The Grammar Translation Method

The Grammar - Translation Method

Intoduction
The grammar translation method is not new. It has been used by language teachers for many years and then was called the classical Method since it was first used in the teaching of the classical languages. Latin and Greek (Chaistain 1988). Student would become more familiar with the grammar of their native language and that this familiarity would help them speak and write their native language better. The class is a high-intermediate level English class at university in Colombia. there are forty two students in the class. Two hour classes are conducted three times a week.
Experience
They have to make inferences based on their understanding of the passage. The other type of question requires the students to relate the passage to their own experience. 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 word for each of them and find the opposites of these words in the passage.
English words that look like spanish words are called cognates. The English 'try', she says for example, often corresponds to the spanish endings -dad and -tad. At the end there is a list of vocabulary items that appeared in the passage. the list is divided into two parts : the first contains words and the second, idioms. The students asks the teacher to memorize the sapnish translation for the first twenty words and to write a sentence in English using each words.
Observation
1. reading
2. translate
3. use native language
4. reading comprehension
5. teacher selects a different student to supply the correct answer or the teacher herself gives the right answer
6. translate new words
7. rule for the-use
8. apply the rule
9. memorize vocabulary
10. state the grammar rule
11. present tense,past tense,past participle.

Principles
1. Literary language is superior to spoken language. Students study of the target culture is limited to its literatur and fine arts
2. important goal is to be able to translate each language into the other.
3. target language is not a goal
4. the primary skills to be developed are reading and writing
5. language equivalents for all target language words
6. through attention to similarities between the target language and the native language
7. learn about the form of the Target language
8. Deductive application of an explicit grammar rule is a useful pedagogical technique
9. language learning provides good mental exercise
10. Conscious of the grammatical rules of the target language
11. Wherever possible, verb conjugation and other grammatical paradigsm should be commited to memory





Reviewing The Principals
1. What are the goals of teachers who use the grammar translation method?
The grammar translation method purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read a literature written in the target language. Students learn about the grammar rules and vocabulary of the target language.
2. What is the role of the teachers? What is the role of the students?
Teacher is the authority in the classroom. Students they can learn what she knows
3. What are some characteristics of the teaching/learning process?
Translate from one language to another
4. What is the nature of student-teacher interaction? What is the nature of students-student interaction?
Most of the interaction is from the teacher to the students
5. How is the language viewed? How is culture viewed?
Literary language to spoken language
6. How are the feelings of the student dealt with ?
There are no principles of the method which relate to this area
7. What areas of language are emphasized ? What language skills are emphasized ?
There is much less attention given to speaking and listening.
8. What is role of the students ‘ Native Language ’ ?
The Language that is used in class is mostly the student’ native language
9. How is evaluation accomplished ?
Written tests in which students are asked to translate from their native language to the target language
10. How does the teacher respond the student errors ?
If students make errors or don’t know answer, the teacher supplies them with the correct answer