Abstract

This study examined the differential effect of direct and indirect explicit instructional strategies on students' achievement in English grammar in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo state. The moderating effects of family background was also determined. The research design adopted was pre- test, post-test quasi experimental design using 2x2 factorial matrix. Four secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area were randomly selected. Two of the schools were randomised to use Direct Explicit Grammar Instructional Strategy (DEGIS) while the other two schools used Indirect Explicit Grammar Instructional Strategy (IEGIS). Six intact classes of 98 senior secondary school II students were used for the study. Treatment for both groups lasted for four weeks. The instruments used were English Grammar Achievement Test (r= .947), Students' Family Background Questionnaire (r=.864) and Teachers Instructional Guides. Data were analysed using t-test at 0.05 levels of significances. Findings revealed that students exposed to Direct Explicit Grammar Instructional Strategy ( = 23.05) performed better than those in Indirect Explicit Grammar Instructional Strategy ( = 18.88).However, there was no significant difference in the performance of students from favourable and unfavourable background. It was recommended that teachers should adopt Direct Explicit Grammar Instructional Strategy to enhance students' achievement and effective teaching of English grammar.