Impact of Grammar Consciousness-Raising Tasks on The Acquisition of English Tenses at University Level

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of grammar consciousness-raising tasks (GCRTs) compared to traditional grammar instruction in enhancing first-year university students’ mastery of English tenses. Specifically, it evaluates their impact on explicit grammatical knowledge, grammatical accuracy, and learner attitudes. Over a two-month intervention, 43 students in the experimental group engaged in GCRTs, while 41 students in the control group received conventional instruction. A mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating pretests and posttests to measure grammatical accuracy and explicit knowledge and questionnaires to assess learners' attitudes. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviations, variance, and Student’s t-test. Results indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in grammatical accuracy and explicit knowledge. Classroom observations further revealed enhanced learner interaction, autonomy, and motivation, while survey responses reflected positive attitudes toward the innovative approach. These findings support the pedagogical value of GCRTs as an effective alternative to traditional methods for teaching grammar, particularly verb tenses.