GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHODTOPIC 2 ELT APPROACHES, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

TSLB3033PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

A method of foreign or second language teaching which makes use of translation and grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities. (Richard & Schmidt, 2002)

TEO WOON CHUN2 PISMP TESL/PM (SJKC)

THE GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD (hereafter G-T Method)

• Also known as “Classical Method”

• This method focuses on:

• grammatical rules

• memorisation of vocabulary and of various declensions and conjugations,

• translations of texts,

• written exercise.

(Brown, 2007, p.18)

History

• Dates back to Erasmus 1466-1536

• Originally used to teach Latin and Greek in 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.

What T-S Method for?

• To learn about the grammar rules and vocabulary of the target

language

• To be able to read literature written in the target language

• To provide students with good mental exercise which helps

develop their mind

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

What T-S Method for? (cont.)

• To help students reading and appreciating foreign language

literature

• To become more familiar with the grammar of their native

language through the study of the grammar of the target

language

• To help them speak and write their native language better

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

Focal skill(s)

• Vocabulary and grammar

• Reading and writing are the primary skills that students work on.

• There is much less attention given to listening and speaking.

• Pronunciation receives little, if any, attention.

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

Principles of G-T Method:

• Literary language is superior to spoken language. Students’ study of the target culture is limited to its literature and fine arts.

• An important goal is for language learners to be able to translate each language into the other.

• The ability to communicate in the target language is not a goal of foreign language instruction.

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

Principles of G-T Method (cont.):

• The primary skills to be developed are reading and writing. Little attention is given to speaking and listening, and almost none to pronunciation.

• The teacher is the authority in the classroom. It is very important that students get the correct answer.

• It is possible to find native language equivalents for all language words.

• Learning is facilitated through attention to the similarities between the target language and the native language.

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

Principles of G-T Method (cont.):

• It is important for students to learn about the form of the target language.

• Deductive application of an explicit grammar rule is a useful pedagogical technique.

• Language learning provides good mental exercise.

• Student should be conscious of the grammatical rules of the target language.

• Wherever possible, verb conjugations and other grammatical paradigms should be committed to memory.

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

Characteristics of G-T Method:

• 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.

(Prator & Celce-Murcia, 1979, p.3)

Characteristics of G-T Method (cont.):

• 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 given to the pronunciation.

(Prator & Celce-Murcia, 1979, p.3)

Techniques

• Deductive application of rule

• Fill-in-the-blanks

• Memorisation

• Use words in sentences

• Composition

• Translation of a literary passage

• Reading comprehension questions

• Antonyms/ Synonyms

• Cognates

(Larsen-Freeman, 2000)

REFERENCES

Brown, H. D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (3rd ed.). United States of America: Pearson Education.

Elizabeth, L. G. C., Subramaniam, V., & Norzilah bt. Mohd. Zain. (2011). Modul English language teaching methodology. Cyberjaya: Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and principles in language teaching (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.