The grammar translation method

This method derives from the traditional approach to the teaching of Latin and Greek, which was particularly influential in the 19^th century. After being used to teach Latin and Greek, it was generalized to teaching modern languages. It is based on the detailed analysis of the written language, in which translation exercises, reading comprehension, and the written imitation of texts play a primary role. Learning mainly involves the mastery of grammatical rules and memorization of long lists of literary vocabulary, related to texts which are chosen more for their prestigious content than for their interest or level of linguistic difficulty. There is little emphasis laid on the activities of listening and speaking.

This approach dominated early work in modern language teaching. A minority still find its intellectual discipline appealing; but the vast majority of teachers now recognize that the approach does little to meet the spoken language needs and interests of today’s language students.

² It is based on the assumptions that:

-         Language is primarily graphic

-         The main purpose of second language study is to build knowledge of the structure of the language either as a tool for literary research and translation or for the development of the learner's logical powers

-         The process of second language learning must be deductive, requires effort, and must be carried out with constant reference to the learner's native language.

ú Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue, with little active use of the target language.

ú Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists.

ú Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided.

ú Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together; instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words.

ú Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the course of study.

ú Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.

ú Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue, and vice versa.

ú Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

The direct method

² This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction.

² This approach, also known as the oral or natural method, is based on the active involvement of the learner in speaking and listening to the foreign language in realistic everyday situations.

² No use is made of the learner’s mother tongue; learners are encouraged to think in the foreign language, and not to translate into or out of it.

² A great deal of emphasis is placed on good pronunciation, often introducing students to phonetic transcription before they see the standard orthography.

² Formal grammatical rules and terminology are avoided.

² The direct method continues to attract interest and enthusiasm, but it is not an easy approach to use in school. In the artificial environment of the classroom, it is difficult to generate natural learning situations and to provide everyone with sufficient practice. Several variants of the method have thus evolved. In particular, teachers often permit some degree of mother-tongue explanation and grammatical statement to avoid learners developing inaccurate fluency.

ú Lessons begin with a dialogue using a modern conversational style in the target language.

ú Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures.

ú The mother tongue is NEVER, NEVER used.

ú There is no translation.

ú The preferred type of exercise is a series of questions in the target language based on the dialogue or an anecdotal narrative.

ú Questions are answered in the target language.

ú Grammar is taught inductively--rules are generalized from the practice and experience with the target language.

ú Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated only much later after some oral mastery of the target language.

ú Advanced students read literature for comprehension and pleasure.

ú Literary texts are not analyzed grammatically.

ú The culture associated with the target language is also taught inductively. Culture is considered an important aspect of learning the language.

The Audio-lingual Method

² The Audio-Lingual Method is based on the behaviorist belief that language learning is the acquisition of a set of correct language habits.

² Using the Stimulus-Response-Reinforcement model, it attempted, through a continuous process of such positive reinforcement, to engender good habits in language learners.

² Audiolingualism relied heavily on drills to form these habits; substitution was built into these drills so that, in small steps, the student was constantly learning and, moreover, was shielded from the possibility of making mistakes by the design of the drill.

ú The learner repeats patterns until able to produce them spontaneously.

ú Once a given pattern – for example, subject-verb-prepositional phrase – is learned, the speaker can substitute words to make novel sentences.

² The teacher directs and controls students’ behavior, provides a model, and reinforces correct responses ú Material is presented in the form of a dialogue.

ú Based on the principle that language learning is habit formation, the method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and over-learning.

ú Structures are sequenced and taught one at a time.

ú Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills.

ú Little or no grammatical explanations are provided; grammar is taught inductively.

ú Skills are sequenced: Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed in order.

ú Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context.

ú Teaching points are determined by contrastive analysis between L1 and L2.

ú There is abundant use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids.

ú There is an extended pre-reading period at the beginning of the course.

ú Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation.

ú Use of the mother tongue by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the students.

ú Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent learner errors. (See slide 6)

Hints for using Audio-lingual drills in L2 Teaching

1. The teacher must be careful to ensure that all of the utterances which students will make are actually within the practised pattern. For example, the use of the AUX verb have should not suddenly switch to have as a main verb.

2. Drills should be conducted as rapidly as possible so as to ensure automaticity and to establish a system.

3. Ignore all but gross errors of pronunciation when drilling for grammar practice.

4. Use of shortcuts to keep the pace of drills at a maximum. Use hand motions, signal cards, notes, etc. to prompt/ trigger response. You are a choir director.

5. Use normal English stress and intonation carefully.

6. Drill material should always be meaningful. If the content words are not known, teach their meanings.

7. Combine short periods of drill (about 10 minutes) with very brief alternative activities to avoid fatigue and boredom.

8. Introduce the drill in this way:

            ú Focus (by writing on the board, for example)

            ú Exemplify (by speaking model sentences)

            ú Explain (if a simple grammatical explanation is needed)

            ú Drill

9. Don’t stand in one place; move about the room standing next to as many different students as possible to spot check their production. Thus you will know who to give more practice to during individual drilling.

10. Use the "backward build-up" technique for long and/or difficult patterns. (See slide 7)