The Advantages and Disadvantages of STAD

Grammar Translation Method GTM was known for the first time in the United States as the Prussian Method. This fact is based on B. Sears’ book, an American classics teacher, published in 1845 was entitled The Ciceronian or the Prussian Method of Teaching the Elements of the Latin Language. Teachers teach the language through detailed analysis of its grammar rules firstly, than applied it to the task of translating sentences and texts into students’ native language and vice versa. As Richards and Rodgers state, Grammar Translation Method is a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences and texts into and out of the target language 50 . In this method, while teaching the text book, teacher translates every word and phrase from the target language into students’ native language and gives an explanation of individual points of grammar. Then, teacher gives students sentences. These sentences have to be translated from the target language into their native language and vice versa. The exercises in translation are based on various items covering the grammar of the target language. The method focuses on studying of grammar rules, declensions and conjugations, translation, and practice in writing sample sentences. W. M. Rivers states; Grammar Translation Method requires students to translate accurately the whole texts word by word from students’ native language into target language or from the target language to students’ native language, much stress on memorizing numerous grammatical rules and exceptions as well as enormous vocabulary lists, but little training in using the language actively to express one’s own meaning, even in writing 51 . From those statements above, the writer concludes that Grammar Translation Method is a traditional teaching method that focuses on the analysis of the language grammar rules and translate the structure from the target 50 Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching: a description and analysis, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990, p. 3. 51 W. M. Rivers, Teaching Foreign Language Skills, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1981, 2 nd ed., p. 31. language into students’ native language and vice versa and little training in using the language actively.

2. The Characteristics of GTM

Prator and Celce-Murcia list the major characteristics of Grammar Translation Method as follow: 52 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 of 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. Beside that, Richards and Rodgers write in their book the principal characteristics of the Grammar Translation Method as follow: 53 a. The goal of foreign language study is to learn a language in order to read its literature or in order to benefit from the mental discipline 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 texts used, and words are taught through bilingual word lists, dictionary study, and memorization. d. The sentence is the basic unit of teaching and language practice. 52 H. Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, New York: Longman, 2000, 4 th edition, p. 15 —16. 53 Richards, Approaches and …, p. 3—4.