Abstract

English grammar instruction in Japan has remained relatively unchanged for decades, with one issue being a pedagogical divide in English instruction that designates some grammatical forms as simple while others as more complicated and challenging. Another problem is that some forms in grammar are frequently taught, while other forms are rarely addressed; furthermore, attention to actual usage in various contexts is often disregarded. This research investigated whether a listening or a grammatical module would have the most impact on raising Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) scores. Over five hundred freshman Japanese college students took part in the investigation. The participants consisted of two groups, one doing a Moodle-based e-learning program and the other completing a conventional TOEIC-based Listening Lab. For the first grammatical module, an e-learning program for English grammar utilizing the concepts of strands and clusters was developed. A strand involves any grammatical form that is recycled in various contexts over several weeks. Grammar is then presented in clusters (clauses/phrases) and how each form might impact the other in various kinds of discourse. The research concentrated on distinctions between the two groups, dissimilarities in quizzes, classes, and progress during the two semesters. The findings indicated a difference between the two, with the Listening Lab achieving an approximately 38-point rise and the grammar e-learning program a 43 rise. The test score revealed a linear increase in the standard deviation, with learners improving their points by 0.17 scores per quiz. The standardized scores rose through e-learning, with mixed results.