Emotional Engagement and Student Perceptions of Grammar Teaching Across Subjects

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between emotional engagement and student perceptions of grammar teaching across
English and Modern Foreign Language (MFL) classrooms in United Kingdom secondary schools. Despite the renewed
emphasis on grammar in national curricula, evidence suggests that students continue to experience grammar as confusing,
boring, or irrelevant, leading to a decline in performance from Year 7 through Year 11. Adopting a mixed-methods approach,
this study draws on grammar assessments, perception surveys, and teacher interviews to analyze both cognitive and affective
dimensions of grammar learning. Results indicate that grammar performance steadily decreases across year groups and that
students often fail to associate grammar with both English and MFL, undermining cross-linguistic transfer. The findings also
reveal that negative emotional responses, particularly boredom and confusion, are more pronounced in MFL contexts, where
grammar instruction is frequently delivered without adequate scaffolding or connection to prior knowledge. The discussion
highlights the need for a shared grammatical metalanguage, integration of grammar into communicative activities, and
professional development to help teachers create low-anxiety learning environments. Recommendations are made for systemic
reforms that can position grammar as a unifying and empowering component of language education, enhancing both engagement
and achievement.