EFFECTS OF INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE TEACHING METHODS ON ENGLISH GRAMMAR ACHIEVEMENT AT SECONDARY LEVEL: A CLASSROOM EXPERIMENT

Abstract

This research looked at how the teaching methods of inductive and deductive teaching approaches impact achievement of secondary students in English grammar. In particular, it compared gain scores of students who were taught the two strategies, measured their influence and adjusted it by pre-test performance, and found out whether inductive instruction improves grammar comprehension and retention better than deductive teaching. An experimental pre-test-post-test design using a quantitative methodology was used. The sample population was 10th-grade students of Rehman Girls High School, Ban Bajwa, District Sialkot (N = 132), and 60 engaged students were chosen randomly according to the matched-pair method. The respondents were categorized into experimental group (inductive method) and control group (deductive method). There was a six-week instructional period, followed by the administration of the Students’ Academic Achievement Test (SAAT), which was a researcher-tested multiple-choice test. Data were reduced with descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (paired-samples t-test, independent-samples t-test and one-way ANCOVA). Findings indicated that the two methods enhanced grammar achievement, and the inductive method was much more effective, even following consideration of pre-test differences. It is determined that inductive instruction is more effective in promoting grammar learning and retention at the secondary level. It is suggested that teacher training programs should include applied training in inductive lesson design and that reading materials and online materials be reformulated to include inductive grammar activities that facilitate student-centered learning. Future research can investigate the long-term retention outcome of inductive and deductive methods using delayed post-tests.