GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD
v Grammar Translation texts are frequently the products of people trained in literature rather than in language teaching or applied linguitics.
v Grammar Translation Method often creates frustration for students,however,it makes few demands on teachers.
GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD’S ADVANTAGES
v The phraseology of the target language is quickly explained.Translation is the easiest way of explaining meanings of words and phrases.
v Teacher’s labour is saved.Pupils won’t have much difficulty in responding to questions on the mother tongues.
v Even teachers who aren’t fluent in English can teach English through this method,so this method has been practiced so widely and has survived so long.
GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD’S DISADVANTAGES
v It is an unnatural method.
v Speech is neglected.
v Exact translation isn’t possible.
v It is time consuming.
v It doesn’t give pattern practice.
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GTM
v The goal of foreign language study is to learn a language in order to read its literature or in order to benefit from its mental discipline.
v GTM approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules.Then,sentences and texts are translated into and out of the target language.
v Language learning is little more than memorizing rules and facts.
v L1 is used as reference system in the teaching of L2.
v Reading and writing are the major focus.
v Vocabulary selection is based only on the reading text.
v Words are taught through bilingual word lists,dictionary study and memorization.
v It focuses on sentence that is a distinctive feature of the GTM.
v Accuracy is emphasized.Students are expected to attain high standards in translation.
v Grammar is taught deductively.
v Grammar is taught in an organized and systematic way.
v L1 is used to explain new items and to enable comparisons to be made between L1 and L2.
v GTM is used in foreign language teaching from the 1840s to the 1940 and in modified form in continues to be used in some parts of the world today.
v GTM courses are remembered with distate by thousand of learners,because it means memorizing endless lists of unusable grammar rules and vocabulary.
v GTM has no advocates,and there is no theory,there is no literature offering justification for it.
Teaching Deductively
v Courses start with presentation and the study of grammar rules.Then,they are practiced through translation exercises.
Teaching Inductively
v At the beginning teacher uses particular facts and examples and then the learner deduces general rules and principles from them.
LANGUAGE TEACHING INNOVATION IN THE 19th CC
Increased opportunities for communication among Europeans created a demand for oral proficiency in foreign languages.
Initially,this created a market for conversation books and phrase books intended for private study.
Public education system was seen to be failing in teaching oral proficiency.
Then,new approaches to language teaching were developed by individual language teaching specialists.
C.MARCEL
v Marcel referred to child language learning as a model for language teaching.
v He emphasized the importance of meaning in learning.
v He proposed that reading to taught before other skills.
v He tried to locate language teaching withing a broader educational framework.
T.PRENDERGAST
v Prendergast was one of the first to record the observation that children’s using language to analysis.
v He wanted to interpret utterances and memorized phrase and routines in speaking that they used.
v He proposed the first ‘structural syllabus’.
v This syllabus advocates that learners be taught the most basic structural patterns occuring in the language.
F.GOUIN
v Gouin developed an approach to teaching a foreign language based on his observations of children’s use of language.
v According to him,if foreign language is taught with events consisting of a sequence of related actions students learn it more easily.
v His method used situations and themes as ways of organizing and presenting oral language.
v He established schools to teach according to his method and it was quite popular for a time
v Gouin’s emphasis on present new teaching items in a context that makes their meaning clear.
v Educators recognized the need for speaking proficiency as the goal for foreign language programs.
v Speaking proficiency is more important than reading and writing proficiency.
THE REFORM MOVEMENT
v Henry Sweet in England began to provide the intellectual leadership needed to give reformist ideas greater credibility and acceptance.
v He argued that sound methodological principles should be based on a specific analysis of language and a study of psychology.
v The International Phonetic Association advocated:
· The study of the spoken language
· Phonetic training in order to establish good pronunciation habits.
· The use of conversation texts and dialogues to introduce conversational phrases and idioms.
· An inductive approach to the teaching of grammar.
· Teaching English in English.
Compare innovators and reformers?
v While innovators study structural features of language, reformers study the spoken language.
v While innovators teach language deductively,reformers teach language inductively.
v While innovators teach language in native language,reformers teach language in foreign language.
v While innovators give importance to reading and writing, reformers give importance to oral skills.
The Practical Study Of Languages By Henry Sweet
v Careful selection of what is to be taught.
v Imposing limits on what is to be taught.
v Arranging what is to be taught in terms of the four skills.
v Grading materials from simple to complex.
REFORMERS
v The spoken language is primary
v The findings of phonetics should be applied.
v Learners should hear the language first before written form.
v Words shouldn’t be taught as isolated,disconnected elements.
v Grammar should be taught inductively.
