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Izabela Wabik ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY Grammar translation method as the best way of teaching English.

Grammar translation method has its long tradition in the field of teaching a language. It is the oldest method of teaching a foreign mean of communication. It was extensively used between the 1840's and 1940's to teach dead languages such as: Latin Greek, Arabic or Persian( Patel,Praveen, and Jain 73). However, it seems to be forgotten and abandoned nowadays since , in spite of having some advantages, the grammar translation method is rather an old fashioned and infective way of teaching a language. Those who are in favour of this method underline, for example that using native tongue for instructions during the lesson ascertains clarity and saves time, which is so precious during the lesson. On the other hand, conducting classes in the source language deprives students of an additional opportunity to practice the language. Moreover, ' It prevents students from thinking directly in English' ( Ibidem 76), which has a bad effect on expressing their thoughts because prior verbalizing the idea the are forced to translate it, first. It can be considered as an advantage that this technique utilizes the translation, rules and comparative study in order to pass the knowledge of a foreign grammatical structures. Undoubtedly, the working knowledge of a mother tongue helps to comprehend the unknown items of a foreign language. Furthermore, comparing the foreign and native grammars may, indeed, be of the great assistance, but the syntax and the structures are just the two of many other aspects of the language. It must be clearly stated that this method seriously neglects such important elements of communication as speaking, listening or writing. It results in the situation that students know a lot about the language but the are not able to use it effectively. The omnipresent translation is sometimes pointed out as the positive aspect of the grammar translation method as it provides better understanding and prevents ambiguity. However, we can not forget that each language includes unique phrases, expressions, and words which cannot be translated due to the fact that they are lacking in the another language. It must be born in mind that not everything can be translated into mother tongue, and even of it is done ' I affects the the sense and the beauty of the words' ( Ibid 75-76). To recap, although grammar translation method was present in the language teaching methodology for so many years its assumptions are not valid any more. Learners , nowadays, have an objective to communicate in language in order to participate in a global community and the described method will not help them to meet this objective. However, we should not reject all its aspects because some of them may occur to be useful.

References: Patel, M.F.,M. Jain, Praven, English Language Teaching ( Methods, Tools. And Techniques). Jaipur, India: Sunrise Publishers & Distributors, 2008. Print.

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