Teaching English I

TEACHING ENGLISH THE GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD

JOSE GUSTAVO ESPINOZA MORALES

Teaching Method, Bachelor Degree VIII Professor, Elmer Jorge Guardado, Mat. October 04th, 2013

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Teaching English Nowadays, the importance of teaching English has increased for all over the world, this is because English has become in one of the most important language in all countries, thus being one of the languages more taught for different teachers, using different methods, technique, methodology and so on, because English is the dominant language of the world in 21st century. It is the language of science, business, tourism, internet , etc. There are many people trying to learn English as a second language or as a foreign language that is why the following research focused in one method: The Grammar Translation Method, it can be used with different languages but in this case teaching English and it will be developed in four different questions: 1. What is the Historical Background Information of Grammar-Translation Method? 2. What is the Grammar-Translation Method? 3. What are the Characteristics of Grammar-Translation Method? 4. What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Grammar Translation Method? The answers of the above questions, are relevant to all teachers that are starting the teaching language process, it could be a traditional method but is something new to those who are starting the career as a teacher or even some teachers that have some

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experiences in any subjects but not in English, including some techniques associated with the Grammar-Translation Method. 1. What is the Historical Background Information of the Grammar Translation Method? One thing that is important to know is to recognize what is a method, and there may be different kinds of method depending of the areas but in this case is a teaching method, according to: (Learn, 2011) Teaching Methods can be described as the way of achieving learning outcomes. It is a process that we can follow for achieving an end in the teaching process, in other words a Method shows the way to follow. In any way when someone has to start a project is necessary to use a method, and without a method it could be really difficult because it helps us in all our way as a teacher, the selection of one method depend of some characteristic that we must keep in mind when we want to teach, one essential point is to have a little background about the students, knowledge, environment and learning goals. The Grammar Translation is one of the most traditional methods that have been used for ancient times, for many different teachers in different languages but always with the same purpose: to acquire a language in all approaches that exist, for instance: English as a Second language or as a foreign language of as a specific purpose. English has been taught with this method, and not just English as it said before. The Grammar Translation Method was devised and developed for use in Secondary School. (G.Widdowson, 2004), and in the beginning was called The Grammar School Method and it began in Germany at the end of the eighteenth century, or more accurately in Prussia, and is was established

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as the favored method of the Prussian Gymnasien after their expansion in the early year of the nineteenth century. The Grammar-Translation method not only was used in Germany but also in other European countries, originally it was used to teach Greek and Latin. Five hundred years ago Latin was the official or main language of education, religion, business and authorities in Europe. (Tetzner, 2006) But now English is the most important language as it has explained before, and actually one of both languages have disappeared that is Latin, and it is the origin where a lot of languages come from, for example: Spanish, Italian, and so on. It was used for teaching the fundamentals of Grammar and translation in order to read and interpret Latin texts. In the middle of nineteenth century this method changed of name because it was known as the translation school method into The Grammar Translation Method. (Tetzner, 2006) In the nineteenth century this method was used in teaching other languages, for instance: German, French or English, because in Latin was a good method, most of the students who were taught Latin were very well educated and therefore it was easier for them to learn a different language. (Tetzner, 2006)That was why was used it, because it had a good success no in all students but most of them, and we know it as the traditional or classical method or in America as the Prussian method, (G.Widdowson, 2004) because it has a great history its beginning was not in English but it was with several languages. Latin and Greek were not learnt for communication they were considered to be useful for intellectual discipline. (Nagaraj, 2005), This method is not focused in the communicative

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approaches; it is focused in Grammatical Rules, Syntactic structures and rote memorization of vocabulary and translation of literary text. 2. What is the Grammar Translation Method? Now that we already know a little background information about GTM, it is necessary to define it, and according to (Nagaraj, 2005), it is a way of learning a language through a detailed study of its grammar, everything is focused just in Grammar, teaching rules, memorization and so on, this is the main point in this method without grammar this method did not exist, the learner then applies the rules of grammar in translating sentences and part of texts from the mother tongue into the target language and vice versa, we can recognize when a teacher is applying this method, because is something traditional that always occurs in the classroom, the only requirement in GMT that the teacher asks is the dictionary for translating everything that is involved in the learning process. If we find another definition is similar, it is the same always if a teacher wants to teach with this method, perhaps, the teacher uses this GTM but with different methodology, here it is another point of view according to: (Ulit., 1995) The Grammar Translation is a way of studying a language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences and text into and out of the target language. As we have seen it is the same meaning with the same purpose, just trying to learn a language by rules, with its characteristic, that in the next point it will be explaining with several details, just keep something in the mind the

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different technique that a teacher can apply inside of the method, and it will be included in this APA research as an important theme. 3. What are the Characteristics of Grammar Translation Method? In the GTM there are some characteristics that someone can recognize easy when someone is using this method, it is not difficult because as it has been explained here the main point is Grammar. Reading and writing are the major focuses; little or no systematic attention is paid to speaking or listening (Ulit., 1995), this means that all relevant to the class is in writing and reading, the teacher in this case explains something and they have to apply in writing and then the teacher gives them a text to read or to translate into the target language, but they forget that language is communicative, so they do not speak and even they just listen a little English by the mouth of the teacher. This method is used for the purpose of helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature. (Larsen, 2000) One thing that students hate is to read, this happen in the native language and obviously in the target language, and using this method the teacher encourages to the students to read a good material and at the same time he or she learns to appreciate the foreign language literature, and knowing new vocabulary. Much of the vocabulary is in the form of list of isolated words. (Candlin., 1980) For examples in this method the most usual thing that the teacher uses are copies, the

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teacher gives the copy to the student and they have to memorize word by word in order to have a little of vocabulary in the target language. Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little active use of the target language. (Candlin., 1980) In this class it is not necessary to have a prepared teacher in the areas of languages; it could be any teacher in any subjects the only requirement that the method asks is to know something about rules of the target language. Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and instruction often focuses on the form and inflection for words. (Candlin., 1980) The teacher takes the role as an explainer or an authority because he is always giving instructions how to use the different structures, times etc. Reading of difficult classical texts in the beginning of the class (Candlin., 1980), the most traditional thing in the Grammar-Translation Method is always a text at the beginning in every class because remember the main purpose is reading and appreciation of foreign language literature. Little attention is paid to the contents of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis. (Candlin., 1980) Perhaps the students are going to read the whole year different texts, passages, books, but they are not going to be focused in analysis of the text, because the requirement is to identify the grammatical function of each word.

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The learner does not play an active role in the use of the target language, (G.Widdowson, 2004) because the teacher is the only one that participates as giving instructions. 4. What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Grammar Translation Method? The Grammar-Translation Method has a long history as we have studied in the first point of this research, so the advantages and disadvantages have been demonstrated during the teaching processes or in the students processes. Advantages: First the Grammar-Translation Method is good for language learners to recognize some features of two languages, and some of the learners study the target language very well by this method. (G.Widdowson, 2004) Remember that in every students change the way of learning and some of them can learn much better with this method, everything depends of the learning goals that each student has and how the teacher can manipulate it in order to develop a good class, and knowing something about grammar we can omit some mistakes in the learning process. Second, the grammar-translation method is good for language learners to cultivate their abilities to study independently. (Candlin., 1980)So a student has different option to study vocabulary by himself, it could be by internet, books and so on, because it exists several resources that someone can find material about Grammatical rules of English, and

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reading is one of the purpose of this method in which a student can develop the ability to read. Third with this method you can save time in planning your class, and it is easier for the teacher if he knows the topic, and something important the method works well with large classes. Disadvantages: Learner does not have Motivation and Participation. The GTM approach involves no learner participation and little teacher-student relationship. Students are required to learn from a textbook and use the same method throughout their learning. (Gorski, 2012) This is one of the disadvantages that in the classroom we can find, there is not interactions, no friendship and the student is seen just in a cognitive way without feeling, emotions and so on. Unnatural and Inaccurate Pronunciation in students As children, people generally learn how to speak before they learn how to write and read. In the GTM approach, this natural learning method is reversed. Students are only taught how to read and write the language. (Gorski, 2012) Just reading is impossible to learn the correct pronunciations of the English Words because they are going to pronounce according that they suppose the pronunciation that is why we need a model of speaking, Imation of pronunciation is not included in this method.

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Some Principles that the Method has: Literary language is superior to the spoken language. Translating each language into each other is an important goal for learners. The authority in the classroom is the teacher. To be able to communicate with target languages speakers is not among the goals. The primary skills to be improved are reading and writing. Its focus is on accuracy and not fluency. Error correction: If a students answer of a question is incorrect, the teacher selects a different student to give the correct answer or she/he replies himself/herself. (Larsen, 2000) Here we got some techniques associated with The Grammar-Translation Method: Translation of Literary Passage, Reading Comprehension questions, Antonyms/synonyms, Deductive application of rules, Fill-in-the-blanks, Memorization, and Use words in sentences. (Larsen, 2000) A technique is an individual activity that a teacher uses in a classroom, and the first activity or technique is translation of Literary Passage this refers to read the text and after to translate into the native language or vice versa. The second one is reading some questions about the first passage that the teacher has given them. Antonyms/Synonyms is

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find word with the same meaning of different, Deductive application is after the teacher explains the rule and the students have to apply it, Fill-in-the-blanks is an activity where the students have to end a sentences with a missing word. Memorization this is one difficult thing but is an activity included in this method, they have to memorize the rules and the new vocabulary, use words in sentences is simple after to memorize they have to use the all vocabulary building sentences. In conclusion, this is a classical method and it is up to the teacher if he wants to use it in order to teacher English or another foreign language, at the beginning this method was a successful thing according its history, but after some time it has found some disadvantages, the use of this method depends of the purpose that the teacher wants to reach with his students, just it is necessary to keep something in mind, if someone wants to show culture using this method may be it is possible but just with reading passages, and something relevant that this method gives to students the false idea of what language is and of the relationship between languages.

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References:
Candlin., B. J. (1980). Linguistics Applied. En B. J. Candlin., The essential of a Communicative curriculum in Language Teaching (pgs. 89-112). Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. G.Widdowson, A. H. (2004). A History Of English Language Teaching. New York: Oxford University Press. Gorski, V. (12 de February de 2012). eHOW. MOM. Recuperado el 29 de September de 2013, de eHow. MOM: http://www.ehow.com/info_8059435_advantages-disadvantages-gtmtefl.html Larsen, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. New York: Oxford University Press. Learn, O. (21 de May de 2011). Lab Space. Recuperado el 28 de September de 2013, de Lab Space: http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=426993 Nagaraj, G. (2005). English Language Teaching Approches Methods and Techniques. Indian: Logman. Tetzner, R. (2006). The Grammar-Translation Method. EE.UU.: Grin. Ulit., E. V. (1995). Teaching The Elementary School. Ladesco Village.: Rex, Book Store, INC.

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Topics: Quantifi ers: too much and too many

Teaching Methods . The Gramma rTranslati on Method.

UNIVERSIDAD CAPITAN GENERAL GERARDO BARRIOS. Km. 113 Carretera del Litoral, Desvo a Santa Mara Usulutn, El Salvador. PBX. (503) 2662-0846 LESSON PLAN Teachers name: Jos Gustavo Espinoza Morales. Date: Oct. 04th, 2013 Time: 20 min. Subject: English grammar Section: A Unit: 1 Career: Bachelor Degree in English. Level: A1 Activities Principles of the Method. Techniques. Teacher Students Literary language is superior to spoken language. The primary skills to be improved are reading and writing. To be able to communicate with target languages speakers is not among the goals. To be able to translate each language into the other Language provides good mental exercises. The teacher is the authority. Learning is facilitated through attention. Deductive Application of an explicit Grammar. It is important for students to learn about the form of the target language. Reading Comprehension questions. Translation of Literary Passage Memorization. Fill-in the blanks. Deductive Application of rules. Greeting. Give indications. Give to the students a text to read. Ask to students about some questions of the text. Tell to students about translation. Explanation about the topic. Give indications about fill in the blank. Read a passage and answer some question. Translate into Spanish the first passage.

Timing

Teaching Resources Copies. Markers. Projector. Computer. Whiteboard . Notebook. Extra Pages.

5 min.

3 min.

To complete some exercises using the 7 min. technique fill in the blanks. 5 min. Grammatical Exercises. Do some sentences applying the rules.