TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC
Khoa học Xã hội, Số 11 (12/2017) tr. 26 - 34

AN ANALYSIS ON GRAMMAR APPROACH IN THE TEXTBOOK
NEW HEADWAY PRE-INTERMEDIATE AND IMPLICATIONS
FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING. A CACSE STUDY IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND ENVIRONMENT OF HUNG
YEN UNIVERSITYOF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy1, Dang Thi Huong Thao2, Do Thi Oanh24
1
Tay Bac University
2
Hung Yen University of Technology and Education
Abstract: This paper presents a study which aims at analyzing the approach to grammar in the textbook
New Headway Pre-intermediate and giving implications for English grammar teaching and learning at the
Department of Chemistry and Environment of Hung Yen University of Technology and Education (UTEHY). Then,
it reports the findings of the study which indicated that both teachers and students at UTEHY have positive attitudes
towards grammar and the approach to grammar in the New Headway Pre-intermediate is Presentation-Practiceproduction (PPP) approach. From these findings, practical implications are proposed to improve the English
grammar teaching and learning at the Department of Chemistry and Environment of UTEHY.
Keywords: Grammar, PPP, approach.

1. Introduction
According to Penny Ur (1988), grammar may be roughly defined as the way a language
manipulates and combines words (or bits of words) in order to form longer units of meaning.
Grammar is a field of linguistics that involves all the various things that make up the rules of
language. Different linguistics schools have different views on grammar depending on their
particular fields of interests. How grammar is defined is very important because it will
influence the way grammar is to be taught.
Fromkin et al. (1990) defined grammar as: “The sounds and sound patterns, the basic
units of meaning such as words and the rules to combine them to form new sentences
constitute the grammar of a language. These rules are internalized and subconsciously learned

by native speakers”. Grammar here refers to the knowledge of how words are arranged to
form sentences. Nunan (2003) defined: “Grammar is a set of rules specifying the correct
ordering words at the sentence level”
Richards, Platt and Platt (1992) defines grammar as: “a description of the structure of a
language and the way in which linguistic units as words and phrases are combined to produce
sentences in the language. It usually takes into account the meanings and functions these
sentences have in the overall of the language. It may or may not include the description of the
sounds of a language”. It means that grammar implied both meaning and functions and
showed both linguistic and social nature of grammar. This definition is appropriate with our
view on grammar.
Ngày nhận bài: 01/03/2017. Ngày nhận đăng: 5/6/2017

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Liên lạc: Nguyễn Thị Thu Thuỷ, e - mail:

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The role of grammar in ELT is still controversial due to different views on the
relationship between explicit and implicit knowledge. Some researchers say that we do not
need to teach grammar because learners can acquire by themselves, it means that acquisition
is separate from learning. In fact, learners can articulate second language grammar rules but
cannot use them correctly in natural communication. What is more, there are cases of
acquisition where there is no learning. For instance, many immigrants to the United States can
acquire the new language without being taught formally (Lightbown and Spada, 1990).
According to Krashen, explicit grammar instruction is not necessary in language teaching.
However, other researchers think we should teach grammar because we cannot master a
language without the knowledge of grammar. Bialystock, who has advanced the interface
position, has proved that explicit knowledge can be converted into implicit knowledge if

learners are exposed to much communicative practice. In recent years, the view on teaching
grammar has changed. According to Canale and Swain (1980), grammar competence is one of
components in the model of communicative competence that reflects the importance of
grammar. Many researchers have proved that it is necessary to teach grammar. Ellis (1992)
shows that: “grammar teaching does aid L2 acquisition”. Rutherford and Smith (1988) report
that grammar teaching can be beneficial to learners in the sense that raises learners’
consciousness concerning the difference and similarities of L1 and L2. Hannan (1989) and
Garner (1989) give strong support to grammar teaching. Hannan (1989) points out that
grammar is highly valuable as an important part of the study of language, of ideas and
of writing. According to Garner (1989), grammar gives us a means to analyze and describe
our language.
To sum up, the place of grammar in English language teaching is currently rather
uncertain because of the development of communicative approaches to language teaching.
However, grammar still plays an important role in ELT because learners cannot communicate
effectively without grammar. In fact, there have been many researches on grammar as well as
grammar teaching. The problem here is that how to teach grammar and which approach to
grammar is appropriate. Approaches to grammar in ELT can be seen as a historical sequence
of revolutions and evolutions, and also a growing range of teaching options. However, new
approaches have never totally invalidated or replaced.
2. The contents of the study
2.1. Research methods
40 first-year students at the Department of Chemistry and Environment and 10 English
teachers of Department of Foreign Languages to comprehensive questionnaires and those of
30 first-year students and 6 English teachers to interview questions. In addition, five class
observations were carried out to gather more reliable data.
Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to carry out the study. The
following methods were applied to collect data for this study:
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Survey questionnaires were specifically designed for 10 English teachers of Department
of Foreign Languages teachers and 40 first-year students who have experienced using this
book to find out their attitudes towards the approach to grammar in the textbook.
Interview of 6 teachers was to find out the advantages and disadvantages of the
approach to grammar in the New Headway Pre-intermediate.
Class observations were carried out with teachers and students to gather the most
reliable data for the study.
The combination of different methods above provided reliable data, based on which the
conclusions and implicaions are made in the next parts.
2.2. Data Analysis
Data collected from three different sources were categorized into (a) teachers and
students’ attitudes towards grammar learning and teaching at UTEHY, (b) the approach to
grammar in the New Headway Pre-intermediate and at UTEHY (c) techniques should be used
to improve the English grammar learning and teaching at Hung Yen university of Technology
and Education and then the writer found the appropriateness and inappropriateness of the
approach to grammar in the New Headway Pre-intermediate to the current grammar teaching
and learning at Hung Yen university of Technology and Education. The quantitative data was
presented in the form of charts while qualitative data from the interview and class observation
were presented by quoting relevant responses from the respondents. The data were analyzed
both descriptively and interpretively.
2.3. Data analysis from questionnaires
There is a high level of agreement about the significance of grammar in teaching and
learning English. All teachers and learners agree that grammar is very important in teaching
and learning English. Remarkably, none of the teachers thinks that teaching and learning
grammar unimportant. It means that grammar should be taught and learnt.
Discussing about the learning and teaching grammar, nearly all teachers (90%) and
students (95%) say that learning and teaching grammar is interesting and very interesting.
The statistics show that almost all of teachers (90%) and students (80%) agree that
grammar items in the New Headway are difficult and very difficult. They think there are too
many grammar items in each lesson so it is hard for teachers and students to teach and learn

grammar.
It is shown in the study that there is a similarity between the students and teachers’
purpose of learning and teaching grammar. Half of the teachers (50%) agreed that teaching
grammar was to help students to communicate better and the most purpose of learning
grammar was also to communicate better. The second choice was to read and translate
materials better. Only 10% of students and teachers thought that learning and teaching
grammar was to get the good results. And another 10% of teachers and students thought that
teaching grammar was to help students to improve their writing skills. The purpose of
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grammar teaching and learning affects teachers’ teaching approach and students’ learning
style. It is very necessary to know the purpose of grammar teaching and learning because that
helps teachers know students’ needs to have appropriate teaching approaches.
The highest percentage of the teachers (70%) belongs to those who choose PPP
approach. It means that PPP approach to grammar is the most favourite one comparing with
other approaches. The biggest number of the students also thinks that PPP approach is often
used the most by the teachers. This data shows that the students and the teachers have same
idea with each other about the approach to grammar teaching.
In general, the findings reflect the fact that PPP approach is often used by most of the
teachers at the university because there are only 30% of the teachers and 15% of the students
choose Communicative Language Teaching and Grammar Translation.
Discussing about the approach to grammar in the New Headway Pre-intermediate, 80%
of the teachers and 87,5% of the students choose PPP approach. While only 20% of the
teachers and 12,5% of the students think that the approach to grammar in the textbook is
Communicative Language Teaching. The reason why most of the teachers use PPP approach
to grammar teaching is the fact that PPP approach is a common approach to communicative
language teaching.
It is necessary to assess the teaching approach because it helps teachers know the
approach is effective or not, then they can renovate the teaching approach. From the raw and

percentage result of the questionnaires, we can see that most of the teachers (80%) and
students (75%) believe that PPP approach to grammar teaching is effective. There is only 10%
of teachers and students think that it is not effective. It means that PPP approach brings some
advantages for English grammar teaching and learning process
PPP stands for Presentation-Practice-Production and each stage has its own importance.
The findings show there is a difference between teachers and students’ choice. Most of the
teachers (60%) pay attention to practice stage while most of the students (70%) think that
production stage is the most important. Teachers often ask students to do exercises in the
practice part in the textbook. They think that the more students practise, the more they
remember the grammatical points. In contrast, students want to have more time for the
production stage.
Teachers do not pay much attention to this stage so we can see the techniques they use
in this stage are not various. They never use charts and texts for contrasts in the presentation.
The technique they use the most is using texts for grammar explanation with 70% of teachers
always use it and 30% of them usually use it. They often use the texts in the textbook for the
grammar explanation. Otherwise, dialogue and mini situation techniques are used but only
30% of teachers usually use dialogue and 40% of teachers usually use a mini situation.
Most of students do not have much time for the oral practice stage so not many
techniques are used in this stage. The involving the personality technique is used the most
with 50% of teachers usually use. 40% of teachers sometimes use games in this stage. The
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fact shows that all teachers never use drills and interaction activities so students do not have
opportunities to express their opinions. Some of teachers think that speaking and grammar
separate from each other so this stage is not paid much attention.
The results shows that all techniques are used but with different frequency. Gap-filling
exercises is used with highest percentage (90% of teachers always use it). The second is word
order with 70% of teachers always use and 30% of teachers usually use. The third is split
sentence with 60% of teachers always use and 40 % of teachers usually use. The techniques

for the written practice stage are available so teachers can get them easily from many
English books. Teachers believe that the written practice helps students learn and remember
grammar points better than the oral practice. That also explains why teachers spend most of
time on this stage.
There are only two techniques are used in this stages which are problem - solving and
personalization activities. 40% of teachers usually use problem - solving and 70% of teachers
usually use personalization activities. Teachers only use something simple such as asking
students to talk about their free time, daily work, hobbies, childhood, etc. All teachers never
use such activities as information gaps, interviews, simulations, find someone who, spot the
differences between two pictures and picture cues. This stage is very important because it
helps teachers check the students’ understanding. Teachers only follow the parts in the
textbook so it is easy to explain why most of the teachers do not spend much time on this
stage because this stage is not presented in the textbook.
2.4. Data analysis from interviews
In order to obtain more reliable data, 30 students and 6 teachers were selected randomly
among the respondents for a structured interview. These students were asked and answered
the interview questions in Vietnamese to make sure the reliability of the information. Each
student answers three questions.
For question 1, twenty five respondents said that they were not interested in the
grammar teaching approach of the teachers because of some reasons. Firstly, the teachers did
not give them much time to express their opinion. They only did the parts in the textbook.
Secondly, they felt stressed because they had to follow the teachers’ requirement. Lastly, the
teachers did not use extra activities and techniques in the lessons that made the lesson boring.
For question 2, Twenty one of respondents stated that they only sat, listened to the
teachers, wrote some important information and did what the teachers asked. In general, they
learnt grammar very passively. Some of them kept silent during the lessons.
For question 3, they all expected teachers to use games, situations, role-plays, visual
aids, realia... in grammar lessons. The teachers should let them more time express their
opinions as well as pay more attention to what they need to make the lesson more comfortable
and effective. It means they would like their teachers to spend more time on the production

stage. They think that this stage is time for them to check their outcome to know what they
have gotten from the lessons. They have chance to use language in the practical situation.
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All the teachers also were asked three questions and the results showed as followings:
For question 1, five out of six teachers answered that they did not often use extra
activities or techniques in grammar lessons because they did not have enough time to do such
activities and the class was too crowded for them to use these activities or techniques. They
often followed the parts which were presented in the textbook.
For question 2, all teachers stated that there were only two stages presented in the New
Headway Pre-intermediate which are presentation and practice. That means the production
stage is not presented here.
For question 3, all teachers agreed that they should use more techniques and activities in
each lesson to create a comfortable learning environment for the students. The teachers should
share the teaching experience with each other as well as attend the teaching approach courses
to update the new teaching approaches.
2.5. Data analysis from class observation
During three weeks, the author observed five grammar lessons taught by five different
teachers for first-year students at the Department of Chemistry and Environment at UTEHY.
The author only took notes of the classroom procedures as detailed as possible due to
technical constraints. Through five lessons, it is seen that all teachers used PPP approach to
grammar teaching, two of them presented the grammar points by writing down the examples
on the blackboard and analysed these examples to help the students discover the form, use and
time expressions of the grammar points while the rest used the text to get students perceive
the structure - its form and meaning, and then asked some of students give some more
examples. The last activity the students did in the grammar lesson was doing the exercises in
the practice part in the textbook or some extra exercises which were prepared by the teachers.
One of the teachers used the games in the lesson that made the lesson more exciting. Only two
stages were paid attention, the students did not have time for the production stage. The

teachers talked much more than the students, the students were not much interested in the
lessons, some of them still talked to each other and did nothing in the lesson. The students
were passive in the lesson because they only did what the teachers asked them. They
seemed so tired after the lesson. There was no chance for the teachers to check students’
ability to use English.
3. Research findings
Firstly, the analysis of the data shows that both teachers and student at UTEHY have
positive attitudes towards grammar and they are aware of the importance of grammar to their
teaching and learning of English. Grammar is necessary for students to communicate better.
Both teachers and students are interested in grammar learning and teaching. However, they
meet some difficulties in grammar teaching and learning because of grammar points which
are presented in each lessons.
Secondly, both teachers and students agree that the approach to grammar in the New
Headway Pre-intermediate is PPP approach that also explains why most of teachers at
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UTEHY use this approach in grammar teaching. Most of teachers and students believe that
PPP approach to grammar teaching is effective. However, there is a difference between
teachers and students’ thinking. Teachers pay attention to practice stage while students think
that production stage is the most important.
Thirdly, the authors suggested some techniques for each stage, namely for the
production stage to improve the English grammar teaching and learning at UTEHY such as
interview, find someone who, information gap, board games, role-play, etc.
Lastly, each grammar teaching approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Through the analysis of the data reveals that the approach to grammar in the New Headway
Pre-intermediate is PPP approach. This approach is used by 70% of teachers at UTEHY. It is
a common communicative language teaching and is good for grammar teaching. Students are
easy to follow the stages of this approach that makes the grammar lesson clear so students can
remember the grammar points easily. Otherwise, we find some inappropriateness in grammar

teaching at UTEHY. According to most of the teachers at UTEHY, the purpose of teaching
grammar is to help students communicate better, however, they do not let students much time
to use the language. They do not use many techniques for each stage.
They seem to ignore the production stage that explains why not many techniques are
used here. The written practice stage is paid attention most so students are good at doing
grammar exercises but not good at speaking. They are reluctant to speak English. Although
they think that grammar is very necessary and interesting, most of students are not interested
in the grammar teaching approaches so they feel bored with the grammar lessons. In fact,
most of students when they graduate from the university cannot speak English. It means they
cannot meet the demands of the course objectives completely.
4. Implications for teaching and learning
Based on the findings stated above, some suggestions for improving grammar teaching
and learning at UTEHY are given. There are three stages in PPP approach, however, the
teachers at UTEHY and the textbook only focus on two stages: Presentation and Practice.
Although the production stage is necessary for both students and teachers, it was not paid
much attention so the writer would like to give some techniques for this stage.
Information gaps: Information exchange is useful and crossing these gaps, students
become more involved into the lessons that helps themselves become the content of the
lesson. That brings English into the students' real contexts and the students know how to get
information from others.
Role-play technique: Role-play is used to refer to all sorts of activities where students
imagine themselves in a situation outside the classroom, sometimes playing the role of
someone other than themselves, and using language appropriate to this new context. For
example: ask and answer questions, one student can play the teacher and the other plays the
student, etc.
Find someone who: Students have a list of questions, they stand and circulate, asking
the questions to a partner. When a partner says yes, they write that person's name and move
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on another partner. It is actually a series of pair interactions and creates a comfortable
learning environment for students.
Picture cues: Students have to guess what happens basing on the pictures. Teachers can
provide some new words for students to make sentences. This technique is so interesting
because students can express their own ideas. From that, they know what they have gotten
from the lesson.
Interview: It is very useful for students when they interview each other. Especially, it is
necessary for them at the first lesson when they have to get to know each other. It also helps
students know how to ask and answer in the interview. It is good for their future job interview.
Spot the differences between two pictures: Students ask and answer questions to try to
find out what is different. It is the chance for them to use the grammar points that they have just
learnt and develop their speaking skill. Using this technique makes the grammar lessons more
interesting because students feel comfortable to spot the differences between two pictures.
These are some of the techniques that the authors would like to introduce with the hope
that they will make the grammar lessons more interesting and effective. How to use these
techniques effectively depends so much on the teachers. Each teacher should decide which
technique, how, when and where to use to get their purpose. Teachers should use them
flexibly. Teachers can create the new ones basing on the learning and teaching context.
In conclusion, the analysis of the approach to grammar in the New Headway Preintermediate is very useful for both teachers and students at UTEHY. Especially, the study
helps the teachers find the appropriateness and inappropriateness in their grammar teaching
approaches. From that, they find the best way to teach grammar effectively. That also explains
why the students are interested in learning grammar but they are bored with grammar lessons.
They are not satisfied with the grammar teaching approach being taught at the university. PPP
approach is a good approach to teach grammar but how to use it effectively is not easy. In
fact, the teachers do not explore all the advantages of this approach. One of the reasons that
makes the grammar lessons boring is not many techniques are used in the lessons. The study
highlights the importance of using varied techniques in each stage of grammar teaching,
especially, in the production stage such as using information gaps, role-plays, interviews,
picture cues, etc. The teachers can see the students’ needs that make the gap between teaching
and learning styles narrowed so the students will be more motivated in learning grammar.

However, the students have different learning styles for grammar learning so the teachers
cannot use only one approach to grammar teaching. The teachers have to know how to
combine the teaching approaches to make the grammar teaching more effective. In general,
the study provided insightful information about the approach to grammar in the New
Headway Pre-intermediate that is necessary for the teachers at UTEHY.
REFERENCES
[1]

Canale M. and Swain M. (1980). “Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to
second language teaching and testing”. Applied linguistics, 1: 1 - 47.
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[2]

Ellis R. (1992). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press.

[3]

Ellis R. (1988). The Role of Practice in Classroom Learning: AILA review, 5: 20 - 39.

[4]

Ellis R. (2002). Grammar Teaching - Practice of Concious-raising. In J.C. Richards &
W.A. Renandya (Eds).Methodology in Language Teaching.An anthology of Current
practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[5]

Fromkin V. Et al. (1990). An Introduction to Language (2nded). Sydney: Holt,

Rinerhart & Winston,

[6]

Garner M. (1989). Grammar: Warts and All. Melbourn: River Seine.

[7]

Hannan, B. (1989). I Should Say I. Education Victoria, 4(9).

[8]

Harmer, J. (1987). Teaching and Learning Grammar. Longman Group UK Limited.

[9]

Krashen, S.D. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford:
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[10] Jack C. Richards (1985). The context of language teaching. Cambridge: New York :
Cambridge University Press.
[11] Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers (2001). Approaches and methods in
language teaching (2nded). New York: Cambridge University Press.
[12] Lightbown, P.M. and Spada N. (1999). How Languages are Learned (Revised Ed).
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[13] Nunan, D. (2003). Practical English Language Teaching.Higher Education Press.
[14] Penny Ur. (1988). Grammar Practice Activities: A Practical Guide for Teachers.
Cambridge. Handbooks for Language Teachers.
[15] Richards, J.C. (1985). The Context of Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge
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[16] Rutherford, W.E., Sharwood Smith, M. (1988).Grammar and Second Language
Teaching: A Book of Readings. New York: Newbury House Publisher.
PHÂN TÍCH PHƢƠNG PHÁP DẠY NGỮ PHÁP TRONG GIÁO TRÌNH NEW
HEADWAY PRE-INTERMEDIATE VÀ GỢI Ý CHO VIỆC DẠY VÀ HỌC.
MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU ĐIỂN HÌNH TẠI KHOA HOÁ VÀ MÔI TRƢỜNG
TRƢỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƢ PHẠM KỸ THUẬT HƢNG YÊN
Nguyễn Thị Thu Thuỷ1, Đặng Thị Hƣơng Thảo2, Đỗ Thị Oanh2
1
Trường Đại học Tây Bắc
2
Trường Đại học Sư phạm Kĩ thuật Hưng Yên
Tóm tắt: Bài báo trình bày nghiên cứu với mục đích phân tích phương pháp dạy ngữ pháp trong giáo
New Headway Pre-intermediate và đưa ra các gợi ý cho việc dạy và học ngữ pháp tiếng Anh cho sinh viên khoa
Hóa và Môi trường của Trường Đại học Sư phạm Kỹ thuật Hưng Yên. Bài báo trình bày kết quả nghiên cứu
trong đó cho thấy giáo viên và sinh viên có thái độ tích cực về việc dạy và học ngữ pháp và phương pháp được
giáo viên sử dụng chủ yếu là phương pháp thuyết trình - luyện tập và sản sinh. Từ kết quả trên, một số gợi ý
được đưa ra nhằm nâng cao hiệu quả của việc dạy và học ngữ pháp tiếng Anh tại Khoa Hóa và Môi trường của
Trường Đại học Sư phạm kỹ thuật Hưng Yên.
Từ khóa: Ngữ pháp, PPP, phương pháp.

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