Lesson 2 : The Grammar Translation Method

Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you are
expected to be able to:
1. Demonstrate sound
understanding of The Grammar-
Translation Method.
2. Describe Aspects that
Distinguish Each Method in
 The Methods in ELT
Ten Aspects that Make Each Method is Different

goals of teachers view of the language

role of the teacher role of
view of culture
the students

characteristics of the areas of language;

teaching/learning process language skills

student-teacher interaction accomplishment of the

student-student evaluation
interaction.
teacher’s respond to
feelings of the students student errors
 After we discussed each method, we
will identify its principle by answering
10 questions:
1. What are the goals of teachers who use this
method?
2. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role
of the students?
3. What are some characteristics of the
teaching/learning process?
4. What is the nature of student-teacher
interaction? What is the nature of student-
student interaction?
5. How are the feelings of the students dealt with?
6. How is language viewed? How is culture
viewed?
7. What areas of language are emphasized?
What language skills are emphasized?
8. What is the role of the student’s native
language?
9. How is evaluation accomplished?
10. How does the teacher respond to student
errors?
 At the end of the
discussion of each
method, you will do
exercises to check your
understanding of the
method presented
 The Grammar-Translation Method
 Historicalbackground
 The major characteristics
 An example of the GTM in
classroom
 The principles behind the method
 Review of the principles
 What happen with the method
now
The G-TM: Historical Background
 Began in early 17th Century.
 “foreign” language learning = learning Latin
& Greek language.
 Latin  develop intellectuality & taught with
Classical Method: focus on grammatical
rules, memorization of vocab, translation of
texts, doing written exercise.
 18th & 19th century: Classical Method was
adopted to teach foreign languages: not for
oral communication, but for scholarly &
reading proficiency in foreign language.
 The G-TM: Historical Background
 Late of 19th C : Classical Method
came to be known as Grammar-
Translation Method.
 The G-TM has been used for
centuries, but its focus never
change: grammatical rules as the
basis for translation from second
to the native language.
 An example of the GTM in classroom
1- Students read a passage in their textbook. The
passage is usually from a literary work.

2- each student are asked to read a few lines

from the passage

3- student are asked to translate the few lines they

have just read. Teacher help with new vocabulary

4- after reading & translating, the teacher asked

them in L1 language if they have any questions
5- the teacher asked them to write the answers to
the comprehension questions at the end of the
text. The questions are in English, and students answer in English as well.

6- they do the first question together as an example. A student

reads out aloud, another students replies. After
that, students work quietly by themselves.

7- three types of questions: (1) asking for info, (2) making

inference based on their understanding of the passage
(for example: “Do you think the man is ambitious? Why? Why not?, (3) relating the

passage to the students own experience, (for example:

“Have you ever done it?,
8- after about ½ hour, students stop working. T asks one by one students to
read a question and then read his/her
response. If correct, other student read the next questions; if incorrect, T
asks other student to supply answer or the T gives the right answer.

9- the next activity: students do exercises usually

translate a long list of words from the passage.

10 - the next section is grammar work:

Students study grammar point, read the rules, study the examples,
and then translate them into their native language.
11 - after that, students do grammar
exercises, and when finished they read their
answer aloud.

12 – for homework: the T asks students to memorize

the translation of some English words
from the vocabulary exercises, and
write a sentence in English using each
word.
13 – in the next meetings, students do activities to follow-up the lesson:
 write out the translation of the reading passage into
L1;
 state the grammar rule & apply it into other
exercise;
 more grammar practice;
 write a composition in English related to the topic
of the passage;
 memorize more vocabulary items & write sentences
using each;
 take a quiz on grammar & vocab;
 more translation work

Larsen-Freeman (2000: 15-17)

The major characteristics of The G-TM
 Classes are taught in the mother tongue,
with little active use of the target language.
 Much vocabulary is taught in the form of
lists of isolated words.
 Long elaborated explanations of the
complexity of grammar are given.
 Grammar provides the rules for putting
words together, and instruction often
focuses on the form and inflection of
words.
The major characteristics of The G-TM
 Reading of difficult classical texts is begun
early.
 Little attention is paid to the context of the
text, which are treated as exercises in
grammatical analysis.
 Often the only drills are exercises in
translating disconnected sentences from the
target language into the mother tongue.
 Little or no attention is given to
pronunciation
(Brown, 2000)
 The Principles behind
The Grammar-Translation Method
Practices Principles
1. The class read an -A fundamental purpose of
excerpt from a learning a foreign
classical literature language is to be able to
read literature written in it.
-Literary language is
superior to spoken
language.
-Students’ study of the
target culture is limited to
its literature and fine arts
 The Principles behind
The Grammar-Translation Method
Practices Principles
2. Students translate the - An important goal is
passage from English for students to be able
to mother tongue to translate each
language into another.
-If students can do this,
they are considered
successful language
learners.
 The Principles behind The G-TM
Practices
3. The teacher asks students in
their native language if they
have any questions. A
student asks one and is
answered in her native
language
4. Students write out the
answers to reading
comprehension
questions
Principles
The ability to
communicate in the
target language is not a
goal of foreign language
class
The primary skills to be
develop are reading & writing.
Little attention is given to
speaking & listening, and
almost none to pronunciation
 The Principles behind The G-TM
Practices
5. The teacher decides whether
an answer is correct or not. If
incorrect, the T selects a
different student to give the
correct answer or the T herself
supplies the right answer
6. Students translate
new words from
English into L1
Principles
The T is the authority
in classroom. It is very
important that students
get the correct answer
It is possible to find L1
equivalent for all
target language words
 The Principles behind The G-TM

Practices Principles

7. Students learn that Learning is facilitated

some English rules through attention to
correspond to some similarities between the
target language & the
rules in L1
native language

8. Students are given a It is important for

grammar rule for the students to learn about
use of some words the form of the target
with others language.
 The Principles behind The G-TM

Practices Principles

9. Students apply a Deductive application

rule to examples of an explicit grammar
they are given is a useful pedagogical
technique

10. Students memorize Language learning

vocabulary provides good mental
exercise
 The Principles behind The G-TM

Practices Principles

11. The T asks Students should be

students to state the conscious of the
grammar rule. grammatical rules of
the target language.

12. Students memorize Whenever possible,

grammar rules (e.g. grammar rules should
tenses & forms of be committed to
verb) memory
To be continued ….
Next week :
Review of the PRINCIPLES OF
THE GTM
Review of the TECHNIQUE OF
THE GTM

EXERCISES FOR YOU 
 Any questions ….????
No questions???

THANK YOU !!!


SEE YOU NEXT WEEK