ESL Students’ Perceptions, Opinions, and Influences Regarding Grammar Instruction and Error Correction in the Classroom

Abstract

The dark cloud of grammar instruction and error correction has always followed the study of English as a Second Language. Many studies have attempted to provide the best way to teach grammar and the optimum frequency and method of error correction. Great debate still hovers over both. Rarely do the perceptions and opinions of students get studied, let alone the reasons for those perceptions. This is a qualitative multiple case study employing a questionnaire, observations, and interviews to discover the influences of students’ perceptions of grammar instruction and error correction. While the study aimed to discover these influences, an unanticipated result was found. The three participants in the study had received explicit grammar instruction and error correction throughout their English language acquisition careers, resulting in a misunderstanding of grammar defined. This misunderstanding led to multiple inconsistencies in their perceptions of grammar instruction and error correction. Aligning with Ellis’ (2006) ten beliefs about grammar instruction and error correction, recommendations are made based on the results of the study. Further research is required to confirm these results and answer newly considered questions regarding these methods in the English as a Second Language classroom.