对语法翻译法的再认识_英文_

2011年8月刊
144
1. Background
Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) was originated in Germany in the late eighteenth century and was remained until now because its fundamental structure was familiar among the students and teachers. The main purpose of GTM was to simplify language teaching, emphasize the accuracy of sentences including a variety of sentence translation practices. On the contrary, because of the control of education system by the government in Germany, they would like to accept the reform movement and set up teaching monolingually during the early days and to acquire a reading knowledge of foreign language by studying a grammar and applying this knowledge to the interpretation of texts through the use of a dictionary. When people still focused their attention on teaching children with textbooks, Ahn and Ollendorff took some measures to reform with practical meaning which were suitable for adult learning. From certain aspects, they took an intermediate method.
2. Some Reasons of GTM’s Glorious History
GTM is one of the longest and widely used methods in foreign language teaching, which has dominated Europe for several hundred years and reached its peak in the nineteenth century. Firstly, GTM concentrates on grammar, which could help students lay a solid grammatical foundation and contribute to learners’ accuracy in expression. The phraseology of the target language is quickly explained through source language. Translation is the easiest way of explaining meanings or words and phrases from one language into another.
Secondly, Teacher’s labor is saved. Teachers take full advantage of their native language in teaching process, which help them save more time and because of the application of native language and the stress to teachers and students is relatively less.
3. Some Reasons of GTM’s Decline
W i t h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d improvement of society and theory, traditional GTM has been criticized fiercely that it couldn’t meet the demands sometimes because there are some inadequacies in itself. The first reason is that it overemphasizes grammatical rules and structures, but neglects speaking and listening and pays little attention to students’ sound and intonation, which impedes the cultivation of students’ communication abilities. The second reason is that GTM takes advantage of the interpretation between source language and target language to teach, which will lead to the result that learners are over-dependent on their mother tongue. Translation is, indeed, a dif fi cult task and exact translation from one language to another is not always possible. A language is the result of various customs, traditions, and modes of behavior of a speech community and these traditions differ from community to community.
4. Conclusion
The GTM was feasible according to its background and demand at that time, which had taken the place of the traditional teaching materials through some sentences and phrases. What’s more, GTM fits in with Chinese education form from some angles as
there are one to two new grammar points and rules, a list of words and phrases, and some practices to translate in a text. However, this is similar to the course of English major during college which is called intensive reading. They have the same procedure and teaching process. It is undoubtful that it is the fundamental demand to grasp grammatical rules. Therefore, GTM is required to learn from other teaching methods' strong p o i n t s t o o ff s e t i t s w e a k n e s s e s. Undoubtedly, GTM could make use of some advantages of Situational Method, Audiolingual Method and Communicative Method, combine with modern teaching equipments, create more opportunities to communicate with English so that learners’ communicative abilities will be promoted, then it will contribute to their balanced and all-round development, even the progress of the education system in the whole society.
对语法翻译法的再认识
裴月英（四川外语学院 重庆 400031）
Abstract ： Grammar Translation Method was a widely used approach in English Language Teaching from middle 19th century to middle 20th century. Its existence has been debated during these years. As a traditional teaching approach, grammar translation has received a great deal of criticism, some of which is not justified. This paper reexamines grammar translation method in terms of its original motivation, features and the reasons of its prosperity and decline at that time, shedding light on its practicality in foreign language teaching.
Key words：grammar translation method; oreign language teaching reexamination
Bibliography
[1][Brown, H.D. 1994. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. NJ: Prentice Hall.
[2]Chastain, Kenneth. The Development of Modern Language Skills: Theory to Practice. Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Development,1971.
[3]Richards, J.C.&T. Rodgers，2000，Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Beijing: FTRP.
[4]束定芳，庄智象主编 《现代外语教学》，上海：上海外语教育出版社，1996．
作者简介：裴月英，女（1989-），四川外语学院2009级硕士研究生，专业：英语语言文学，方向：英语教学理论与实践。