Comments on Stephen D. Krashen's "Teaching Issues: Formal Grammar Instruction". The Effect of Formal Grammar Teaching: Still Peripheral

In my view, the data from White et al. does not tell us whether direct instruction resulted in acquired or learned competence. To show that learned knowledge becomes acquired or underlying competence, one must demonstrate an impact on tests that tap only acquired competence. Lightbown and Pienemann maintain that evidence from Spada and Lightbown (1993) shows that the oral test was indeed a test of acquired competence because children showed no evidence of hesitation, mental searching, or distraction. This apparent fluency is indeed suggestive, and I have utilized similar observations in discussing monitor use (Krashen, 1991). But these observations are just that, observations, and are only suggestive. No comparison was made with the spontaneous speech of these subjects, nor was a comparison made between fluency in asking questions (the target structure) and using different kinds of sentences. Lightbown and Pienemann also maintain that the focus on form in class had not been excessive. In my view, 9 hours of direct instruction on questions in only 2 weeks is a lot of focusing on form, even if it was less than 20% of the total class time. In addition, afterjust completing 2 weeks of instruction on questions, and taking other tests that clearly focused the students on questions (White et al., 1991), and being prompted when they failed to produce wh questions (When students did not spontaneously produce a wh question after two questions, the interviewer prompted them [e.g., Can you ask me a question with what?] [Spada & Lightbown, 1993, p. 211]), it is reasonable to suggest