THE GRAMMAR – TRANSLATION METHOD

The Grammar-Translation Method is not new. It has had different names , but it has been used by language teachers for many years. At one time it was called the Classical Method since it was first used in teaching of the classical languages , Latin and Greek ( Chastain 1988 ). Earlier in this century , this method was used for the purpose of helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature. It was also hoped that , through the study of the grammar of the target language , students would become more familiar with the grammar of their native language and that this familiarity would help them speak and write their native language and that this familiarity would help them speak and write their native language better. Finally , it was thought that foreign language learning would help students grow intellectually , it was recognized that students would probably never use target language , but the mental exercise of learning it would be beneficial anyway.

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 the words ‘ambition,’ ’career,’ ‘wharf,’ ‘tranquil,’ ‘gorgeous,’ ‘loathe,’ ‘envy,’ and ‘humbly,’. They are told that some of these are review words and that others are new to them. The students are instructed to give the Spanish words for each of them. This exercise the class does together. If no one knows the Spanish equivalent , the teacher gives it. In part 2 of this exercise , the students are given English words like ‘love,’noisy,’’ugly,’and proudly,’ and are directed to find the opposites of these words in the passage.

Reviewing the principles tells about what are the goals of teachers who use the Grammar-translation method ? , what is the role of the teacher ? what is the role of the students ? , what are some characteristic of teaching / learning process ? what is the nature of student-teacher interaction ? what is the nature of student-student interaction ? etc. about reviewing the techniques explains about “translation of a literary passage , reading comprehension questions , antonyms / synonyms , cognates , etc. and then the conclusion is you have now had an opportunity to examine the principles and some of techniques of the Grammar-Translation Method. Try to make a connection between what you have understood and your own teaching situation and beliefs.