Grammar Translation Method

TEACHING METHODS: COMPARISON BETWEEN VERNACULAR AND ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOLS FROM HYDERABAD

Upender Maloth

PhD Scholar

(PhD Scholar, Department of Linguistics and Contemporary English, the EFL-University, India)

Abstract

The project reports on the methods of language teaching at school level in Hyderabad. This study is comparative in nature. This study covers two methods of language teaching, i.e. the grammar translation method and the direct method. The main goal of the study is to compare the methods of teaching in the vernacular (Telugu) medium and the English medium classrooms. The procedure we used is observing the class from both schools. In the project, we find contrast between the vernacular medium classroom and the English medium class

 To find out how their socio-economic, cultural and family background effect their education.

Comparison between Vernacular medium and English Medium language Classroom

Vernacular Medium Classroom

In this classroom, Grammar translation method is used to teach. The entire class is mostly based on translation. Since the students of the classroom were introduced to the second language in fifth standard, they have to translate the sentences in their mother tongue. They should be taught in two languages. Students socio-economic, cultural and their parents’ educational background effect their education. Students from this background do not have much exposure to learn and speak in second language.

The grammar-translation method

It is way of learning and teaching a language through a detailed study of its grammar. The learner then applies the rules of grammar in translating sentences and parts of texts from the mother tongue into the target language and vice versa. ‘The first language is maintained as the reference system in the acquisition of the second language.’ (Stern 1983)

The following is a list of the features of the

The associations have to be direct, concrete and definite, and cross associations which conflicted with each other are to be avoided.

• Repletion is essential if associations have to formed and reinforced. The teacher should begin with a limited number of items.

• Memory depends not only on repletion, but attention and interest as well. So, if a learner is motivated and wants to learn a language, he/she will do it.

• The teaching materials, namely, texts, dictionaries and grammar should be interrelated and coordinated to make learning effective.

• Formal teaching of grammar should be done only after learners have intuitively absorbed it from the texts. There should be no memorisation of words list, verb inflection, etc. Grammar teaching should begin at the sentence level (and not word level) as syntax is the most important part of grammar.

Stages of learning

Sweet divided the learning of a target language into five stages.

1) Mechanical – pronunciation of words and sentences are mastered