An investigation into English language tutors ‘pedagogical content knowledge for teaching grammar at some selected Colleges of Education

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate English language tutors‘ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in teaching grammar at selected colleges of education (CoEs) in Ghana. In this exploratory sequential mixed methods study, multistaged sampling techniques were employed to select 6 tutors and 155 English language major students from CoEs in Eastern and Greater Accra zone (EGA). With Shulman‘s (1986) PCK model and Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman‘s (1999) contextual theory as the theoretical lens, data were analysed and interpreted. The tutors were observed and interviewed while the students responded to questionnaires and were tested on their comprehension of grammatical concepts. The deductive thematic analysis found that the tutors demonstrated outstanding PCK expertise in teaching grammar. However, the correlation results of tutors‘ PCK and students‘ understanding of grammatical concepts revealed that there was no significant relationship between the tutors‘ PCK and the students‘ understanding of grammatical concepts. These results demonstrated that PCK might not be the sole determinant of students‘ understanding of grammatical concepts. Other factors, such as students‘ prior knowledge, classroom dynamics, and teaching methodologies beyond PCK, could also influence students‘ comprehension of grammar. Therefore, other factors that promote students‘ understanding of grammar should be explored by the English language tutors. Further studies could broaden the study to include other CoEs zones to offer a comprehensive understanding of tutors‘ PCK in teaching other aspects of the English language.