GrammarTranslation Method By Anchu Anna Varghese Structure of

Grammar-Translation Method By Anchu Anna Varghese

Structure of this presentation • Definition • Background • Principle Characteristics • Shortcomings of Grammar-Translation Method • Innovations

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.

Background • The Grammar Translation Method was the traditional way Latin and Greek were taught in Europe. • In the 19 th century it began to be used to teach “modern” languages such as French, German, and English, and it is still used in some countries today. • A typical lesson consists of the presentation of a grammatical rule, a study of lists of vocabulary, and a translation exercise. Personal understanding of this point: grammatical rules + vocabulary end up with translation or A lesson= grammatical rules+vocabulary+translation

Background • Because the Grammar Translation Method emphasizes reading rather than the ability to communicate in a language, there was a reaction to it in the 19 th century (see NATURAL APPROACH, DIRECT METHOD), and there was later a greater emphasis on the teaching of spoken language. --- Richards, J. C. , & Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Pearson Education Limited. pp. 231.

Principal Characteristics • Grammar Translation is a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences and texts into and out of the target language. . . Grammar Rules Target Language Translation • Reading and writing are the major focus; little or no systematic attention is paid to speaking and listening. • Vocabulary selection is based solely on the reading texts used, and words are taught through bilingual word lists, dictionary study, and memorization. • The sentence is the basic unit of teaching and language practice. Much of the lesson is devoted to translating sentences into and out of the target language, and it is this focus on the sentence that is a distinctive feature of this method.

Shortcomings • "a tedious experience of memorizing endless lists of unusable grammar rules and vocabulary and attempting to produce perfect translations of stilted or literary prose. " ---Adapted from Richards, J. C. , & Rodgers, T. S. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 4. • "It is a method for which there is no theory. There is no literature that offers a rationale or justification for it or that attempts to relate it to issues in linguistics, psychology, or educational theory. ”

Innovations • Time: mid-nineteenth century • Factors that lead to the rejection of Grammar-Translation Method: A. Increased opportunities for communication among Europeans created a demand for oral proficiency in foreign languages. B. Language teaching specialists also turned their attention to the way modern languages were being taught in secondary schools. C. New approaches to language teaching were developed by individual language teaching specialists. --Adapted from Richards, J. C. , & Rodgers, T. S. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 5