Grammar-Translation Method” (Gtm); a Second Thought
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 3 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in RESEARCH ARTICLE LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE THROUGH “GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD” (GTM); A SECOND THOUGHT. Talluri Venkata Rao (Assistant Professor of English, Sri Chundi Ranganayakulu Engineering College, Andhra Pradesh, India.) Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Grammar-Translation Method is the oldest method to learn a foreign language. With time new methods are invented, still the importance of grammar learning holds a unique place to obtain accuracy in the target language, specifically in the development of reading and writing skills. The purpose of this research paper is to eradicate the fear of learners by introducing innovative use of learning-teaching material to create a trauma- free grammar learning environment for the contemporary learners. In this study a chronological order of the evolution regarding the language learning method, approach & technique is maintained for the benefit of the learners & academicians in order to understand the actual position of grammar with its advantages. It is also an attempt to overcome the disadvantages through a moderate method, the summum bonum of this authentic analysis. The trend of learning a foreign language (for example English) is increasing day by day but the contradiction among nineteen learning methods is always there, that’s why this is an attempt of the present writer to focus on a learner-friendly module with a crystal clear outlook on the importance of the technical aspect of English language learning. Keywords: Classical, Limitation, Reactions, Advantages, Facilitator, Lexical, Cost-effectiveness, Reading, Writing, Remodulation, Task. Citation: APA Rao,T.V.(2017) Learning English As A Foreign Language Through “Grammar-Translation Method” (Gtm); A Second Thought.Veda’s Journal of English Language and Literature- JOELL, 4(3), 149-159. MLA Venkata Rao, Talluri. “Learning English As A Foreign Language Through “Grammar-Translation Method”(Gtm); A Second Thought.”Veda’s Journal of English Language and Literature JOELL, Vol.4, no.3, 2017, pp. 149-159. Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Copyright © 2017 VEDA Publications Author(s) agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License . 149 Talluri Venkata Rao VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 3 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in THE CONCEPT OF METHOD of reading, writing, translating and focusing on the Method is a particular procedure for accuracy of grammatical norms and regulations are accomplishing or approaching something, especially a learned and recalled or recognized. At first systematic or established one.”1The classical method Montaigne, Comenius, John Locke and later Passy in foreign language teaching is Grammar-Translation and Jespersen try to reform this method in order to Method which is originated in an attempt to learn teach the language, not to learn about the language. Latin in early 1500s due to its importance in The emphasizing on text than speech, absence of Government, academic and business arena. Later active participation of the learners, dearth of modern language learning is left out of the modules listening and speaking activities, burden of a large of the educational programme as it is not treated as number of grammatical rules, the rift between accommodating enough to accept the advantages of literary text and practical exposure, use of bilingual intellect, will and emotion.2 But at the beginning of word list, small-scale interaction between the the 19th century when language learning comes back students, teachers’ shortfalls in specialized in school modules, the said method is used in foreign competence in language learning module, language classrooms of Europe including United elimination of social-subject related exposure as States of America.3 learning-teaching is not done in the target language, GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD: AT A too much strain on translation and error correction, GLANCE boring and non-stimulating language learning, Grammar is basically the study of the system absolutely no chance of approaching communication and structure of a language. Any standard language competences, violation of the natural order of has its own grammar. If one knows the structure of a learning in the form of listening, speaking, reading particular language, she/he can easily learn that and writing, failure of expressing in spoken English language, as the common notion we have. adequately, difference of community based modes of Translation is the process to translate the user’s behavior, practice and heritage in time of translation, mother tongue to the foreign language by using the absence of pattern practice, importance on grammar based rules and regulations. First the grammatical norms than on meaning, slow learning learners learn the grammatical rules and later they rate, incompatibility of modern demand and translate the words from their native language in expectation of speaking and understanding, sentence formation follow the regular structure of dependence on grammar-oriented syllabus, use of that target language to improve their aptitude. This is mother tongue etc. influence the transformation of the oldest method to learn a new language for the language teaching methods from Grammar- non-native learners. Translation Method to Principle Eclecticism in order THE LIMITATIONS OF GRAMMAR- to reflect the changes in the required competencies of the learners i.e. the shift from reading and TRANSLATION METHOD comprehension based study to the practice of viva- The limitations of Grammar-Translation voce in twenty-first century. Method that are found from the beginning are the REACTION AGAINST GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION lack of any listening and speaking activities along with other communicative aspects like accurate METHOD pronunciation, accent, pause, stress etc. The contexts The emergence of different methods, approaches and techniques basically reflect their contemporary responses but they are not free of 1 Method. (n.d.). In Oxford Dictionary Online. Retrieved January errors as mentioned below: 10,2017 from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/ definition/ method 2 Bull, William E. (1999). Methodologies in Foreign Language 1) Direct Method blooms as a result of reaction Teaching. Retrieved January 10,2017, from http://www.linguatics. against GTM but this method relies on the com/ methods.htm 3 proposition that auditory or oral-aural Djigunovic, Mihaljevic J. and Krajnovic, Medved M.(2017). LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY AND SECOND senses like ears and tongue are stronger LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. Retrieved January 12, 2017, from http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c04/e6-91-13-01.pdf 150 Talluri Venkata Rao VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 3 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in than visual but many learners depend on shows but the learners need to learn visual medium more. themselves as the teacher does not talk and 2) Audio-lingual Method relies on repetition quite naturally the learners do not learn to which discourages anything new or pronounce. spontaneous from them. 9) Community Language Learning with its 3) ‘Directed Practice’4 or ‘Teacher-Directed- inductive way of learning in the primary Practice’5 entertains the assessment by the phase of language learning is not very teacher or instructor only. The assessment effective and communication depends on carries out as summative only excluding the knowledge base of the fellow learners. formative evaluation and neglects the 10) Suggestopedia8 entertains noisy classroom qualitative aspects of the learner’s progress. and thus not effective for shy learners and 4) The Series Method trusts on the child’s large classroom containing 35-40 students. capability of organizing concepts 11) Natural Approach ensures fluency, not sequentially on the basis of time but the accuracy and the instructors need to arrange method depends on a three-year-old child’s a number of learning-teaching aids which behavioral observation and Francois Gouin6 may seem hectic sometime. did not observe the learner’s previous 12) Total Physical Response Method does not development of naming words or the influence the students to express their own importance of story-telling method. views and everything cannot be explained 5) The absence of grammatical context, with this method. systematic approach offers disorderly 13) In Reading and Story Telling Method the feeling to the users of Communicative choice of story is a challenge as taste varies. Language Teaching. If the teller does not utter the interesting 6) Oral Approach, developed between 1930s plots and incidents it will not attract the and 1960s emphasizes on vocabulary but students. Chomsky7 criticizes this approach as it does 14) Maley9 approaches Dogme10 Language not explain the elementary characteristics of Teaching as “the constraints on teachers”11 language which is against the unique and Christensen12 observes that its practice creativity in language. may welcome cultural problem and also 7) Post-language Immersion seems difficult to seems problematic where specific syllabus is many students as foreign language is used as not implemented. mode and partial immersion is not suitable for long run as the grasp and its gradual 8 development does not occur in partial