Translation in Grammar Translation Method
Translation has been practically completely eliminated from second and foreign
language teaching. Indeed, the focus in teaching is on the use of the direct method with
a communicative approach. As a result, many teachers have opted for eliminating the
use of the L1 (in our case, Spanish) and translation exercises in the classroom.
However, we must ask ourselves how positive this teaching strategy is for all learners.
In a student-centered classroom the focus is on respect for each student’s differences.
Therefore, the teacher must respect, at least in theory, the different ways that students
learn. And it is indeed possible for the direct method to have positive outcomes for
some students. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that for generations the grammar translation
method has also had positive outcomes, and this dates back to the Middle
Ages (Western world).
During The Middle Ages, European scribes translated texts in order to spread “the word
of God.” The main duty of many monks in monasteries was to translate Latin, Greek
and even Hebrew and Arabic texts into vernacular languages (Old Spanish, Old French,
etc.) for their diffusion. In this way these texts could be understood by the “common
folk” who did not speak the educated languages. This was the beginning of the teaching
method that today we call grammar-translation. You see, in those times the most
important skills were writing skills (comprehension and written production) because
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texts had become the medium by which to spread not only religion but science and the
humanities, as well. Translation into a foreign language and into one’s mother tongue
became common learning activities. Mastery of L1 and L2 grammar was an important
aspect of the learning process.
Nevertheless, the noble and bourgeoisie families understood that in order to learn a
language one needed to be able to communicate in it. During the industrial era, it was
common for wealthy families in England and other countries to hire a French nanny so
that their children would learn French (known as the nanny method – méthode de la
nourrice). It was also common to send children abroad, with the same goal of helping
them learn a foreign language (known as the immersion method – la méthode bain
Marie). It was empirically shown how interacting in an environment where language X
was spoken, resulted in language learning (perhaps the individual would not learn it
perfectly, but he/she would certainly acquire comprehension and communication skills
in the target language). And this is how the direct method came into use in the
classroom, in which all class interactions were solely conducted in the foreign
language. This method primarily focused on the acquisition of oral skills
(comprehension and oral expression) and the teaching of the foreign culture, which is
why native teachers were preferred.
With this new focus on the acquisition of oral skills, language schools became popular,
especially in merchant nations where there was a great need to communicate in the
target language. Over the last few centuries this approach to communication has been
enriched by scientific developments (first in Psychology, then in Linguistics, and today
in Neuroscience). Slowly, translation and grammar faded into the background and have
nearly disappeared from the teaching methods and manuals used today.
We believe the use of translation exercises in the foreign language classroom should be
re-evaluated and the use of interpretation in the foreign language classroom should be
recognized as an advanced communicative approach[1]. That is why we seek to
reevaluate the use of translation in the language classroom as one more exercise used in
learning another language (second or foreign). In fact, we believe that translation may
contribute to the acquisition of greater granularity at the lexical and grammatical levels.
Additionally, these types of exercises allow for greater intercultural comprehension
between the source language/culture and the target language/culture. Finally, we shall
look at how it can be used in the classroom to develop competencies that are applicable
to academic and professional life.
المادة المعروضة اعلاه هي مدخل الى المحاضرة المرفوعة بواسطة استاذ(ة) المادة . وقد تبدو لك غير متكاملة . حيث يضع استاذ المادة في بعض الاحيان فقط الجزء الاول من المحاضرة من اجل الاطلاع على ما ستقوم بتحميله لاحقا . في نظام التعليم الالكتروني نوفر هذه الخدمة لكي نبقيك على اطلاع حول محتوى الملف الذي ستقوم بتحميله .
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