Teaching Second Language Grammar: Deductive versus Inductive Instruction

Abstract

This study investigates differential effects of deductive versus inductive form-focusedinstruction (FFI) onthe acquisition of a generalization ability of L2 target rule when the FFI isprovided within a context of primarily meaning-focused instruction (MFI). Sixty-threeKorean-speaking adult learners of English participated in the study and were randomly assignedto one of the fourgroups, such as (1) a group who received deductive FFI and MFI; (2) a groupwho received inductive FFI and MFI; (3) a group who received MFI only; or (4) a control group,who received no instruction.Learning was measured by an auditory grammaticality judgmenttask and a metalinguistic knowledge task. The results indicate that both deductive and inductivetypes of FFI are equally effective in immediately developing the rule generalization ability;however, the deductive FFI promotes retention of the generalization ability in the long term.