Grammar-translation and Direct Approach to Language Teaching

 

Over the 20^th century several competing ELT or English Language Teaching methods arose including, Grammar translation, the Direct Method, Audiolingualisim, Community Language Teaching, Communicative Language Teaching and Task-based Learning and Teaching.

Grammar-translation was the main approach used in the 19^th century. In this approach translation is used to teach a second language to understand the target language's grammar. Grammar-translation was the main approach used in China until the 1960’s, likely because it was similar to traditional teaching methods in China.

According to Machida (2011, p. 741), the translation method focused on “learning grammar rules and vocabulary, and deductive L2 learning, the methodology used inauthentic, artificial or manufactured SL/FL translation from L1 to introduce the L2 grammatical targets.” The focus was on accuracy in reading and writing, not on listening and the spoken language.

The Grammar-translation method derived from the teaching of classical languages, such as Latin. As Hall (2011) notes, in this approach learners focus on individual language features taught deductively. Sentences are translated from and to L2. 

A problem with this approach is that language learners have difficulty communicating verbally in the L2 language. This was experienced by two second language English learners who I interviewed on their language learning journey.

My first language contact Marsela, was born in Czechoslovakia where she was first taught English as a subject in primary school in the 1980's. Slovac was her L1.

S1: Marcela describes her early English language experiences

Marcela describes her early English language at a selective language school. where she learnt Russian until Year 5 and then after that she learnt English nearly every day from a non-native English speaker. Marcela describes how the focus was on grammar during which they had to learn words and do a pattern of grammar exercises. Marcela explains that she was good at grammar but "not real talking and listening". She did not have the opportunity to hear real accents when she was being taught English this way.

S2: Marcela continues to learn English at high school

Marcela continued to learn English at high school. She explains that she found the written side of learning English easy as she knew all the basics of grammar, but still did not know how to talk in English in real life situations. There was a discrepancy between the real world usage of spoken English language and what she was learning. She had no exposure to accents, which is what she experienced later in her language journey, when she conversed with the native English speakers. 

My second language contact was PC who first learnt English in India from Year 6 at school in the 1980's. All the teaching at school was conducted using his mother tongue, Tamil.

I2_S2 - SP's early English learning experience

Both Marcela (in I1_S3) and SP (in I2_S3) describe their earliest memories of learning English at school. They both began learning English in the latter years of primary school, in the 1980's. They were taught from textbooks using Standardised English and with a focus on the written form of English involving grammar and tense. Both Marcela and SP said that they had good teachers, but that they didn't get the opportunity to speak with native English speakers, so their English speaking skills were inadequate. 

I2_S3 -SP learns English at school

As was seen in the case of my two language contacts, they both had substantial English written and grammar skills, but were unable to use English effectively to communicate orally.

It will be shown through the blog, that despite the limitations of this method, a modified version of this method is still used today. This may be due to the ease of implementation and because there continues to be a belief in some sectors, that learning grammar explicitly is the best way for them to acquire English.

The Direct Method in contrast promoted teaching in L2 and prioritised listening before speaking. The Direct Method according to Hall (2011, p. 84), arose in Europe ”at the end of the nineteenth century in reaction to Grammar-translation.” This method advocated the idea that learning a new language is similar to learning the first language. In contrast to the Grammar-translation Approach, only L2 language was used for classroom interaction in this approach. Grammar was taught inductively, teaching everyday grammar, including speech and listening comprehension. The focus was on accuracy and phonetics. This approach was teacher-centred  and was best suited to small classes. 

The Direct Method did impact language teaching particularly, according to Hall (2011, p.86), due to “its core principle, the exclusive use of the L2 and avoidance of the learners’ L1 in the classroom” which “has enabled language teachers to teach without knowing their learners’ first language.” 

This opened the door to native English speakers as second language instructors.

Hall, G. (2011). Exploring English language teaching: Language in action. Routledge.

Machida, S. (2011). Translation in teaching foreign (second) language: A methodological perspective. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4), 740-746.