Grammar Translation Approach

DefinitionGrammar Translation

Approach is an approach that helps students

learn grammatical rules and then apply those rules

by translating sentences between the target language

and the native language.

History Dates back to Erasmus 1466-1536

Originally used to teach Latin and Greek in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Earlier in 20th century, this method was used for the purpose of helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature.

Background Traditional method of second language teaching in schools

Most common language teaching method

Stressed the literacy development

Teacher centered

Key Features Classes are taught in the mother tongue,

with little active use of the target language.  

Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words. 

Long elaborate explanations of the intricacies of grammar are given.  

Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words. 

Very little teaching is done in the target language. Instead, readings in the target language are translated directly and then discussed in the native language. Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

Grammar is taught with extensive explanations in the native language, and only later applied in the production of sentences through translation from one language to the other

Key Features

Principlesand

Techniques

Translating each language into each other is an important goal for learners

Students will be asked to read a literary passage and then translate the target language into their native language

Translation may be written or spoken

Teacher as the authority

Teacher decides whether the students’ answers are correct

It is important for students to get the correct answers

If students answer incorrectly, the teacher will provide the correct answer

The ability of communicating in the target language is not a goal

The students ask questions in their native language and are also answered by the teacher also in their native language

The teacher asks students in their native language

Its focus is accuracy and not fluency.

Error correction: If a student’s answer of a question is incorrect, the teacher selects a different student to give the correct answer or s/he replies himself/herself.

Deductive application of rules

It is important for students to learn about the forms(grammar rules) of the target language

Grammar rules are presented with examples

Students are asked to apply the rules to examples they are given

Translation of a literary passage Literary language is superior to the spoken language.

Reading comprehension questions

Students answer these questions in the target language

Answers to the questions may be in the reading text, or based on the understanding of the students or students’ own experiences related to the text

Fill in the blankTeacher give students sentences with word missing.

Students should fill in the blanks with the new vocabulary or with a particular grammar type

Memorization Students are asked to memorize new words, grammatical rules, and verb conjugation

Use the words in sentences

Students are asked to make up sentences with the new words they learn in the text

This technique can show whether students really understand the new words

Composition Students are asked to write a composition in the target language

The topic is based on some aspect of the reading passage

Method Elaborate explanations on grammar. Translation of sentences from the target

language into the mother tongue (or vice versa).

Native language was the medium of instruction.

Reading and writing are the major focus; less on speaking and listening.

Vocabulary was taught using dictionary and memorization.

Advantages Through the study of the grammar of

the target language, the students will be more familiar with the grammar of their mother tongue. This familiarity will help them speak and write their native language better.

Students learn the new language without contact with native speakers.

Words and phrases are translated into the mother tongue ensure better and quicker understanding and clearness of the term or vocabulary.

Offers the shortest way to learn a foreign language.

Develops the art of translation in students.

Can be easily used in overcrowded classes.

Disadvantages It is an unnatural method. The

natural order of learning a language is listening, speaking, reading and writing. That is the way how the child learns his mother tongue in natural surroundings. But in the Grammar Translation Method the teaching of the second language starts with the teaching of reading. Thus, the learning process is reversed. This poses problems.

Speech is neglected. The Grammar Translation Method lays emphasis on reading and writing. It neglects speech. Thus, the students who are taught English through this method fail to express themselves adequately in spoken English.

Exact translation is not possible. Translation is, indeed, a difficult task and exact translation from one language to another is not always possible. A language is the result of various customs, traditions, and modes of behaviour of a speech community and these traditions differ from community to community. There are several lexical items in one language, which have no synonyms/equivalents in another language. For instance, the meaning of the English word ‘table’ does not fit in such expression as the ‘table of contents’, ‘table of figures’, ‘multiplication table’, ‘time table’ and ‘table the resolution’, etc.

It does not give pattern practice. A person can learn a language only when he internalizes its patterns to the extent that they form his habit. But the Grammar Translation Method does not provide any such practice to the learner of a language.

It rather attempts to teach language through rules and not by use. Language learning means acquiring certain skills, which can be learnt through practice and not by just memorizing rules.

The Inheritanceby:  Rodel C. Nuñeza

Hasta kapila na ibalik-balik pagsibya sa radio nga usa na ka dakong masakiton si Iyo Delfin, apan wala gyuy miuli sa iyang tulo ka anak nga tua na manimuyo sa nagkalain-laing mga dapit sa probinsiya sa Sugbo. Dili sab tingali mahitabo nga wala sila makabati sa pagsibya sa radyo kay pinaminaw man ang estasyon DYRN sa tibuok lalawigan.

It had been repeatedly announced over the radio that Iyo Delfin is already a severely sick man, but not one of his three children who are living in different areas of the province of Cebu ever came back home.   It also will not happen that they did not hear the announcement over the radio because the DYRN station is widely listened to all over the province.

Tingali wala lay gustong mouli sa mga anak ni Iyo Delfin, kay pulos man sila nangluod sa ilang amahan. Kay nakigtipon si Iyo Delfin sa laing babaye sukad namatay ang ilang inahan. Ang babaye nabaniog nga dili maayog kaliwat.

Maybe no one among the children of Iyo Delfin wants to come home because all of them have resentments towards their father.  Because Iyo Delfin lived with another woman eversince their mother passed away.  The woman was reputed to not have a good lineage.

Ang nakapait kay samtang naglubog na si Iyo Delfin sa banig, gibiyaan siya sa iyang kapuyo. Mikuyog kinig laing lalake. Maayo na lang kay dunay usa ka ulitawong guwang nga maoy miatiman kaniya. Si Boloy nga iyang silingan nga wala nay ginikanan. Dili niya kini ig-unsa kay day-o man kini sa maong dapit.What's really painful was while Iyo Delfin was bedridden, he was abandoned by his live-in partner.  She left with another man.  Fortunately, there was an old bachelor who took care of him.   Boloy who is his neighbor, who is already an orphan.  Iyo Delfin was not related to him because Boloy was a stranger to the area.

Taudtaod na nga naglubog si Iyo Delfin sa banig tungod sa iyang sakit nga way klarong unsang sakita. Wala man siya mokonsulta og doktor, bisan og daghan siyag kuwarta. Midangop man lang sa usa ka meriko nga maoy nagtambal kaniya.

It had been a while that Iyo Delfin was  bedridden because of his illness which had no clear diagnosis.  He did not consult a doctor, even if he had plenty of money. He just approached one medicine man who was the one who treated him.

Sulod sa dugay nga panahon ang pag-atiman ni Boloy kang Iyo Delfin. Siya maoy moluto ug mopakaon kang Iyo Delfin. Siya maoy mopainom og tambal sa tiguwang, mohilot ug maoy mohipos sa mga hugaw ni Iyo Delfin. Sa pag-atiman nahilakip na ang pagdigo kang Iyo Delfin ug ang pagpanglaba sa mga biste niini.Sulod sa maong panahon wala bisan usa na lang sa mga kadugo ni Iyo Delfin ang mitabang sa pag-alima kaniya. Dili gani manuaw, bisan paglili na lang unta kon unsa na ang iyang kahimtang. Si Boloy ra gayud maoy nag-antos pag-atiman kang Iyo Delfin.

Boloy took care of Iyo Delfin for a long period of time.  He would be the one who would cook and feed Iyo Delfin.  He would give the old man his medicine, would do chiropractic  care and would be the one to clean up Iyo Delfin's waste.   Included in the care is bathing Iyo Delfin and doing his laundry.  Within that period not even one of Iyo Delfin's relatives helped in taking of him.  They did not even visit, even to just take a peek on to what his condition was.  Only Boloy was the one who sacrificed in taking care of Iyo Delfin.

Hangtod nga gikuhaan na si Iyo Delfin sa kahitas-an sa iyang hinuwaman nga kinabuhi. Gilubong siya nga wala gani motambong ang iyang mga anak. Wala man gani manumbaling sa panawagan nga gipasibya sa radyo.

Until Iyo Delfin's borrowed life was taken back by the Most High. His children did not even attend his burial.  They did not even mind the announcement which was broadcast over the radio.

Igo nga nahuman ang katapusang pangadye alang sa kalag sa namatay, nahiabot ang mga anak ni Iyo Delfin. Puno sila sa pagbasol dihang miduaw sila sa lubong sa ilang amahan didto sa sam-ang. Nagmahay pa sila kunohay sa mga silingan, nganong wala sila paabuta una ilubong si Iyo Delfin. Ang mapuanguron nga mga silingan wala na lang mokomento sa mga pulong sa mga anak ni Iyo Delfin aron mapugngan ang away.

Just when the last prayer for the soul of the dead was finished.  Iyo Delfin's children arrived.   They were filled with regret when they visited the tomb of their father in the cemetery.  They feigned resentment towards their neighbors.  Why they did not wait for their arrival before Iyo Delfin was buried.  The compassionate neighbors chose not to comment to the opinions of the children of Iyo Delfin to prevent any fight.

Dihang nagkapundok ang tanang mga pamilya ug suod nga mga kadugo ni Iyo Delfin diha sa dakong hawanan sa ilang balay, gisultihan sila sa abogado ni Iyo Delfin bahin sa kabilin niini nga nakapahikurat sa tanan. Matod sa abogado nga sumala sa testamento nga gipabuhat kaniya sa namatay, ang tanang kabtangan ni Iyo Delfin sama sa yuta, balay ug uban pa, gibilin niya sa nag-atiman kaniya samtang siya nasakit, nga mao si Boloy. Ang testamento pinermahan gayud ni Iyo Delfin ug notaryado sa abogado.

When all the family members and close relatives of Iyo Delfin have gathered in the big hall in their house, they were informed by the lawyer of Iyo Delfin about his will that shocked everybody.   The lawyer said that according to the testament that the deceased had asked him to make, all the properties of Iyo Delfin such as land, house and others, he left to the one who took care of him when he was sick, which was Boloy.  The testament was really signed by Iyo Delfin and notarized by the lawyer.

Hasta si Boloy, nahikurat kaayo sa gisulti sa abogado. Wala man siya magdahom nga siya diay maoy binlan ni Iyo Delfin sa iyang mga kabtangan.

Everyone, including Boloy, was shocked at what the lawyer said.  He did not expect that it was to him that Iyo Delfin would leave all his properties.

ConclusionTeaching involves any instructional technique that draws learners' attention to some specific grammatical form in such a way that it helps them either to understand it metalinguistically and/or process it in comprehension and/or production so that they can internalize it.