Grammar Translation Method.

A brief history of language teaching:

The principal characteristics of the Grammar Translation Method were these:

• Grammar Translation is a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences and texts into and out of the target language.
• It hence views language learning as consisting of little more than memorizing rules and facts in order to understand and manipulate the morphology and syntax of the foreign language. “The first language is maintained as the reference system in the acquisition of the second language”

• This method consists on teaching a second language thought memorizing grammar rules  vocabulary list,   then  the students apply their knowledge by doing sentence or texts translation   ( target language to mother tongue and vice versa)

Method:

• Use of mother tongue.
• Vocabulary items are taught in the form of word lists.
• Elaborate explanations of grammar.
• Focus on the morphology and syntax.
• Reading of difficult texts early in the course.
• Practice focuses on exercises translating sentences or texts from mother tongue to the target language and vice versa.

Advantages

• Translation is the easiest and shortest way of explaining meaning of words and phrases.
• Learners have no difficulties to understand the lesson as it is carried out in the mother tongue.
• It is a labor-saving method as the teacher carries out everything in the mother tongue.

Criticism

• What the method is good at is “teaching about the language”, not “teaching the language”.
• Speaking or any kind of spontaneous creative output was missing from the curriculum.
• Students lacked an active role in the classroom.
• Very little attention is paid to communication.
• Very little attention is paid to content.
• Translation is sometimes misleading.

The teacher

The teacher is the maximum authority in the class room. He or She focusses on correct mistakes that students have made, also the teacher provide students his/ her linguistic knowledge   putting    the interaction aside between student – teacher in order to create communication and questions.

In Rosmery’s case, we can found some similarities in grammar- translation rules:

• Students learn vocabulary lists in this particular case, professions.
• Rosmery is the maximum authority in the class room.

The reform movement:

Language teaching specialists such as Marcel, Prendergast, and Gouin had done much to promote alternative approaches to language teaching, but their ideas failed to receive widespread support or attention.

One of the earliest goals of the association was to improve the teaching of modern languages. It advocated:

1. The study of the spoken language

2. Phonetic training in order to establish good pronunciation habits

3. The use of conversation texts and dialogues to introduce conversational phrases and idioms

4. An inductive approach to the teaching of grammar

5. Teaching new meanings through establishing associations within the target language rather than by establishing associations with the native language.

Vietor, Sweet, and other reformers in the late nineteenth century shared many beliefs about the principles on which a new approach to teaching foreign languages should be based, although they often differed considerably in the specific procedures they advocated for teaching a language. In general the reformers believed that:

1. The spoken language is primary and that this should be reflected in an oral-based methodology

2. The findings of phonetics should be applied to teaching and to teacher training

3. Learners should hear the language first, before seeing it in written form

4. Words should be presented in sentences, and sentences should be practiced in meaningful contexts and not be taught as isolated, disconnected elements

5. The rules of grammar should be taught only after the students have practiced the grammar points in context – that is, grammar should be taught inductively

6. Translation should be avoided, although the native language could be used in order to explain new words or to check comprehension.