Grammar Translation Method

Grammar Translation Method

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Introduction:

Grammar-Translation Method is not a new method. It has been used by language teachers for many years. It was also called Classical Method because it was first used in the teaching of the classical language, Latin and Greek. This method is used for helping students to read and appreciate the target language literature.

Principles:

Here there are ten principles of Grammar Translation Method.

1. The goals of teachers who use Grammar Translation Method

The goal of learning a foreign language using Grammar Translation Method is to be able read literature written in the target language. So, it is necessary to students to learn about the grammar rules and vocabulary of the target language.

2. The role of the teacher and the students

The teacher has a role as the authority in the classroom, whereas the students do as she says so they can learn what she knows.

3. The characteristics of the teaching and learning process

Students are asked to translate the language into another. Students learn about grammar deductively. So, they are given the grammar rules and the examples. They have to memorize and apply the grammar rules into other examples. They also learn about conjunctions. They also memorize the native language equivalents for target language vocabulary words.

4. The nature of student-teacher interaction and the nature of student-student interaction.

The interaction is dominated by the teacher to students. There is little student-student interaction.

5. The feelings of the students dealt with

There are no principles of the method which relate to this area.

6. The language viewed and the culture viewed

Literary is considered superior to spoken language and is therefore the language that students study. Culture is viewed as consisting of literature and the fine arts.

7. The emphasized language areas and the emphasized language skills

The emphasized language areas are vocabulary and grammar. Then, the emphasized language skills are reading and writing. There is much less attention given to speaking and listening. Pronunciation receives little, if any, attention.

8. The role of students’ native language

The meaning of the target language is translated into the native language to make it clearer because the mostly language used in native language.

9. The evaluation accomplishment

The students are asked to translate the target language into the native language or vice versa in the written test.

10. The teacher response to the students error

The teacher supplies the student with the correct answer if the students make errors or do not know the answer.

Techniques:

1. Translation of a literary passage

Students translate a reading passage from the target language into the native language that provides the vocabulary and grammatical structure that are studied in subsequent lesson. The passage can be from the target language literature or from the teacher itself that is designed to particular grammar rules and vocabulary. The idioms should not be translated literally, but in a way they understand the meaning.

2. Reading comprehension questions

Students answer the questions in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage. The questions are often sequenced so that the first one should answer that the information contained within the reading passage, the second one should answer the question that the answers are not contained in the reading passage, and the third one should relate the passage to their own experience.

3. Antonyms/synonyms

Students are given one set of words and are asked to find antonyms, synonyms, or even to define one set of words based on their understanding in the reading passage.

4. Cognates

Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns that correspond between the languages. Students are also asked to memorize that look like cognates but have meaning in the target language that are different from those in the native language.

5. Deductive application of rule

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

6. Fill in the blanks

Students are given a series sentence with words missing. They are asked to fill in the blank with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type, such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses.

7. Memorization

Students are given lists of target language vocabulary words and their language equivalents and are asked to memorize them. Students are also required to memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigm such as verb conjunctions.

8. Use words in sentences

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

9. Composition

The topic is given to the students to write in the target language. The topic is based on the passage of the lesson. But sometimes, the students are asked to prepare a précis of the reading passage instead of creating a composition.

Grammar Translation Method which focuses on vocabulary and grammatical rules could be very good to enrich the students’ vocabulary. Not only one single item of words, but also many of words because we can also learn about the synonyms and antonyms of the words. It is also good to improve the students’ language knowledge, especially the grammar rules. By applying this method, the grammar rules such as tenses can be understood well because the students apply it into other examples and compose it into sentences during the lesson.

Source:

Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.