Using guided planning and task sequencing to improve grammar instruction

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of guided planning and task sequencing for improving students’ use of a grammatical feature known for its difficulty with Japanese learners: English relative clauses. The study consisted of a pre- post-test design with treatment that involved participants performing a series of oral narratives under three different planning conditions: guided planning consisting of 10 minutes guidance towards English relative clauses and cognitive state verbs, unguided planning involving 10 minutes with no guidance, and a control group who received no planning time. The treatment narratives increased in cognitive complexity over a three week period. The results of the pre- post-tests support the claims of the cognition hypothesis which states that tasks sequenced according to an increase in their cognitive demands facilitate conditions for L2 oral development. The guided planning groups benefitted the most from the treatment in terms of accurate use of English relative clauses and cognitive state verbs, whilst gains were also reported using fluency and structural complexity measures.