An Evaluation Of Proficiency Of First-Year Students At Kasetsart University Using Communicative And Grammar-Based Instruction

Abstract

        The purpose of this study was to investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of communicative-based instruction and grammar-based instruction in teaching English to first-year Kasetsart University students. The subjects selected for the study were two classes of Kasetsart University first-year students registered in Foundation English I during the first semester 1999. The two classes were divided into two experimental group taught with grammar-based text and communicative-based text respectively.

            Tests for students English proficiency in the four skills were assessed before and after forty-five instructional periods. Both experimental classes were given supplementary listening exercises, but the class taught with communicative-based text was also given a grammar supplement to study outside class to prepare for the mid-term and final examinations. The computer program SPSS was used to statistically analyse the pre-test and post test scores for medians, standard deviations, and variances. Two-tailed T-tests were conducted to test the significance for each.