Grammar -Translation

By: Myrna C. Egos A.B. English-3

The Grammar-Translation Method

"a method of foreign or second language teaching which makes use of translation and grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities."

---Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Pearson Education Limited. pp.231.

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

Introduction

Original purposes Helping students read and

appreciate foreign language literature

Students can become more familiar with the grammar of their native language also write and speak their native language better

Helpful for mental exercise

Prator and Celce-Murcia in Teaching English as a Second Foreign Language (1979:3), 

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.  

Key Features

Reading of difficult classical texts is begun early.  Little attention is paid to the content of texts,

which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.  

Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue.  

Little or no attention is given to pronunciation .

Principles and Techniques

Translation of a literary passage 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 Translation made by the students

can show that they understand their meaning

Advantages

Easiest for teachers to use Does not require teachers to speak

good English or make good lesson preparations.

Only uses the textbook Least stressful for students-teaching

occurs in the first language Students learn the new language

without contact with native speakers.

Disadvantages

Students lack comprehension-only translating word-for-word

Does not allow students to create meaning in English

Students do not learn to read. Extensive memorization Very little student/teacher and

student/student interaction

Principles and Techniques

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

Principles and Techniques

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

Principles and Techniques

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

Principles and Techniques

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

Principles and Techniques

Memorization

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

Principles and Techniques

Fill-in-the-blanks Teacher give students sentences

with word missing Students should fill in the blanks

with the new vocabulary or with a particular grammar type

Principles and Techniques

Use 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

Principles and Techniques

Composition Students are asked to write a

composition in the target language The topic is based on some aspect

of the reading passage

Conclusion

Teaching 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.

(Ellis, 2006, cf. Shih-Chuan Chang,2011,pp.15).

Thank You!!!