The Effect of Focus on Form on Oral Communication: A Case Study for Adult English Learners in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Tien-Yu Lan, 藍天佑
• Other Authors: Lan-Ching Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/32158989366390762966

碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 英語學系 === 98 === The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Focus on Form (FonF) on adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Taiwan, and more specifically, trying to make use of the FonF method to improve learners’ oral competence in English and to change their attitudes toward learning grammar. The design of the FonF program was integrated with the concept of communicative language teaching (CLT), utilizing oral discussion and various kinds of classroom activities/tasks as ways of instruction. This program lasted for 12 weeks, totally 48 hours of instruction, and the participants were 8 adults, with ages ranging from 18 to 50. The researcher utilized several different instruments for data collection, including: interviews, tests, grammar attitude and satisfaction questionnaires, classroom observation and field notes, and journal entries. In addition, both qualitative and quantitative analyses were adopted to triangulate the study results. The findings showed statistical evidence that FonF instruction provided significant help to learners, both in terms of speaking and listening abilities. Also, learners agreed that the FonF program provided practical help in terms of their oral communicative competence. However, the results showed that the FonF program did not bring about great changes in learners’ attitudes toward learning grammar; yet even so, the learners enjoyed the grammar learning process. Based on the findings, some implications were discussed, to be of help to other FonF researchers and instructors.