The use of grammatical terminology in the second language classroom: a quality study of teachers' practices and cognitions

Although much has been written about the role of grammatical terminology in the second language (L2) 1 classroom, empirical studies of this facet of L2 teaching are lacking. This paper addresses this issue by describing the use of terminology in the practices of four L2 teachers and discussing the motivations for the teachers' decisions regarding this aspect of their work. The research data base consisted of audio recordings of teachers' lessons and of interviews in which the teachers discussed the use of terminology in these lessons. The analysis highlights a range of experiential, cognitive, and contextual factors which impinged on teachers' use of terminology. This paper makes a case for the contribution research into teachers' practices and cognitions can make to a fuller and more realistic understanding of the role of terminology in L2 instruction.