The acquisition of the English prepositional phrase by South African English second language learners

Abstract

Documented evidence indicates that South African learners, including university students, experience problems in using English as an academic language. In particular, reading and writing levels are below expected levels. Some scholars have attributed learners’ inability to acquire Cognitive and Academic Language Proficiency to an overreliance on Communicative Language Teaching and are of the view that problems in reading and writing, at least in part, stem from English Second Language (ESL) learners’ poor command of English grammar. The problem of underperformance in English is exacerbated by underqualified teachers and inadequate resources, which translate to a lack of information. This study focused on the acquisition of one particular aspect of English grammar, namely prepositions, and on how prepositions could be instructed to English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners in the South African context. The study was motivated by the researcher’s own observations as an English teacher, that EFAL learners struggle to acquire English prepositions, and by the absence of information on how to teach prepositions, even though the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement includes prepositions that ought to be taught at different stages. This lack of information compounds the identified problem, given that teachers struggle to teach specific aspects of English grammar without clear guidance. The present study utilised a quasi-experimental design (a pre-test – post-test design) to compare the effectiveness of explicit versus implicit grammar instruction in teaching English prepositions. The study also considered the effect of learners’ first language (Sesotho or isiZulu) on the acquisition of English prepositions. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results suggest that learners benefited more from explicit grammar instruction than from implicit grammar instruction, and that the first language had no significant effect on learning outcomes. The study contributes to the field of Applied Linguistics in that it increases our understanding of the constructive role that explicit grammar instruction can play in the South African context and in that it provides practical examples of how EFAL teachers can instruct prepositions to their learners.

Gedokumenteerde bewyse dui daarop dat Suid Afrikaanse leerders, insluitende universiteitsstudente, probleme ondervind in hul gebruik van Engels as akademiese taal. Vlakke in lees- en skryfvaardighede is spesifiek onder standaard. Leerders se onvermoë om Kognitiewe Akademiese Taalvaardigheid te verwerf word dikwels geassosieer met die beklemtoning van Kommunikatiewe Taalonderring in die Suid Afrikaanse kurrikulum, en verskeie navorsers reken dat probleme in lees en skryf deur leerders se swak kennis van Engelse grammatika veroorsaak word. Die probleem word vererger deur swak gekwalifiseerde onderwysers, onvoldoende hulpbronne, en ‘n tekort aan informasie oor hoe leerders onderrig moet word. Hierdie studie fokus op die verwerwing van ‘n spesifieke aspek van Engelse grammatika, naamlik voorsetsels, en op hoe hierdie aspek van die grammatika aan Engels Eerste Addisionele Taal leerders in Suid Afrika aangebied moet word. Die motivering vir die studie was die navorser se eie observasie as Engelse onderwyser dat leerders probleme ondervind met die aanleer van Engelse voorsetsels en deur die afwesigheid van inligting oor hoe voorsetsels onderrig moet word op verskillende vlakke. Hierdie gebrek aan inligting beteken dat onderwysers dikwels nie weet hoe om leerders te ondersteun nie. Die studie het ‘n kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp (‘n pre-toets – post-toets ontwerp) gevolg om die effektiwiteit van eksplisiete versus implisiete grammatika onderrig van Engelse voorsetsels te vergelyk. Die studie het ook die invloed van leerders se eerste taal (Sesotho of isiZulu) op die verwerwing van Engelse voorsetsels ondersoek. Die data is statisties geanaliseer met behulp van die ‘Statistical Package for Social Sciences’. Die resultate suggereer dat leerders eerder baat by eksplisiete grammatika instruksie, en dat die eerste taal geen beduidende invloed op die uitkoms van die leerproses het nie. Die studie dra by tot kennisgenerering in die veld van Toegepaste Linguistiek, in die sin dat die resultate ons begrip ten opsigte van die konstruktiewe rol van explisiete grammatika instruksie in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks verbreed. Die studie bied ook praktiese voorbeelde aan onderwysers oor hoe voorsetsels suksesvol onderrig kan word in Engels Eeste Addisionele Taal.