The role of input enhancement in ELT

Since the 1990s, the revival of grammar instruction has been observed in the field offoreign/second language (here after L2) teaching/learning. Recent studies have beenconducted to examine the effect of form-focused instruction in ELT classrooms. One of theform-focused instructions has been proposed by Sharwood-Smith (1994), called Inputenhancement Method (consciousness-raising) highlights specific target features in class tohighlight parametric differences between L1 and L2. Some of the studies are conducted to seewhether input enhancement would work in ELT classes or not show that such techniques mayresult in noticing, attention and awareness of L2 learners. In this respect our study tries to findout the answers to the following questions:-Do the Input Enhancement techniques help the L2 learner in overcoming the learningdifficulty stemming from the parametric clash as far as the Binding Principle A, in which ananaphor?s binding domain varies in Turkish and English, is concerned?If so, how can we observe such an effect?-Do the Input Enhancement techniques help the L2 learner in overcoming the learningdifficulty stemming from the parametric clash, in which Turkish is more permissive innominating antecedent, as far as the Binding Principle B is concerned?If so, how can we observe such an effect? The purpose of the thesis is to give some answers tothese questions within an experimental type of study. This study comprised two different groups: Onewas the experimental and the other was the control group chosen from Çukurova University and thesegroups were chosen by cluster sampling. The experimental group was exposed to input enhancementtechniques. On the other hand, the control group focused on grammatical features without suchtechniques and they followed their current syllabus. After a treatment period, the control andexperimental groups? performance was analyzed according to pretest and posttests data. Our posttestanalysis indicated that there was a statistically difference between our control and the experimentalgroups. Basically, the experimental group?s scores were statistically more significant than the controlgroup. In other words, the subjects in the input enhancement group could overcome the learningdifficulty stemming from the parametric clash concerning Binding Principle A and B. The delayedposttest revealed that the experimental group could keep the targeted forms in their long term memory.KEY WORDS:Form-focused instructionGrammar teachingInput enhancement MethodConsciousness-raising)Parametric differences between L1 and L2Binding Theory