Bringing fun and meaning into grammar learning: A case study of a secondary-level EFL class in Hong Kong

Abstract

Popular culture materials are generally believed to have positive effects on L2 learning. This study examined the effectiveness of popular culture materials in enhancing Hong Kong EFL students’ grammar learning. In a quasi-experimental design, 20 secondary school students were taught grammar in two ways: with the use of popular culture materials, and without using such materials. The participants were given tests prior to and after the grammar lessons to measure their gains from the two teaching methods and to compare such gains, if any. A semi-structured interview was conducted afterwards to gather EFL learners’ views on the use of the new instructional materials in grammar class. Our findings in pre/post tests showed that the adoption of popular culture materials had improved the participants’ performance on the target grammar items. Thus, our selected materials proved an effective tool to help the EFL learners with their grammar learning. Findings from the interview confirmed that the participants were generally positive and supportive towards the use of popular culture materials in the grammar class, but they also expressed necessity of traditional approaches to grammar teaching.