32 and intellectual development that result from foreign language
study. b. Reading and writing are the major focus; little or no systematic
attention is paid to speaking or listening. c. Vocabulary selection is based solely on the reading text used, and
words are taught through bilingual words list, dictionary study, and memorization.
d. The sentence is the basic unit of teaching and language practice. e. Accuracy is emphasized.
f. Grammar is taught deductively. g.
The student‟s native language is the medium of instruction.
45
Meanwhile Prator and Celce-Murcia 1978:3 list the major characteristics of Grammar Translation Method as follow:
a. Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little active use of the target language.
b. Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words. c. Long elaborate explanations of the intricacies of grammar are given.
d. Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and
instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words. e. Reading of difficult classical texts is begun early.
f. Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.
g. Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue.
h. Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.
46
The writer may infer that Grammar Translation Method is focus on the rules of grammar and translation. It‟s little attention on oral skills
especially on speaking the target language. The teacher does not really assist the student to learn the language itself. So, it makes them often
fail to activate their language acquisition in the classroom.
3. The Principles of Grammar Translation Method
The principles of the Grammar Translation Method may be summed up in the following lists:
a. Literary language is superior to the spoken language
45
Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language,…,
p.52.
46
H. Douglas Brown, Principle of Language Learning and Teaching , …, p.16.
33 b. Translating each language into each other is an important goal for
learners. c. The authority in the classroom is the teacher.
d. To be able to communicate with tar get language‟s speakers is not
among the goals. e. The primary skills to be improved are reading and writing.
f. Its focus is on accuracy and not fluency. g.
Error correction: If a student‟s answer of a question is incorrect, the teacher selects a different student to give the correct answer or she
replies himselfherself.
47
From the lists above, the writer assumes that the teacher control the teaching and learning activities. The reading and writing as primary
skills in this method. The language translates into the learner mother
tongue.
4. The Techniques of Grammar Translation Method
There are some commontypical techniques closely associated with
the Grammar Translation Method. The following lists here are:
a. Translation Translation of a Literary Passage Translating target language to
native language b. Reading Comprehension Questions Finding information in a
passage, making inferences and relating to personal experience c. AntonymsSynonyms Finding antonyms and synonyms for words or
sets of words d. Cognates Learning spellingsound patterns that correspond between
L1 and the target language e. Deductive Application of Rule Understanding grammar rules and
their exceptions, then applying them to new examples f. Fill-in-the-blanks Filling in gaps in sentences with new words or
items of a particular grammar type g. Memorization Memorizing vocabulary lists, grammatical rules and
grammatical paradigms h. Use Words in Sentences Students create sentences to illustrate they
know the meaning and use of new words i. Composition Students write about a topic using the target
language.
48
47
http:oswaldoipc.wordpress.com20070622the-grammar-translation-method Retrieved on Friday, 13
th
of May, 2009
48
Diane Larsen-Freeman, Teaching and Principles in Language …, p. 13-114.
