Is Computer-Based Grammar Instruction as Effective as Teacher- Directed Grammar Instruction for Teaching L2 Structures?

The study described here compared postsecondary English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ acquisition of selected English structures based on the method of instruction — computer-based instruction versus teacherdirected instruction.1 The results showed that for all levels of English proficiency, the computer-based students scored significantly higher on openended tests covering the structures in question than the teacher-directed students. No significant differences were found between the computerbased and teacher-directed students’ scores on multiple choice or fill-inthe- blank tests. The results indicate that computer-based instruction can be an effective method of teaching L2 grammar.