Grammatical Competence among Pre-service Teachers: Implications to Language Instruction

Grammatical competence plays a critical role in overall linguistic proficiency, especially for future educators. This study investigated the level of grammatical competence among 81 pre-service teachers in Cebu, Philippines, and explored its relationship with sex, initial age of exposure to English as a Second Language, and academic specialization. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining a descriptive-quantitative design to assess grammar levels and a thematic-qualitative design to explore perceived contributing factors. Findings revealed that most participants were female, had been introduced to English during their formative years, and were specializing in Physical Education. The majority demonstrated an upper intermediate level of grammatical competence, indicating the ability to handle complex grammatical structures with some precision. Statistical analysis showed that sex, age of initial English exposure, and specialization had no significant relationship with grammatical competence. Participants identified five key factors as contributors to their current grammar proficiency: consistent use of English as a medium of communication, exposure to English literary texts, frequent practice of productive language skills, constructive feedback from mentors and peers, and individual motivation and attitude. It is concluded that while demographic and academic variables do not significantly affect grammatical competence, language instruction in teacher education programs should prioritize enhancing the identified influencing factors. Curriculum development should focus on universally applicable strategies to elevate pre-service teachers' grammatical proficiency to an advanced level, thereby improving their effectiveness as future language educators.