English instructions in Japanese classrooms have usually been conducted using “teachercentered” approaches, especially when teachers adopt the deductive method. This research was conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of using a learner-centered approach in grammar teaching and also to consider whether this kind of approach is useful in promoting learner autonomy. This small-scale study involved 161 first-grade students at a private high school in the metropolitan Tokyo area. The students were divided into two groups: one group studied grammar deductively; the other inductively. After the pilot study, the groups were switched. The effectiveness of both the teaching methods was measured by three identical grammar tests. In addition to the grammar tests, pre- and post-surveys were conducted. As a result of the grammar tests, no significant difference was found between the students who learned grammar deductively and those who learned inductively. The analysis of the surveys indicated that the favorable rating for the inductive approach significantly increased. The favorable rating for the deductive approach stayed almost the same. The students may have become more open to the idea that both the inductive and deductive approaches were useful in learning grammar. Furthermore, some students’ comments indicated that they have realized the importance of using different approaches depending on the type of grammar item. In conclusion, pedagogical suggestions for grammar teaching and learner autonomy are suggested.

研究論文