Enhancing English Grammar as A Part of Capacity Development to Grade 4 Students at A Primary School in HCMC

Abstract : This study investigates the effectiveness of enhancing English grammar instruction as a component of capacity development for Grade 4 students at a Primary School in HCMC. Grounded in a quasi-experimental design, the research combines both pretest, post-test methods and a teacher perception survey to explore the impact of targeted grammar instruction. Drawing from theories by Hudson (2004), Alexander (2004), Myhill, Jones, & Watson (2012), Cameron (2001), Elley (1991), and Hall (2011), the study emphasizes contextual, communicative, and student-centered approaches to grammar teaching. Findings revealed that teachers value grammar as a critical tool for sentence construction, clear communication, and language capacity development (Mean = 3.8). They reported using interactive strategies such as storytelling, group writing, and grammar games (Mean = 3.76). The intervention showed significant improvement in students’ grammar proficiency, with post-test scores notably higher than pretest scores (p < 0.05). The study concludes that capacity-oriented grammar instruction significantly benefits young learners’ linguistic competence and recommends its broader application in primary education. This research contributes to English language pedagogy by offering practical methods to integrate grammar into meaningful and engaging learning contexts for Vietnamese EFL student.