The Grammar Translation Method

INTRODUCTION

The Grammar – Translation Method is not new. At one time it was called the Classical Method since it was first used in the teaching of the classical languages, Latin and Greek. Now this method was used for the purpose of helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature. It was hoped that, through the study of the grammar or the target language.

REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES

The principles of the Grammar-Translation Method are organized below by answering the ten questions. Not all the questions are addressed by the Grammar-Translation Method, we will list all the questions, however, so that a comparison among the method we will study will be easier for you to make.

1. What are the goals of teacher who use the Grammar-Translation Method?

2. What is the role or the teacher? What is the role of the students?

3. What are some characteristics of the teaching/learning process?

4. What is the nature of student-teacher interaction? What is the nature of student-student interaction?

5. How are the feeling of the student dealt with?

6. How is the language viewed? How is the culture viewed?

7. What areas of language are emphasized? What language skills are emphasized?

8. What is the role of the students’ native language?

9. How is evaluation accomplished?

10. How does the teacher respond to student errors?

REVIEWING THE TECHNIQUES

You may choose to try some of the techniques of the Grammar-Translation Method from the review that follows. On the other hand, you may find that you agree very little with the questions, but that there are still some useful techniques associated with the Grammar-Translation Method. Below is an expanded description of some of these techniques.

1. Translation of a literary passage

Students translate a reading passage from the target language into their native language. The translation may be written or spoken or both.

2. Reading comprehension questions

Students answer question in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage.

3. Antonyms/synonyms

Students are given one set of words and are asked to find antonyms/synonyms in the reading passage.

4. Cognates

Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns that correspond between the languages.

5. Deductive application of rule

Grammar rules are presented with examples. Once students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it to some different examples.

6. Fill-in-the-blanks

Students are given a series of sentence with missing words and fill the blanks with new vocabulary or with items of a particular grammar.

7. Memorization

Students are given lists of target language vocabulary words and their native language equivalents and asked to memorize them.

8. Use words in sentences

In order to show that students understand the meaning and use a new vocabulary item, they make up sentences in which they use the new words.

9. Composition

The teacher gives students a topic to write about in the target language. The topic is based upon some aspect of the reading passage of the lesson. Sometimes, instead of creating a composition, students are asked to prepare a précis of the reading passage.

CONCLUTION

You have now had an opportunity to examine the principles and some of the techniques of the Grammar-Translation Method. Try to make a connection between what you have understood and your own teaching situation and beliefs.