ESL learners frequently view adverbs as one of the most challenging grammar items, leading to placement

errors and confusion with other parts of speech. Conventional teaching methods such as worksheets and

will be able to improve in identifying and classifying adverbs, placing them correctly within sentences, and

producing brief, well-formed sentences using the adverbs they have learned. The lesson created is editable,

supports EAP, ESP, and school curricula, and can be extended to other grammar items while keeping the same

scaffold. The result of this lesson is a system that balances accuracy with communication, boosts learner

confidence, and makes grammar instruction active, visible, and measurable. Adverbs Alive transforms adverb

learning from a static task into a dynamic, collaborative process.

Keywords: ESL learners; Adverbs acquisition; Grammar instruction; Interactive learning; Pear Deck.

In learner writing, placing adverbs accurately is important for clarity and cohesion and yet it remains a

constant challenge across secondary and tertiary ESL contexts. The range of acceptable places within and

Conventional grammar instruction typically delays feedback until after tasks are completed, allowing

misconceptions to solidify before correction. An effective alternative should make learners' decisions visible

during the task, capture those decisions in real time, and provide brief, targeted feedback that maintains

manageable cognitive load.

Adverbs Alive addresses this need by focusing instruction specifically on adverbs. It structures learning as a

progression from recognition to production and is delivered through Pear Deck, enabling instructors to monitor

responses in real time and address errors during the lesson. The scaffold adapts easily from secondary

classrooms to university seminars and webinars, requiring minimal localisation while maintaining pedagogical

effectiveness (Black & Wiliam, 2009).

Four-stage scaffold and intended outcomes

Recognition: Students identify the forms of adverbs in real-world, naturally occurring examples.

Categorisation: Students sort the adverbs into different classifications, which are Manner, Place, Time,

Frequency and Degree.

Placement: Students posit the adverb at the right part of the sentence be it at the beginning, middle or end,

while maintaining its semantics and suitability.

Production: Students compose short, authentic sentences using the right adverbs’ types and putting them at

the correct positions.

The sequence above follows past research on scaffolding and gradual release (Schaper et al., 2022).

while the instructors can monitor and give feedback accordingly to them. The timeframe for each slide is

flexible as it can either be extended or shortened to fit a period.

simple and topics are neutral. Formatting can be edited and final prompts can be exported.

The use of Adverbs Alive is expected to help students learn to use adverbs more accurately and confidently.

Research shows that interactive, gamified apps result in better grammar performance compared to traditional

instruction (Pham, 2023) and that learner motivation is elevated when instructional activities are designed

around interactive, participatory tasks (Chen, 2025). Combining these findings, it appears that the design of

Adverbs Alive can deliver tangible linguistic gains while also encouraging learners to engage more actively.

for a variety of grammar topics and can be integrated into digital and in-person learning environments,

customized to meet the needs of specific programmes, making it a viable technology-enhanced resource for

ESL contexts (Kupchyk & Litvinchuk, 2025). Its flexibility also allows instructors to tailor the materials

according to learners’ proficiency levels and classroom needs, encouraging differentiated instruction and active

learner engagement. This adaptability ensures that the resource not only supports content delivery but also

promotes meaningful interaction and reflective teaching practices.

The lesson package could be distributed as a downloadable, editable file, accompanied by a brief guide

outlining major instructional stages, potential learner challenges, and recommended teaching techniques.

Institutions might decide to roll it out across the site as a licensed resource or as part of a low-cost instructional

bundle and the editable format enables departments to adapt examples while maintaining the pedagogical

Adverbs Alive is novel in what it targets, how it trains the skill, and when feedback happens.

Problem specificity: most grammar tools treat adverbs as a minor subtopic inside broad courses whereas

Adverbs Alive isolates adverb mastery as an autonomous objective ensuring decision points are not diluted by

other content.

Decision training, not recall: the scaffold requires learners to select the type and position of the object, then

provide a rationale for their decision in plain rule language.In contrast, conventional materials accept a correct

response without a rationale, which does not facilitate transfer.

Live formative loop: responses are captured synchronously where instructors address the errors during the task,

Scaffold that scales: the same four stages support small seminars and large webinars whereas the pace and

participation stay consistent because the cognitive path is fixed.

Innovation claim: Adverbs Alive turns adverb instruction from merely just learning to decision making with

justification. This is executed in a synchronous, feedback-rich loop that works for all levels.

Adverbs Alive is designed not only to improve learner outcomes but also to scale effectively across contexts.

Its adaptability may be used for multiple grammatical themes or topics, integrated into existing curricula, and

delivered in both face-to-face and online settings which positions it as a sustainable, technology-enhanced

solution for ESL instruction (Chapelle & Sauro, 2017). To support adoption, the lesson can be distributed as a

downloadable file with a one-page guide outlining stages, common errors, and concise teaching moves.