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Pedagogical Linguistics
Vol. 4:1 (2023) ► pp.77–97

Is ‘more’ really more?

Results of a study on extended German grammar teaching

ORCID logo | Ruhr-Universität Bochum
| Ruhr-Universität Bochum
| Ruhr-Universität Bochum
| Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Starting from general problems of teaching grammar in the subject of German language as well as from basic assumptions of so-called ‘more-is-more’ didactics, we discuss demands to continue teaching grammar after the eighth grade (in Germany, that is the eighth year of school). We then present a quasi-experimental study which was carried out in grades 8 to 12 with the same participants for the purpose of finding out whether providing additional and repeated grammar teaching in the subject of German language even after the eighth grade results in improved and explicit long-term German grammar knowledge. At least at one measurement time point during the study, N = 821 students from six different schools were participating. As a crucial result it turned out that additional and repeated grammar teaching resulted in an improvement in explicit grammar knowledge both during individual grades and across grades. These study results support the demands of ‘more-is-more’ didactics, they however require long-term assessment concerning a number of problems, which are discussed.

Keywords: grammar teaching, German grammar, extended teaching
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Exemplary subject area
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Design and random sample
    • 3.2Interventions
    • 3.3Test instruments
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Preliminary analyses
    • 4.2Effects of the intervention
  • 5.Discussion and conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 4 August 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/pl.21010.rot
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