Transcript THE GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD

THE GRAMMAR
TRANSLATION METHOD
Diane Larsen-Freeman
According to Prator and Celce-Murcia
(1979:3), the key features of the Grammar
Translation Method are as follows:
(1) Classes are taught in the mother
tongue, with little active use of the
target language.
(2) Much vocabulary is taught in the
form of lists of isolated words.
(3) Long elaborate explanations of the
intricacies of grammar are given.
(4) Grammar provides the rules for
putting words together, and instruction
often focuses on the form and
inflection of words.
(5) Reading of difficult classical texts
is begun early.
(6) Little attention is paid to the
content of texts, which are treated as
exercises in grammatical analysis.
(7) Often the only drills are exercises
in translating disconnected sentences
from the target language into the
mother tongue.
(8) Little or no attention is given to
pronunciation.
Diane Larsen-Freeman, in her
book Techniques and Principles in
Language Teaching (2000:19-21)
provides expanded descriptions of
some common/typical techniques
closely associated with the
Grammar Translation Method. The
listing here is in summary form
only.
(1) Translation of a Literary
Passage (Translating target
language to native language)
(2) Reading Comprehension
Questions (Finding information in
a passage, making inferences and
relating to personal experience)
(3) Antonyms/Synonyms (Finding
antonyms and synonyms for
words or sets of words)
(4) Cognates (Learning
spelling/sound patterns that
correspond between L1 and the
target language)
(5) Deductive Application of Rule
(Understanding grammar rules
and their exceptions, then
applying them to new examples)
(6) Fill-in-the-blanks (Filling in
gaps in sentences with new words
or items of a particular grammar
type)
(7) Memorization (Memorizing
vocabulary lists, grammatical rules
and grammatical paradigms)
(8) Use Words in Sentences (Students
create sentences to illustrate they
know the meaning and use of new
words)
(9) Composition (Students write about
a topic using the target language)
Which is the goal of this
method?
*Real goal of Learning L2 is to be able to
read literature
*To read literature, students need to learn
grammar rules and vocabulary
*Studying a foreign language provides good
mental exercise
What is the teacher’s role in GTM?
•Authority
•Teacher’s lectures (teacher
centered)
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE
STUDENTS IN GTM?
There is little if
any interaction
Students do
what teacher
says
Students are
passive
How does the teacher deal with
students’ feelings?
This method does not pay attention to
students’ feelings or emotions while
learning a second language
View of Language
*Literary language is superior to spoken language
View of Culture
*Limited to literature & fine arts of L2
Emphasis on areas of language
*Vocabulary and grammar(teaching the form) =
form based
Emphasis on language skills
*Reading and writing
*Little attention to listening, pronunciation and
speaking
What’s the Role of L1?
*Classroom language is L1
*Meaning of L2 is made clear by translation into L1
Evaluation
*Written tests ( students translate from L1 to L2, L2
to L1)
*Questions about L2 and applying grammar rules
Teacher’s response to Students' errors
*Incorrect answers are corrected by the
teacher immediately
*It is important that students get the correct
answers.
Techniques
*Translation of a literary passage from L1-L2 or
L2-L1
*Reading comprehension questions
*İnformation questions
*Comprehension questions (making
inferences)about their own experience
*Cognates memorization (meaning-spelling)
*Antonyms-synonyms (words are from L1)
*Grammar rules are given with examples
-Exceptions stated directly
- Students use grammar rules in
- examples
- memorization (vocabulary, grammar
rules)
*They use the new words in sentences to
show they understand their meaning.
*Writing compositions in the target
language about a given topic.