The Grammar Translation Method

Reviewing The History, Experience in Indonesia, and its Techniques.

Short History

GTM, The Grammar Translation Method is not new term in language teaching, and it has been used by language teachers for many years. GTM was called as Classical Method when it was implemented in teaching classical language, Latin and Greek. This method was purposed to help learners to read to appreciate foreign language literature in the earlier of 20th century. Also, it was expected that by studying the grammar of the target language, students would be more familiar with the grammar of their native language. this familiarity was believed help them to speak and write the native language better. Besides that, the activity of language learning assist learners grows intellectually; that mental exercise of learning is more beneficial. However, learners never use the target language. 

Grammar Translation Method

To understand more about the GTM, Let’s read the application below. The used of GTM in the experience below is just developed imaginatively according to the book that I reviewed, entitled Techniques and Principle in Language Teaching. The situation is in Indonesia, in SMA Negeri 1 Terusan Nunyai. The class consists of 30 students.

Experience

As we enter the class, students are reading a passage entitled “Malin Kundang.” Every student is called to read a few lines from the text. After reading, he is asked to translate the few lines he has just read into Bahasa Indonesia. The teacher helps him with new vocabulary items. When the students have finished reading and translating the passage, the teacher asks them by using Bahasa Indonesia if they have any questions. one boy raises his hand and says, “What is fisherman?”. The teacher replies by speaking in Bahasa Indonesia “seseorang yang sering pergi ke laut sore hari dan pulang malam hari”. Another student says, “don’t understand”, then teacher directly says “nelayan."

As the students do not have any questions, the teacher asks them to write the answer to the comprehension questions which appear at the end of the excerpt. The questions are written in English, and they are asked to write the answer in English as well. They do the first question together as the example. A student who sits in the front row read out load, “Where did Malind Kundang go?”. Another student replies, Malin Kundang go to the sea. Teacher says, benar! . And then students begging working by themselves quietly.
  

In addition to the questions which asks the information in the reading text, the students answer two other types of questions. for the first type, they have to make inference based on their understanding of the passage. For example, one question is “Do you think that Malin was Arrogant?”. Another question is relating the information in the text with their experience. For example, have you ever been angry to your mother?” 

After an hour, the teacher speaking in Bahasa Indonesia, ask the students to stop doing the question and check their work. One by one, each student reads a question and then read his or her response. If the answer is correct, the teacher calls on other students to read the next question. If the student is wrong, the teacher selects a different student to give the correct answer or the teacher gives her/his right answer. 

The next is another activity where teacher asks students to turn over the page in their text. There is a list of words there. The introduction to the exercise tells the students that the words are taken from the text which they have read. The students see the words ‘fisherman’, ‘stepped’, ‘safety’, blurry’. The students are requested to give the meaning in Bahasa Indonesia. This exercise is done together in the class. if no one knows the meaning, teacher gives the meaning. 

The next section of the chapter deals with grammar. The students follow in their books as the teacher reads a description of two-word (phrasal verbs. This is a review for them as they have encountered phrasal verb before. Nevertheless, there are some new two-word verbs in the passage the students have not learned yet. These are listed following the description, and the students are asked to translate them into Bahasa Indonesia. Then they are given the rule for use of direct object with two-word verbs.

If the two-word verb separable, the direct object may come between the verb and its particle. However, separation is necessary when the direct object is a pronoun. If the verb is inseparable, then there is no separation of the verb and particle by the object. For example:

Marlina put on her cap

Or

Marlina put her cap on

But not

*Marlina put on it

(because “put on” is separable two-word verb)

After reading over the rule and examples, the students are asked to tell which of the following two-word verbs, taken from the passage, are separable and which inseparable. They refer to the passage for clues. If they cannot tell from the passage, they use their dictionaries or ask their teacher.

After reading over the rule and examples, the students are asked to tell which of the following two-word verbs, taken from the passage, are separable and which inseparable. They refer to the passage for clues. If they cannot tell from the passage, they use their dictionaries or ask their teacher.

Turn down         take care          get up               Run-away          pull up                   lay down           Take off Go out               go down                take away

Finally, they are asked to put one of these phrasal verbs in the blank of each of the 5 sentences they are given. They do the first together.

1.Malin Kundang ……………. From home.

When the students are finished with this exercise, they read their answer aloud.

In the next meeting, students are asked to translate the text entitle “Malin Kundang”. 

The students are asked to memorize the word present tense, past tense, and past participle form of this irregular paradigm:

see     saw     seen
go      went    gone
Do     did       done


After reading the experience above, now let's think it about!

Observation	Principles
The class is reading an excerpt from “Malin Kundang”	The fundamental purpose of leaning language is able to read literature written in it. Literary language is superior to spoken language. students’ study of target language culture is limited to its literature and fine arts. (tujuan utama mempelajari Bahasa adalah bahwa siswa dapat membaca literature tertulis. Literatur tulisan lebih superior dibandiingkan dengan lisan.
Students translate the text form English to Bahasa Indonesia	The important goal is that learners are able to translate each language into another language. they are considered successful learners if they are able to do so.
Teacher asks students in their native (Bahasa Indonesia) if they have any questions. students ask and answer in Bahasa Indonesia.	It is believed that the ability of communication in target language is not the goal of language instruction.
Students write out the answer to reading comprehension questions.	The primary skills developed are writing and reading. While listening and speaking only little.
The teacher decides whether the answer is correct or not. If the answer is incorrect, the teacher selects a different student to supply the correct answer or the teacher herself gives the right answer.	The teacher is the authority in the class. look more teacher centered.
Students translate new word from English into Bahasa Indonesia	It is possible to find native language equivalent for all target language words.
Students are given grammar rule.	Important to learn the rule of target language
Students apply the rule of the grammar.	Deductive: teaching grammar explicitly is used.
Students memorize vocabulary.	Language learning provide good mental exercise.
Students memorize present tense, past tense, past participle forms of one set of irregulars.	The verb conjugation and other grammar rules should be committed to memory. This is almost done by Indonesian English Teacher in the past that they ask their learner to memorize the rule of tenses.

Techniques that are used in Grammar Translation Method:

1.Translation Literary passage
2.Reading comprehension questions
3.Antonym/synonym
4.Teaching by using deductive technique, teacher teaches the rules of grammar
5.Fill in the blank exercise
6.Memorization
7.Use words in sentences

Look the text of Malin Kundang.

Reference:

Freeman-Larsen, D & Anderson, M .2011. Technique and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford. Oxford University Press.