The Grammar-Translation Method

THE GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD

INTRODUCTION
At one time it was called the classical method since it was first used in the teaching of the classic languages, Latin and Greek ( Chastain 1998 ).

EXPERIENCE
As we enter the classroom, the class is n the middle of reading a passage in their textbox. The passage is an expert entitled ‘ The Boys ‘ Ambition ‘ form Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi. Each student is called on to read a few lines from the passage. After they have finished reading, they are asked to translate into Spanish the few lines they have just read. The teacher helps them with new vocabulary items. When the students have finished reading and translating the passage, the teacher asks them in Spanish if they have any questions.

Announcing the next activity, the teacher asks the students to turn the page in their text. There is a list of words there. The introduction to the exercise tells the students that these are words taken from the passage they have just read. The students see words ‘ambition’ ‘career,’ ‘wharf,’ ‘tranquil,’ ‘gorgeous,’ loathe,’ envy,’ and ‘humbly.’

When they have finished this exercise, the teacher reminds them that English words that look like Spanish words are called ‘cognates.’ The English ‘-try,’ she says for example, often corresponds to the Spanish endings –dad and –tad.

Then they are given the rule for use of a direct object with two-word verb:
If the two-words verb is separable, the direct object may come between the verb and its particle. However, separation is necessary when the direct object is a pronoun. If the verb is inseparable, then there is on separation of the verb and particle by the object. For example:
John put away his book.
Or
John put his book away/john put it away.

But not
John put away it.
( because ‘put away’ is a n inseparable two-word verb )

After reading over the rule and the examples, the students are asked to tell which of the following two-words verb, taken from the passage, are separable and which inseparable. They refer to the passage for clues. If they cannot tell from the passage, they use their dictionaries or ask their teacher.

When the students are finished with this exercise, they read their answer aloud. At the end of the chapter there is a list of vocabulary items that appeared in the passage. For homework, the teacher asks the students to memorize the Spanish translation for the first twenty words and to write a sentence in English using each word.

THINKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
let us see what we have learned about the Grammar-Translation Method. We are able to make a number of observations about the class we attend.

PRINCIPLES
A fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read literature written in it. Literary language is superior to spoken language. Student’s study of the target culture is limited to its literature and fine arts.

An Important goal is for students to be able to translate each language into the other. If students can translate from one language into another, they are considered successful language learners.

1. what are the goals of teachers who use the Grammar-Translation Method ?
Be able to read literature written in the target language, students need to learn aboau the Grammar rules and vocabulary of the target language, provides students with good mental exercise which helps develop their minds.

2. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the students?
The roles are very traditional. The teacher is the authority in the classroom. The students do as she says so they can learn what she knows.

3. What are some characteristics of the teaching/learning process ?
Students study grammar deductively ; that is, they are given the grammar rules and examples, are told to memorize them, and then are asked to apply the rules to other examples.

4. What is the nature of student-teacher interaction ? What is the nature of student –student interaction ?
Most of the interaction in the classroom is from the teacher to the students. There is little student-student interaction.



5. How are the feelings of the students dealt with ?
There are no principles of the method which relate to this area.

6. How is the language viewed ? How is culture viewed ?
Literary language is considered superior to spoken language and is therefore the language that students study.

7. What areas of language are emphasized ? What language skills are emphasized ?
Vocabulary and Grammar are emphasized. Reading and writing are the primary skills that the students work on.

8. What is the role of the students native language ?
The meaning of the target language is made clear by translating it into the student’s native language.

9. How is evaluation accomplished ?
Questions about the target culture or questions that ask students to apply grammar rules are also common.

10. How does the teacher respond to student errors ?
If student make errors or do not know an answer, the teacher supplies them with the correct answer

TRANSLATION OF A LITERARY PASSAGE
The reading passage then provides the focus for several classes vocabulary and grammatical structures in the passage are studied in subsequent lessons. Students should no translate idioms and the like literally, but rather in a way that shows that they understand their meaning.

READING COMPREHESION QUESTIONS
The first group of questions asks for information contained within the reading passage. In order to answer the second group of questions, students will have to make inferences based on their understanding of the passage. They will have to answer questions about the passage even though the answers are not contained in the passage itself.



COGNATES
Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patters that correspond between the languages. Students are also asked the memorize words. This technique, of course, would only be useful in languages that share cognates.

DEDUCATIVE APPLICATION OF RULE
Once students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it to some different examples.

FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS
They fill in the blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type, such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses.

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

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

COMPOSITION
The teacher gives the students a topic to write about in the target language. The topic is based upon some aspect of the reading passage of the lesson.

CONCLUSION
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.