Explicit and implicit instruction in English learners when studying adjective formation

Abstract

Teaching word formation is an aspect which is not often studied in language classes, but it is intended to be acquired implicitly by the students. This brings an incorrect word use and word production both in speaking and writing skills. This article has the aim of disclosing the effects of two teaching methodologies to learn suffixes in adjectives. The study was carried out with the participation of two groups of Intermediate English Language University Students. Explicit Instruction was used with one group while implicit instruction was applied with the other one through the hypertext tool, in order to use technology in the language classroom. Results of the study showed that the best effect, to learn suffixes, is found in an explicit instruction methodology despite the technological influence on the current students. Therefore, it can be sustained that, word formation teaching is an aspect which should not be pretended to be acquired totally through an implicit way.