本研究旨在探讨花园路径方法对英语定语从句语法教学的潜在影响。通过便利抽样,共有 83 名来自一所中国东北地区大学的非英语专业学生自愿参加。经过语言能力测试后,参与者被分为两组,接受不同的语法指导。实验组使用花园路径方法的指导,其中包括在目标语法结构中呈现具有歧义的句子并提供纠正错误的提示。相反,对照组接受传统的语法指导,主要采用显性的语法知识解释。实验组和对照组均完成了前测、后测和延迟后测,其中包括 30 项多项关于英语定语从句的选择题语法测试。获得的数据显示,接受花园路径方法组的学生在后测和延迟后测中优于对照组。花园路径方法增强了目标语法结构的长期记忆效果。此外,花园路径方法对不同类型的定语从句表现出不同的效果。虽然学习者最初在缩略类型的定语从句方面遇到困难,但在接受花园路径方法的教学指导后,他们获得该语法结构的能力显著提高。这些发现证明了花园路径方法在增强语法教学方面的有效性,强调了其吸引学习注意力、促进参与和刺激解决问题动机的能力。本项研究强调了隐性语法教学对于定语从句教学的重要性,以最大限度地提高英语语法学习成果。
The current study aimed to investigate the potential impact of the garden path technique on the instruction of grammar of relative clauses. A total of 83 Chinese EFL non-English majors from a northeast China university participated voluntarily, selected through convenience sampling. After a general language proficiency test, participants were divided into two groups for different grammar instructions. The experimental group received instruction using the garden path technique, which involves presenting confusing sentences within a target grammar structure and providing prompts for correcting errors. Conversely, the control group received traditional grammar instruction, including explicit explanations. Both the experimental and control groups completed a pretest, a post-test, and a delayed post-test consisting of a 30-item multiple-choice grammar test focusing on relative clauses. The obtained data revealed that the garden path technique group outperformed the control group in the post-test and delayed post-test. The garden path technique enhanced long-term retention of the target grammar structures. Furthermore, the garden path technique exhibited varying effects on different types of relative clauses. While learners initially struggled with reduced relative clauses, their ability to acquire these structures significantly improved after receiving grammar instruction incorporating the garden path technique. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the garden path technique in enhancing grammar instruction, emphasizing its ability to capture attention, promote engagement, and stimulate problem-solving. The study highlights the importance of implicit grammar instruction for teaching relative clauses in order to maximize learning outcomes.