Mastering Prepositions in English: Explicit versus Implicit Instruction

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  • Author(s): Zaabalawi, Rafe S. (ORCID Zaabalawi, Rafe S. (ORCID 0000-0002-4664-0121)
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Arab World English Journal. Sep 2021 12(3):411-431.
  • Publication Date:
    2021
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
    Tests/Questionnaires
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Arab World English Journal. 10602 Davlee Lane, Richmond, Texas, 77407. e-mail: [email protected]; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://awej.org/
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      21
    • Education Level:
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      Form Classes (Languages); English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Direct Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Interference (Language); Error Patterns; Semitic Languages; College Students; Late Adolescents; Translation; Private Colleges; Foreign Countries
    • Subject Terms:
      Kuwait
    • ISSN:
      2229-9327
    • Abstract:
      Prepositions form a hurdle for several EFL learners, Arabs in particular. One major catalyst is that the preposition systems in English and Arabic rarely correspond to one another. Most scholars who researched this area concentrated on the problem itself, rather than finding a successful remedy that can empower these students to masterfully handle such a thorny area. This study is novel inasmuch as it concerns itself with finding means of facilitating this language area for Arab learners. It reveals the effectiveness of using translation to teach English prepositions to these learners. The research question of this study is: do students who have received explicit tuition and adequate practice on the use of English prepositions in translated texts naturally perform better using such grammatical items in subsequently translated texts than those who have not been instructed on such exemplars in similar language contexts? Sixty students at the Gulf University for Science and Technology in Kuwait participated in the field experiment. The study paradigm had a pre-test/post-test protocol. While the pre-test included four fill-in-the-gap exercises, the post-test contained three Arabic passages which participants were required to translate into English. The findings showed that teaching prepositions explicitly in translated texts is a viable technique for EFL learners' mastery of such grammatical items. This has implications for EFL specialists and syllabus designers.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2022
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1324473