| This dissertation reports on a quasi-experimental study which explored the effects of inductive and deductive teaching on the accuracy of grammar in written form within the Hong Kong Diploma English curriculum at the City University of Hong Kong. Quantitative methods (SPSS -- Mean, Standard Deviation, T-tests, ANOVA and Linear Regression) and qualitative study (in-depth semi-structured interviews) were used. Exemplar written work from Diploma participants were examined for accuracy in grammar: the uses of verbal and adjectival participles at sentential and discourse levels. Likert-scale questionnaires together with semi-structured interviews (recorded verbatim), were analyzed to investigate participants' perceptions of inductive and deductive teaching with respect to generic skills development within four paradigms: psycholinguistics, cognitive linguistics, socio-cultural linguistics and grammar accuracy and retention. Discussion was focused on the benefits to participants in both groups for latter comparisons. The effects on short-term participles uses were assessed, as well as the long-term learning of grammar. This latter element addresses the concern expressed by researchers and teachers regarding superficial learning and short-term retention. Results indicate that deductive teaching contributes to immediate improvements in grammar with relation to participles and sentence structures. Meanwhile, inductive teaching not only delivers long-term improvements in grammar related to participles, but it also develops many generic skills in the longer term. In summary, deductive teaching boosts the learning of verbal present and past participles in the short term, as well as adjectival present participles over the short and long term. Inductive teaching can have long-term benefits regarding the learning of verbal present and past participles, as well as bolstering short and long term learning of adjectival past participles. The limitations and value of this research for Diploma teachers and researchers were assessed and possible further study will also be discussed. |
