THE FACTORS SHAPING K-12 ESL TEACHERS’ THINKING ABOUT FORM-FOCUSED INSTRUCTION

Abstract

Designing and delivering effective grammar instruction remains a difficult, even stressful process for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. With abundant instructional options to choose from, teachers’ decision-making regarding which grammar teaching approaches to take offers a rich arena for exploring teacher thinking. This paper investigates teacher thinking to explore the factors that influence the grammar instructional decisions of K-12 ESL teachers in a Midwestern city in the United States in which ELLs receive pull-out English language classes. Such factors included teachers’ desire for grammar instruction to be authentic, the impact of students’ English proficiency level, and the teachers’ perceptions of their students’ linguistic needs and readiness for grammar instruction. Based on the findings, the authors highlight several implications related to grammar teaching.

Keywords: form-focused instruction, teacher thinking, grammar teaching, English language learners, K-12 ESL instruction