REIMAGINING GRAMMAR PEDAGOGY: A CONTEXTUAL AND COGNITIVE APPROACH TO TEACHING GRAMMAR IN ESL CLASSROOMS

Author

Dr. Priyanka Rani

Abstract

 Grammar plays a vital role in English as a Second Language (ESL) education by enabling learners to communicate accurately and effectively. However, grammar instruction in many ESL classrooms continues to rely on rule memorization, mechanical drills, and isolated exercises, which often improve grammatical accuracy but provide limited opportunities for meaningful communication. Such traditional practices frequently fail to develop learners' communicative competence and long-term understanding of grammatical concepts. Therefore, there is a growing need for instructional approaches that integrate grammar with authentic language use and active cognitive engagement. This study proposes a Contextual–Cognitive Approach to Grammar Teaching that combines authentic language contexts with cognitive learning strategies to enhance grammar acquisition. Using a qualitative, conceptual research design based on a review of secondary literature in applied linguistics, cognitive linguistics, and ESL pedagogy, the study identifies a gap in existing research, where contextual and cognitive perspectives are generally discussed independently. To address this gap, a five-stage instructional model comprising Input, Noticing, Analysis, Practice, and Production is proposed. The framework encourages learners to observe, analyse, practise, and apply grammatical structures in meaningful communicative situations. The study concludes that integrating contextual learning with cognitive engagement can improve grammatical accuracy, communicative competence, learner motivation, critical thinking, and long-term retention. The proposed model offers practical implications for ESL teachers, curriculum developers, and teacher educators seeking innovative and learner-centred approaches to grammar instruction.

Keywords

Grammar Pedagogy, English as a Second Language (ESL), Contextual Learning, Cognitive Learning, Grammar Instruction, Communicative Competence, Language Teaching

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