Филологические науки / 1. Методика преподавания языка и литературы

К.ф.н. Андрейко Л.В.

Державний вищий навчальний заклад «Українська академія банківської справи НБУ»

Using Translation in the Language Class: Pros and Cons

The grammar-translation method of foreign language teaching is one of the most traditional methods, dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was originally used to teach 'dead' languages (and literatures) such as Latin and Greek, and this may account for its heavy bias towards written work to the virtual exclusion of oral production. At the height of the Communicative Approach to language learning in the 1980s and early 1990s it became fashionable in some quarters to deride this so-called "old-fashioned" method. There were numerous reasons for this but principally it was felt that there was absolutely no speaking involved in this method and therefore students might be able to read and write in English, but would never have the skills required for holding a conversation. Moreover, this very rigid method also removed any creativity from the class, rendering the class very dull and somewhat boring for most students. They did what teacher said. Also, because of this rigidity and lack of speaking practice, students might well understand the written language well, but have absolutely no working knowledge of English.

Despite all of these drawbacks, there are certain positive traits to be found in such a rigid environment. Many ELT teachers and theorists now see the validity and value of translation as an activity in communicative classrooms (although few coursebook writers offer ideas and materials for this area). Below are some of the ways translations can have a positive impact; many of these also serve as responses to the objections and criticisms expressed above:

· Designed well, translation activities in the classroom can practise the 4 skills and the 4 systems. In terms of communicative competence, they require accuracy, clarity and flexibility.

· Following on from this, translation is by its nature a highly communicative activity; the challenge is to make sure that the content being communicated is relevant and that we exploit all possibilities for communication during the activity.

· Translation in groups can encourage learners to discuss the meaning and use of language at the deepest possible levels as they work through the process of understanding and then looking for equivalents in another language.

· Translation is a real-life, natural activity and increasingly necessary in a global environment. Many learners living in either their own countries or a new one need to translate language on a daily basis, both informally and formally. This is even more important with the growing importance of online information.

· Whether we encourage it or not, translation is a frequently used strategy for learners; if we accept this, we need to support them in developing this skill in the right way, e.g. by discussing its role.

· Translation can be a support for the writing process, especially at lower levels. Research has shown that learners seem able to access more information in their own L1, which they can then translate.

· Discussion of differences and similarities during the translation process helps learners understand the interaction of the two languages and the problems caused by their L1.

· Finally, for many learners developing skills in translation is a natural and logical part of reaching higher levels, and being able to do this well is highly motivating.

As I. Korunets’ ( 2003) writes, translation is both helpful and indispensable in the following cases:

1. When introducing even simple abstract lexemes or notions, which cannot easily be explained in a descriptive way or by gestures: think, hate, love, actual, generally, turn, consider etc.

2. In order to save time and avoid diverting the attention of students by lengthy explications of the meaning of words, various, word-combinations or sentences in the process of reading or listening to an unfamiliar passage.

3. When checking up the comprehension of the lexical material (new words, expression) and in order to avoid the unnecessary ambiguity which may arise in the process of teaching through “pictures”, since a picture of a tree, for example may be understood as “a tree” or as a kind of tree (oak-tree, pine-tree, etc.).

4. While introducing (usually at the initial stage of teaching/learning) the new grammar/phonetical material, especially the phenomena which do not exist in the native tongue.

5. While discriminating the meaning of synonyms or antonyms of the foreign language, for example: explain the difference between great and large, small and tiny, etc.

6. When introducing idiomatic expressions which is mostly impossible to teach and learn otherwise than on the basis of translating (cf. Hobson’s choice, to play hooky, look before you leap, etc.).

7. When dealing with characteristic national features of speech (metaphors, epithets, similes, hyperboles, etc.) in the process of reading and translating the belles-lettres passages even at the advanced stage of studying a foreign language, etc.

Generally speaking, the medium of instruction is the mother tongue, which is used to explain conceptual problems and to discuss the use of a particular grammatical structure. It all sounds rather dull but it can be argued that the Grammar Translation method has over the years had a remarkable success. Millions of people have successfully learnt foreign languages to a high degree of proficiency and, in numerous cases, without any contact whatsoever with native speakers of the language (as was the case in the former Soviet Union, for example).

As T. Bowen says, there are certain types of learners who respond very positively to a grammatical syllabus as it can give them both a set of clear objectives and a clear sense of achievement. Other learners need the security of the mother tongue and the opportunity to relate grammatical structures to mother tongue equivalents. Above all, this type of approach can give learners a basic foundation upon which they can then build their communicative skills.

Applied wholesale of course, it can also be boring for many learners and a quick look at foreign language course books from the 1950s and 1960s, for example, will soon reveal the non-communicative nature of the language used. Using the more enlightened principles of the Communicative Approach, however, and combining these with the systematic approach of Grammar Translation, may well be the perfect combination for many learners. On the one hand they have motivating communicative activities that help to promote their fluency and, on the other, they gradually acquire a sound and accurate basis in the grammar of the language. This combined approach is reflected in many of the EFL course books currently being published and, amongst other things, suggests that the Grammar Translation method, far from being dead, is very much alive and kicking as we enter the 21st century.

Without a sound knowledge of the grammatical basis of the language it can be argued that the learner is in possession of nothing more than a selection of communicative phrases which are perfectly adequate for basic communication but which will be found wanting when the learner is required to perform any kind of sophisticated linguistic task. 

References:

Bowen T. Teaching Approaches: the Grammar-Translation Method, retrieved from: http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/teaching-approaches/teaching-approaches-the-grammar-translation-method/146493.article

Korunets’ I. (2003) Theory and Practice of Translation, Nova Knyha Publishers.