A Comparative Study of the Effect of Explicit, Implicit, and Discovery Learning Methods on EFL Learners’ Comprehension of English Passive Voice

Abstract

Despite all efforts rationalized around the significance of grammar instruction, it remains a contentious issue in the fields of second and foreign language teaching. Grammar teaching requires the design of both implicit and explicit approaches. One of the main features of grammar is English passive voice which is, for various reasons, a difficult subpart of grammar for Iranian EFL learners. This quasi-experimental study was intended to comparatively and empirically investigate the effects and probable differences of Traditional Explicit Instruction (TEI), Implicit Input Enhancement (IIE), and Guided Discovery Method (GDM) on comprehension of passive voice among Iranian EFL learners. To serve the purpose, 70 students from Payam-Nour University of Tabriz were selected and divided into three groups including TEI (N= 23), IIE (N= 25), and GDM (N= 22). The participants were exposed to three different treatments and the pre-test and post-test were used to extract information on the learners’ comprehension. The results of one-way ANCOVA showed that all three teaching approaches had positive effects on the comprehension of passive voice. Meanwhile, the GDM could lead to a better and more efficient contribution compared to the two other instructional techniques. Finally, some pedagogical implications have been presented for EFL teachers, students, and syllabus designers.

Keywords

• discovery learning methods
• passive voice
• comprehension