Transcript Lexical Transfer in L3 Production/Hakan Ringbom

Translation and Second
Language Learning
by Kirsten M. Hummel
A presentation by
Shulamit Bar-Ilan
April 2009
The question examined in the
article:
Can translation be used effectively to
promote second language learning?
A review of the language
teaching approaches:
Name of language
teaching approach
1. Grammar Translation
(Popular in the 19th
century and the
beginning of the 20th)
Principles
Attitude to translation
Emphasis on analysis of
texts and grammar
parsing in L2.
Translating from L2 to
L1. There was hardly
any self-expression in
writing. Communicative
skills were almost
ignored.
Translation was used as a
teaching tool in language
teaching.
A review of the language
teaching approaches- Cont.
Name of language
teaching approach
2. The Direct method
(Popular from 1900
through 1950)
Principles
Attitude to translation
It avoided the use of L1
altogether,
Didn’t consider translation
a means to improve
language teaching, and
thus no activities of
translation were used.
A review of the language
teaching approaches- Cont.
Name of language
teaching approach
3. The Audiolingual
Method (Popular in
the 1950 through
1970)
Principles
Attitude to translation
It aims at establishing
automatic, non thinking
responses to language
stimuli. It is based on
endless mechanical
drills and repetitions in
L2 .
Avoids the use of L1.
A review of the language
teaching approaches- Cont.
Name of language
teaching approach
a.
Principles
Functional-Notional It stresses the pupils'
needs, which are
approach
interpreted in terms of
potential social
situations, linguistic
context and
communicative
functions.
Attitude to translation
Translation is not
considered a tool to help
developing the skills to
keep with these needs.
A review of the language
teaching approaches- Cont.
Name of language
teaching approach
b. Communicative
approach
Principles
Attitude to translation
Emphasizes meaningful
interaction among
students. It attaches
special importance to
interaction in L2
L1 could assist only in the
very beginning levels.
Some even totally object
to it.
Conclusion:
Most language teaching approaches stigmatized
translation ,peripherally recognized its help and
usually recommended not to use it in class.
Translation can be an effective teaching tool
if the following background factors are taken
into consideration:
• The L2 learning group has to be homogeneous
(preferably a common L1)
• The L2 learners’ level:
beginners, intermediate and advanced.
• The definition attached to “translation as a teaching
tool”.
• Translation should be supplementary and not
substitution to writing and composing courses.
a
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2:
1. When translating, the learner is more
aware of structural differences between
L1 and L2 than he is when composing
directly in L2.
2. Translation
forces
more
accurate
expression of concepts.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
2. Psycholinguistic support:
• Translation improves cognitive Language processing and memory
processes.
• Translation, as a meaningful processing of material, leads to a better
performance in recalling.
• A more extensive and more elaborated analysis of a stimulus
results in greater retention. (Lockhart & Craik,1990)
• There are similarities between translation and the elaboration: In
both processing is extensive and the number of encoded features is
large.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
3. Studies involving two languages:
a. “Reversed subtitling condition” (Lambert, 1986)A dialogue in L1(English) was accompanied by
L2 script (French), followed by a comprehension
test in L2. The subjects are able to map the
auditorily processed L1 dialogue onto the script.
(Second favorable condition after the one in
which everything is in L1.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
3. Studies involving two languages:
b. Similar subtitling condition (Danan, 1992)
.Enhanced learning was found. Her results
suggest that translation should play a
greater role in language learning.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
4. a.
McDaniel, Einstein, Dumay, & Cobb (1986) found
that in certain conditions, information which is more
difficult to encode is more difficult to forget. In this
respect, translation is even more difficult than the
reversed subtitling, because subjects must create
messages in L2 as opposed to only recognizing the
meaning in the script.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
4. b.
Landry (1978) found that subjects could better
identify changes in meanings where there were two
languages involved, explaining that the exposure to two
sets of languages enforced the subjects to pay more
attention to meaning.
Arguments for using translation as
a tool in teaching L2- Cont.
4. c.
Valid (1988) found that the subjects remember
equivalents better than they do with synonyms.
Conclusion:
•
These three studies show that in bilingual or paired
language conditions subjects performed better than in
unilingual condition. Material which is extensively
analyzed is better retained in the memory.
In Closing:
There is evidence that in certain language
teaching situations, translation from L1 to L2
of full sentences or texts, can be used as an
effective L2 teaching tool .
My reflection:...
– I have always used translation, when necessary,
despite its being underestimated as a teaching
method.
– I find it especially efficient (as was also suggested in
this article) when teaching grammar and there is a
need to juxtapose the structures in Hebrew and in
English.
– Translating short texts and sentences is indeed
always done in natural and authentic contexts in
my classes and it certainly does not replace writing
and compositing.
– My pupils confirm that they better comprehend
grammatical aspects when translation is used.
Examples:...
– Juxtaposition of the structures in Hebrew and in
English.
e.g. The 3 conditional sentences.
– Natural and authentic translation of short texts and
sentences taken from their reality.
– Evidence of its usefulness:
Pupils use more complicated structures, vocabulary
items and phrases in their compositions and free
writing.