ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR IN ESL AND EFL TEACHERS AND 
                          STUDENTS 
                              
                            By 
                              
                          Laura Eickhoff 
                        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
                           A THESIS 
                          Submitted to  
                       Michigan State University 
                    in partial fulfillment of the requirements 
                         for the degree of 
                              
              Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages — Master of Arts  
                              
                            2016 
                       ABSTRACT 
                           
       ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR IN ESL AND EFL TEACHERS AND 
                       STUDENTS 
                           
                         By  
                           
                       Laura Eickhoff 
                           
          There is often a disparity between what is deemed prescriptively correct under the rules 
       of standard English grammar and native-speaker norms within different varieties, which results 
       in multiple options for classroom grammar instruction for second language learners. This study 
       presents findings on L2 learners’ attitudes towards different prescriptive and descriptive forms of 
       grammar in cases where learning formal textbook grammar may not match many native 
       speakers’ speech patterns. Additionally, it explores how ESL and EFL students’ attitudes about 
       grammar coincide with or differ from those of their teachers. One hundred eight English 
       language learners and instructors in the United States and China were surveyed to measure 
       awareness of and attitudes towards standard and non-standard grammar in spoken English and 
       how varying perceptions may affect the learning environment. Results indicated that many 
       teachers’ prioritization of prescriptive norms for their students is often in contrast to the native-
       speaker norms that students report to prefer.  Additionally, native speakers often report a 
       stigmatized perception of some prescriptively correct forms. All groups reported a higher 
       preference of prescriptive grammar in writing than in speaking, citing formality and permanence 
       as determining differences between the two modes of communication.  
        
                       TABLE OF CONTENTS 
        
        
        
       LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... iv 
        
       LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................... v 
        
       KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................ vi 
        
       CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................... 1	
  
           Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 1	
  
         Defining Terms ........................................................................................................................ 2	
  
         Student Versus Teacher Perceptions of Grammar ................................................................... 3	
  
         English Teaching Between Contexts ........................................................................................ 7	
  
         Research Questions .................................................................................................................. 9 
        
       CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................. 11	
  
        Method ....................................................................................................................................... 11	
  
         Participants ............................................................................................................................. 11	
  
         Materials ................................................................................................................................. 13	
  
         Procedure ................................................................................................................................ 18	
  
         Data Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 18	
  
        
       CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................. 20	
  
        Results and Discussion .............................................................................................................. 20	
  
         Perceptions of Language Usage and Varieties ....................................................................... 20	
  
          Prescriptive forms ............................................................................................................... 20 
            Non-prescriptively correct forms. ....................................................................................... 22 
         Self-reported Knowledge of Native-like Speech ................................................................... 27	
  
         Prioritization of Prescriptive Rules ........................................................................................ 33	
  
         Differences Between Grammar in Speaking and Writing ...................................................... 40	
  
         Effects of Student and Teacher Migration ............................................................................. 44	
  
         Implications ............................................................................................................................ 48	
  
         Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 55	
  
        
       CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................. 57 
        Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 57	
  
        
       APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 59	
  
        Appendix A: Sample Survey ..................................................................................................... 60	
  
        Appendix B: Sample Background Questionaire ........................................................................ 64	
  
                                
       REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 66	
  
                             iii 
                                                      LIST OF TABLES 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                  Table 1: Participants…………………………………...…………………………………..  13 
                   
                  Table 2: Participants’ English Self-Ratings.………………………………………………  14 
                   
                  Table 3: EFL Prescriptively Correct Means in Acceptability Judgment Test……………...  22 
                   
                  Table 4: ESL Prescriptively Correct Means in Acceptability Judgment Test……………...  22 
                   
                  Table 5: EFL Prescriptively Incorrect Means in Acceptability Judgment Test…………....         24 
                   
                  Table 6:  ESL Prescriptively Incorrect Means in Acceptability Judgment Test…………...         24 
                   
                  Table 7: Prescriptively Correct & Incorrect Ratings in Acceptability Judgment Test….....   46 
                                                                 
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
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