Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences EPHHR 2022

Volume 8 (2023)

The Application of the Inductive Method in Secondary School

English Teaching
Hui Shen*
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
Corresponding author: hshe5491@uni.sydney.edu.au
Abstract. Grammar is a foundational procedure throughout English teaching, which enables helps
students to further know about the structure of language formation and the ideographic function of
language and promotes the cultivation of students' comprehensive language ability. After reviewing
previous literature, the main findings of this paper were: 1) the introduction of the inductive method,
2) prosses, 3) practice. Grammar plays the main role in English teaching, including reading, listening,
speaking, and writing. However, during practical English teaching, especially in the secondary school
period, Chinese students suffer from all four parts because of grammar problems. Therefore, the
inductive method plays an important role in grammar teaching because it can help students
understand easily confusing words, phrases, and grammatical structures.
Keywords: Inductive method, English teaching, Grammar.

1. Introduction
The knowledge of secondary English has a lot of memory content, including confusing words,
phrases, and grammatical structures. In other words, the inductive method needs to be implemented
in English teaching [1].
According to Ur, it is crucial for a teacher to understand how to accurately, simply, and clearly
convey a structure's shape and content. He advises that a good presentation should contain both
spoken and written as well as form and meaning in the principles on presentation and explanation of
grammar [2]. Several contextual examples of the intended structure are required to assure
understanding. He also reminds educators that visual aids can help with comprehension [3].
Regarding the usage of grammatical terminology, he advises against using it with younger students,
but introducing it to more experienced students and students who are relatively older can aid in
learning [4]. In relation to the three ways of teaching grammar, he notes inductive and discovery
methods should be used for those structures that can be easily perceived by the learners who can
define rules themselves quickly and easily because what they discover by themselves is better
remembered. But if the structure is not easy for learners to discover each other. Even with a given
context, it is preferable to teach the rule explicitly because the conscious understanding of the rule is
helpful in producing the structure [5]. According to Richards (1994, 1998), the effectiveness of
interactions between teachers and students as well as between students has a significant bearing on
the outcomes of learning. He adds that it is the teacher's involvement and ability to customize teaching
and make activities engaging that often foster successful learning [6][7].
The current situation of secondary school students in English learning is as follows: In the speaking
part. For instance, students are more likely to pay little attention to the tense. This is because Chinese
expresses tense through time adverbials instead of verbs. In the listening part, for instance, there is a
broad consensus that most of the students cannot distinguish whether they want something or not
because they do not know how to use grammar knowledge to differentiate. In the reading part, for
instance, if any evidence was needed that Chinese students lack grammar knowledge, it is to be found
in the reading process that they cannot analyze several difficult sentences causing them to be unable
to answer the correct answer. In the writing part, for instance, many students are inclined to write
difficult sentences, but they sometimes have the habit of having more than one predicate in a sentence.
Specifically, students are not given time for reflection or practice, meaning that this inductive
approach may place them on a trajectory toward success. The inductive approach is used to

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demonstrate how the teacher should give students real-world language facts and encourage them to
understand grammatical principles without any explicit instruction. The term "inductive approach"
describes the process of gathering several specific examples and drawing a general conclusion that
rules or includes the individual instances (Brown, 1994). If pupils are given enough suitable instances,
it is thought that the rules will become clear. For instance, the teacher might hold out a pen and say,
"This is a pen," before presenting the two forms, "this is," and "these are." Students will replicate this
by displaying additional items. The instructor then states, "These are pens," while holding up several
books. After a number of comparative examples, it seems that pupils can comprehend that "there are"
is employed with noun plural constructions. Then, with the use of provided visual cues or verbal cues,
pupils are urged to use the newly introduced framework to create sentences. The teacher tries to avoid
speaking other than to correct when required. Last but not least, the instructor may elicit the grammar
rule from the students.[8][9]
1.1 Teaching Procedure of Inductive Method
When English teachers utilize an inductive approach, they should give a series of authentic
language presentation that is relevant to their topic of interest. Once a substantial amount of
information has been collected, the teacher will take a break from information collection to step back
and get a bird’s eye view of the data. In other words, teachers need to ask students to observe, analyze,
and compare examples. At this stage, the instructor must search for patterns in the data while striving
to create a theory that could account for those trends. As a result, while using an inductive approach,
teachers begin with a set of observations. After then, individuals shift their focus from those
experiences to a more broad range of theories about them. In other words, they move from the specific
to the general or from facts to theory, which helps students induct grammar rules.
1.1.1 Provide Observation to Differentiate between Grammatical Phenomena.
During grammar narration, teachers should ask students to make more observations so that
students can get common grammar rules from a significant number of examples.

According to Wang’s textbook of English Teaching Method Course, grammar class, guides
students to observe the purpose of the phrases used. For example, in the correct form of the verb "be,"
there are the following phrases that students must observe. The purpose is the subject ahead of the
verb "be:"

“I am a teacher.
They are my students.
She is a wonderful painter.
He is a college student.
The dog is lovely. [10]”

Students may comprehend that different subjects must use different forms of the verb to be.
Teachers need to lead students to further think about “which case and which form should be used”
and “why different subjects will affect the change of the verb?” “In what situations are the three
different forms of the verb “be” used?”

The purpose of observation is that students can find rules by themselves and then obtain rules of
grammar from surface phenomena to thinking in depth. However, observation should be thorough
and help students reflect step by step. The observation target may be multiple, giving the observer
several targets for observation and reflection, which may be directly or indirectly linked. The
following are some examples of conjugated verbs and tense signs:

“Lily often helps her mother do some cooking.

I went to the park yesterday.
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They are dancing in the classroom now.

Tom has already done his homework. [10]”

The above sentences are aimed at knowing the concept of tense and the adverbial related to tense.
Students will find different forms of predicate verbs in different sentences. In the observation activity,
we can make a simple observation, and at the same time, we can make use of the relationship between
the observation targets for deep understanding and thinking.
1.1.2 Compare and discover the rules
Through observation, students can discover grammatical phenomena and further understand
grammar through perceiving the phenomena. After observing, teachers should further improve the
requirements and guide students to think about the contrast actively to find the rules. Comparison is
a further requirement for students on the basis of observation. However, the objects of comparison
should be observed each other, the following example:
Lucy likes Japanese.
He likes Japanese.
She likes Japanese.
They like Japanese.
We like Japanese.
She and he like Japanese.
These are some examples of "present simple" verb forms. Students are asked to compare the
subject and verb forms while observing. They will extract the subjects ‘Lucy’, ‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They,’
‘W,’ ‘He and She’ and the verbs ‘like’ and ‘likes’ to compare and think about it. In other words, by
observing the above example sentences, students can make a conclusion that different subjects use
different forms of predicate verbs. The principle of comparison is to give priority to students and
give full play to the enthusiasm of students and allow them to think positively. The more sufficient
representative example sentences, the more likely it is that it is beneficial for students to inferential
comprehension.

1.2 A large number of Inductive Statements and Acquire the Rules

Teachers should show a large number of example sentences for students to observe and compare
so that students have a full perception of grammatical phenomena. At this time, the teacher should
also encourage them to summarize independently so as to reach the corresponding grammar rules.
Induction can go from part to whole and then apply generally, as in the following example:

The table is made of wood.

The letter was sent to Japan.

Cars are made by workers.

The results of the first induction may be: the passive voice structure is the past participle of the
verb ‘be+v-ed’; The conclusion of the second induction may be that when the subject is the receiver
of the action of the verb, the verb uses the passive voice structure ‘be’+ the past participle of the verb.
Generalization should lead to more general rules, and then it is a lot easier to practice with the
resulting rules.

2. Grammar practice using the inductive approach

Brown asserts that in order to assist students achieve both accuracy and fluency in language usage,
meaningful practice and communicative use of the taught structure are required because grammatical
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competence cannot be acquired only through exposure to the target language or meaningful input [5].
In light of this, Ur came to the conclusion that the role of the teacher is to aid students in making the
"leap" from "form-focused accuracy to meaning-focused fluency after explicit instructions by
providing a variety of practice activities that will familiarize the students with structures in context,
giving practice both in form and communicative meaning [5]."
According to Ur, "practice" can be described as "any sort of language-related interaction on the
learner's behalf, typically with teacher supervision, with the primary goal of consolidating learning"
[2]. Ur goes on to say that the following elements play a role in effective practice:
Pre-learning. Practice is more effective when learners clearly perceive a new language and keep it
in brief memory.
Intensity and repetition. The more language that learners encounter or use, the more likely it is that
they will learn. The shape and significance of the structure should be demonstrated in a variety of
ways for learners to hear, speak, read, and write.
Success-orientation. Practice works best when it is founded on effective practice.
Heterogeneity. It should be possible for the drill to elicit various sentences and levels of response
from various students.
Teacher assistance. Practice is most successful when there is the teacher support, such as hints and
recommendations.
Interest. An important component of effective practice is interesting. Bored learners have difficulty
concentrating and distracting themselves.[10]

3. Mechanical and meaningful grammar exercise are the two main categories.
3.1 Mechanical practice:
The mechanical practice includes activities to ensure that the form is accurate. When engaging in
mechanical practice, students repeatedly focus on a crucial component of construction. Replacement
and processing drills are frequently used in mechanical practice.
Students substitute a component in a structure to learn how it fits together to form a sentence in
the substitution activities. Sometimes specific messages are delivered. Here is an illustration.

Substitute the underlined part with the proper forms of the given words.

Miss Liu has the biggest house in the city.

Green lawn
Clean apartment
Nice house
Pretty rose

In this exercise, it is expected that students will produce sentences like:

Miss Liu has the greenest lawn in the city.

Miss Liu has the cleanest apartment in the city.
Miss Liu has the nicest house in the city.
Miss Liu has the prettiest roses in the city.

Students who are practicing substitution drills must additionally alter the forms of the given
prompts, such as changing "green" to "greenest" and "beautiful" to "prettiest." Exercises that require
shape modifications in place of simple word substitutions for the target component are thought to be
more fruitful for pupils.

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3.2 Transformation drills:

In transformation exercises, students modify a given structure so that they encounter another,
comparable structure. Additionally, it aids students in comprehending how structures are employed
and trained. Here is an illustration of a drill that can change.
Replace the following sentences in the past tense. Use the adverbs between parentheses.
Now she lives in New York. (yesterday, Tokyo)
He studies Japanese and math today. ( last year, music and English)
She often gets up at eight. (this morning, seven)
In this activity, students must come up with phrases like these:
Yesterday she lived in Tokyo.
Last year he studied music and English.
This morning she got up at seven.
3.3 Meaningful practice
When students engage in a meaningful practice, they are encouraged to keep an eye on how newly
learned structures are being applied to the process in order to produce, comprehend, or trade meaning.
Mechanical practice usually comes after meaningful practice. For instance, the subsequent activity
can be carried out as meaningful practice following the presentation and mechanical practice of
adjective and superlative comparisons.
Take note of the table below. Sort the objects in the left-hand column into the appropriate
categories using the criteria above.
Table 1. Line up Words Horizontally and Vertically to Make Sentences
Cheap Healthy Tasty Fattening Important
Pork
Water
Fruit
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Juice
In this exercise, students will examine the provided information and create phrases like:
A: In my opinion, pork costs less than fruit.
B: In my opinion, fruit is more affordable than pork.
The lack of a right or wrong response in this exchange is obvious. According to table 1, everything
relies on the pupils' prior learning and the current costs of the local raw materials. Committed to such
an activity. Students practice the target structure at the same time as negotiating to mean.

4. The advantages and disadvantages of the inductive method

One of the advantages of the inductive approach is that students can focus on using the language
without being distracted by grammatical terms or regulations that might restrict flow. The inductive
method raises student participation and encourages meaningful classroom language practice in the
target language. The success of the inductive technique has been noted in English as a second
language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) courses all around the world.
At the other end of the spectrum is that Students who are used to more conventional teaching
methods may find it challenging to learn language principles from context and that it takes more
time. In order to organize the EFL/ESL lesson and make classes engaging and inspiring for the
students, teachers are more likely to benefit from understanding the drawbacks and benefits of both
approaches (Goner, Philips, and Walters 129). [10]

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5. Conclusion
To sum up, teaching grammar is one of the challenges of teaching English. If the grammatical
explanation is frequently ignored in English class, the course will become useless. Admittedly,
grammar pervades every part of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It is only when students are
sufficiently proficient in grammar that they can really improve the effectiveness of learning English
so as to improve the language's capacity for application. Inductive reasoning is very useful in teaching
English in lower secondary school. When it is fully applied to the learning of vocabulary, grammar,
fixed collocation, and other contents, it not only realizes the effective differentiation and organic
series of knowledge before and after and similar contents but also improves the core quality of
students' English learning to a certain extent.
In addition, this article began with discussions about the role of grammar in language learning.
The value of teaching grammar has been the subject of discussion for some time. There may never
be a solution to the debate, as the contexts in which languages are taught and learned vary enormously.
In general, Chinese learners learning English as a foreign language require some level of English
grammar proficiency. However, it is important to note that learning grammar is not the ultimate
purpose of learning English. Understanding the way in which grammar is taught is as controversial
as the value of grammar in language learning. This article introduced a way of teaching grammar, the
inductive method. It is argued that the method has its pros and cons. The best way is to vary the
methods depending on the circumstances. It is crucial to remember that the goal of the grammatical
presentation is to help pupils learn or understand grammatical rules. This is a practice that helps
students build their grammatical abilities.

References
[1] Ur, P. (1996). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
[2] Ur, P. (1988) Grammar Practice Activities: A practical guide for teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
[3] Vale, D. & Feunteun, A. (1995) Teaching Children English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[4] Vandergrift, L. (2004). Listening to learn or learning to listen? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics.
24: 3- -25.
[5] Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press
[6] Richards, J. (1994). Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
[7] Richards, J. (1998). Beyond Training. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[8] Brown, D. (1994). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. 3rd rd edition. New Jersey: Prentice
Hall Regents. Englewood Cliffs.
[9] Brown, H.D. (1994a). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Englewood Cliffs: N.J.: Prentice
Hall.
[10] Wang Qiang. (2006). English Teaching Method Course. Second Edition. Higher Education Press.
[11] Goner, Phillips, and Walters. Teaching Practice Handbook: Structures: Grammar and Function.
Heinemann, 1995. 129-138.

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