isolation is a sign that the student needs some more time to
construe over these co

associated with the three above constructs. Finally, we see the effects of technology use in the classroom

her uses computers in his/her lesson.

Interestingly enough, when it comes to the quality of teachers, the analysis reveals that he has a better
understanding of typical and ineffective teachers but has not yet come to a certain understanding of an
effective teacher.
 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281 277

At the beginning of grammar instruction in Figure 2 (a), St

comes to her construction of effective typical and ineffective teachers, we see that St2 associates effective
and typical teachers at a bit above 70% level while she leaves ineffective teacher as an isolate.

At the end of grammar teaching period, we find out that St2 has made a lot of changes in the way she
constructs an effective teacher in Figure 2 (b). She believes t

effective te

reveal that St2 has been construing over the qualities of an effective teacher and the use of computer in
the grammar lessons contributed to her construction. At the end of the period St2 has associated effective
and typical teachers a bit below 70% level and leaves ineffective teacher as an isolate.
278 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281

Fig. 3.

Time 1 grid of St1 in Figure 3 illustrates a cluster and an isolate. In his cluster, it seems that he has
el and the

umbrella term. When it comes to the construction of effective, typical and ineffective teachers; it appears
that St3 associates typical and ineffective teachers at 80% level and effective teacher stands as an isolate.

St3, as seen in his second grid below at the end of the study, made some changes in his ideas about
, ;
on the other hand, there is another construct that is loosely linked to this pair. Finally, he believes that
effective
-

to this cluster below 80% level. In terms of the teachers, the analysis reveals that she associates effective
and typical teachers below 80% level while she views ineffective teacher as an isolate.
 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281 279

St shows that the technology use had an impact on the way she perceived
an effective teacher. In her second grid; there is only one pair consi teach

,
appear to be isolates; still, they are linked to one another above 80%. About the teachers, she
conceptualizes effective and typical teachers similarly but below 70%. Effective teacher is an isolate.

4. Conclusion

Throughout the study, we observed that the usage of the videos for grammar teaching motivated the
students to take part in the lessons. Furthermore, they began to watch the videos through social software
asking the teacher to upload new videos for self study purposes. Furthermore, in the interviews, they
reported that examples given via computers lead to more permanent learning. As the students are ESP
students, and they attend the courses only in the evenings, they cannot spare time to practice English
outside the classroom. However, by means of the software, students can reach the materials in their own
time. Thus, through their desire to use social software and their willingness to learn grammar via videos,
the research achieved to create an environment in which people can share materials to learn grammar
items as well.

Grammar is a difficult part of the language learning process. DeKeyser (2005) suggests that there are
form, complexity of meaning, and
complexity of the form-meaning relationshi , computers can be
utilised. Language educators now seek not only (or even principally) to teach students the rules of
grammar, but rather to help them gain apprenticeship into new discourse communities. This is
accomplished through creating opportunities for authentic and meaningful interaction both within and
outside the classroom, and providing students the tools for their own social, cultural, and linguistic
exploration (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000). The computer is a powerful tool for this process as it allows
students access to online environments of international communication. By using new technologies in the
language classroom, we can prepare students for the kinds of international cross-cultural interactions
which are increasingly required for success in academic, vocational, or personal lives.
280 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281

A great majority of ESP students learn the language and its grammar for their vocational purposes. So
as to make them attain more success in their academic, vocational and personal life, we can teach
grammar in context and with videos (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000). Language needs to be integrated with
the units which can lead to success with the context and purpose (Meyer et al., 1990). In that sense,

lessons. A study in a similar vein and parallel to our findings, Hall (1998, p. 56 ching
German grammar through computers elp
FL students overcome their

To conclude, the present study sheds light onto the possible usage of videos for teaching grammar in
ESP classes. The usage of them even has led to a change in the grammar teacher models of the students as
illustrated in their repertory grids. Moreover, the videos proved to be effective in terms of saving time and
triggering willingness of ESP students. For further studies, the research can be conducted with a bigger
population.

Acknowledgements

and Leyla Bulut for their contributions.

References

Crawford, J. (2002). The role of materials in the language classroom: Finding the balance. In J. C
Richards & W. A. Renandya (Eds.) Methodology in Language Teaching: An anthology of current
practice (pp. 80-91). Cambridge: CUP.

DeKeyser, R. M. (2005). What makes learning second-language grammar difficult? A review of issues.
Language Learning, 55(1), 1-25.

Farrell, T. S. C. (2007).
Continuum.

Hall, C. (1998). Overcoming the grammar deficit: The role of Information Technology in teaching
German grammar to undergraduates. The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des
langues vivantes, 55(1), 41-60.

Kervin, L. & Derwianka, B. (2011). New technologies to support language learning. In B. Tomlinson
(Ed.), Materials Development in Language Teaching (pp. 328-351). Cambridge: CUP.

Meyer, C., Youga, J., & Flint-Ferguson, J. (1990). Grammar in context: Why and how. The English
Journal, 79(1), 66-70.

Motteram, G. (2011). Developing language-learning materials with technology. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.),

Materials Development in Language Teaching (pp. 303-327). Cambridge: CUP.

Nunan, D. (1998). Teaching grammar in context. ELT Journal, 52(2), 101-109.

Pine, G. J. (2009). Teacher action research: Building knowledge democracies. SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Glden lin et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 70 (2013) 272 281 281

Pujola, J. T.(2002). CALLing for help: Researching language learning strategies using help facilities in a
web-based multimedia program. ReCALL, 14(2), 235 262.

Richards, J. C. & Farrell, T. S. C. (2005). Professional development for language teachers strategies for
teacher learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Shaw, M. L. G. & Gaines, B. R. (1987). KITTEN: Knowledge initiation and transfer tools for experts and
novices. Int. J. Man-Machine Studies, 27, 251-280.

Tan, F. B. & Hunter, M. G. (2002). The repertory grid technique: A method for the study of cognition in
information systems. MIS Quarterly, 26(1), 39-57.

The animated video website. Available from: www.goanimate.com

Tomlinson, B. (2011). Seeing what they mean: helping L2 learners to visualize. In B. Tomlinson (Eds.),
Materials Development in Language Teaching. (pp. 357-378). Cambridge: CUP.

Tschirner, E. (2001). Language acquisition in the classroom: The role of digital video. Computer Assisted
Language Learning, 14(3& 4), 305 319.

Warschauer, M., & Meskill, C. (2000). Technology and second language learning. In J. Rosenthal (Eds.),
Handbook of undergraduate second language education (pp. 303-318). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum.

Zhu, Y. F. (2012). Principles and Methods in Teaching English with Multimedia. In A. Xie & X. Huang
(Eds.) Advances in Computer Science and Education. (pp. 135-139) Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.

Appendix A. The screenshots from the video