GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD
The Grammar-Translation Method was first used in the teaching of classical
languages, Latin and Greek, therefore it was also known as Classical Method.
Below is the description of some techniques associated with the
Grammar-Translation Method.
Translation of a Literary
Passage
Students translate a reading passage the target language into their native
language. The reading passage provides the focus for several classes: vocabulary
and grammatical structures in the passage are studied in subsequent lessons.
Students should not translate idioms and the like literally, but rather in a
way that shows that they understand their meaning.
Reading Comprehension
Questions
Students answer questions in the target language based on their
understanding of the reading passage. Generally, there are three groups of
questions asked here. The first group of questions asks for information
contained within the reading passage. The second group of questions needs the
students to make interferences based on their understanding on the passage.
They will have to answer questions about the passage though the answers are not
contained in the passage itself. The third group of questions requires students
to relate the passage to their own experience.
Antonyms/Synonyms
Students are given on set of words and are asked to find antonyms in the
reading passage. a similar exercise could be done by asking students to find
synonyms for a particular set of words. Other exercises that ask students to
work with the vocabulary of the passage are also possible.
Cognates
Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound
patterns that correspond between the languages. This technique, of course,
would only be useful in languages that share cognates.
Deductive Application of
Rule
Grammar rules are presented with examples. Exceptions to each rules are
also noted. Once students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it to some
different examples.
Fill-In-the-Blanks
Students are given a series of sentences with words missing. They fill in
the blanks with new vocabulary items of a particular grammar type, such as
preposition or verbs with different tenses.
Memorization
Students are given list of target language vocabulary words and their
native language equivalents and are asked to memorize them. Students are also
required to memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms such as verb
conjugations.
Use Words in Sentences
In order to show that students understand the meaning and use of a new
vocabulary item, they make up sentences in which they use the new words.
Composition
The teacher gives students a
topic to write about in the target language. The topic is based on some aspect
of the reading passage of the lesson. Sometimes, instead of creating a
composition, students are asked to prepare a precis of a reading passage.
