Perceptions of Iranian EFL Learners on Teaching Effectiveness of Explicit and Implicit Grammar Instruction Methods

Although there is controversy surrounding the place of grammar in foreign language teaching, it remains of great importance for learners. This explanatory mixed methods study aimed to investigate Iranian EFL learners’ perceptions of the teaching effectiveness of three computer-assisted grammar teaching methods, which mainly differ in the degree of explicitness. The participants in the quantitative phase of the study were 70 Iranian EFL learners chosen from Payam Noor University of Tabriz. Besides, 15 participants were randomly selected for the qualitative phase of the study. The participants were divided into three groups of grammar teaching, including Traditional Explicit Instruction (TEI), Implicit Input Enhancement (IIE), and Guided Discovery Method (GDM). The data was collected through the Students’ Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The results of descriptive statistics showed that the participants in all three instructional groups generally had positive perceptions of computerized grammar teaching approaches. Despite opposing views, the qualitative data analysis also confirmed the effectiveness of the methods. This study concludes with some important implications for EFL teachers, learners, and educational administrators to improve the quality of education.