The Application of Translation Teaching Method in  Middle School English Teaching

The Application of Translation Teaching Method in  Middle School English Teaching

牛丽媛

内蒙古呼和浩特市玉泉区教育教学研究中心 010030

Translation teaching Method is also called grammar-translation Method or maybe Reading Method or Classic Method, and it is a traditional language teaching method. Its simple definition is: A kind of method of using native language to teach foreign language. Its characteristic is using mother tongue and the foreign language learned at the same time in foreign language teaching process, namely: speak a foreign language word, and translate it into the corresponding native word immediately; or speak a sentence, also translate it into native language immediately; read a foreign language text by coherent sentence, and then translate word-by-word. So in the whole process of foreign language teaching, students always use two kinds of languages at the same time. Many teachers sometimes still use the traditional teaching method even though all sorts of new teaching methods come out endlessly today. No matter how numerous the translation teaching methods are, they remain the Pope essentially.Translation teaching method makes full use of the advantages of mother tongue in the teaching process, which can help the teacher save time. There are many complicated structures and abstract concepts in teaching, so use native to explain would be easier and more intuitive, and students can also accept easily.Translation teaching method put the emphasis on reading and writing, thus it contributes to improve the writing and communication skills.

Here are some teaching principles of translation teaching method: Combine the teaching of language, grammar and vocabulary;Putting reading first, cultivate the competence emphatically in reading and translating, and balance the training of speaking and listening;Give grammar priority, reading and translating text are guided by grammar theory.Rely on the mother tongue, treat translation as teaching method, and the principle of teaching.Mother tongue is the foundation for students to study the foreign language. Analyze the text according to the original intention in the translation in order to cultivate students' ability in understanding and translating text.

How to apply translation teaching method in middle school English teaching?

1. Organize the English teaching

     In the process of English teaching, the teacher teaches in English, but the students can't make sense of teaching terms. At this time the teacher should use translation teaching method properly, translate the teaching term to make the students gradually understand and be into situation of English teaching. Just as in the classroom, when students learned a dialogue in the class, the teacher always said "now, make your own conversation with you partner." In this sentence, the word "own" is very abstract, it became the obstacle for students to understand. If the teacher does not point out promptly, some students will still stay in the place of conversation which we have learned in the part of "role play", and could not make any innovation. While the word “own” was more difficult to explain, so it can improve the classroom efficiency using mother tongue by setting up situation.

2. Comment the English characteristics

    It is easy to understand and express English in English learning process for the students who use mother tongue to think and express. So, English teaching should guide the students to grasp the features of English, such as word formation, peculiar meaning of words and sentences applications, etc. Just as English sentence: This is a book. The equivalent Chinese sentences is: 这是一本书. Both of the two sentences are more exact equivalent from the sentence structure, grammar, and the meaning. But, when the sentence is changed into general question, English and Chinese sentence structure come out different changes: Is this a book? 这是一本书吗? Students encountered difficulties in sentence structure changing from Chinese into English. Chinese sentences can complete the transformation from a statement to questions just simply add a question word "吗",but English sentences must adjust the sequence of words. So students have difficulties in the word "吗" in making practical communication. Then how to say the Chinese"吗"in English? As to the vocabulary, part of the connotation is very close both Chinese and English, especially new words and new expression appear, and sometimes they are borrowing from each other. Therefore, teachers should pay attention to guide and compare in explaining words and let students not only understand word meaning in surface but also understand the connotation of words. As to middle school students, there exists great difficulty to fully understand the English explanation of these vocabularies, sentence structures. Teachers can use translation teaching method, with the aid of the native language to describe English sentences or compare English and Chinese sentence, guide the students to master the similarities and differences of English and Chinese, as well as the corresponding relationship between the two languages, so as to avoid using thinking way of Chinese expression, and gradually learn to think and express in the English way.

3. Reveal cultural connotation

    The basic purpose of learning English is to exchange cultural using two kinds of languages. As to the cultural information which English conveys, teachers can use mother tongue properly to make students understand English cultural connotation and use Chinese when students under the puzzled circumstances in using English to explain. Just as in Chinese communication, we often can hear the following dialogue:

  Son: daddy, I want to buy a pair of sports shoes, give me 50 dollars! Father: well, take it. Then the son took the money and walked away.

Use English to express the dialogue is: Son: Dad, I want to buy a pair of sports shoes. Give me 50 Yuan.Father: OK .Here you are.It does not accord with the habit of English communication. But if change it into positive dialogue: Son: Excuse me, dad .I want to buy a pair of sports shoes. Give me 50 Yuan ,please.Father: OK .Here you are.Son: Thank you, dad.Father: You’re welcome.

We may feel the dialogue is not very natural. However, in English culture, it also wants to use "courtesy" in the "request" activities between family members. In native culture, what students used in daily life is "contracted principle" ---- communicative language express targets directly , the emotional language of auxiliary communicative activities is simplified off, especially the communication between close people. In the above example, it is rare to use "thank you" between members of family. If using “thank you”, it sounds very strange, or make a distance between them. The cause of this culture is finally influenced by the Chinese traditional concepts. Respecting aged people becomes the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, the son asks his father for money and the father gives money to his son is considered justice perfectly, because the father has the obligation of raising sons, and almost no elders say "thank you" to junior. That is to be taken for natural, because the elder should be respected. While in English speaking countries, people are in pursuit of independence, equality, and treat people and things with Thanksgiving heart. So "thank you" is used for all occasions, almost all people, even between parents and children, brothers and sisters without exception. It is very necessary to teach students grasp language phenomenon, and only understand the cultural connotation, students can keep the basic communicative etiquette, and make communication more effective.

English teaching method still need reform, research and develop. Teaching methods are changing day by day. However, many teachers returned found that the translation teaching does not completely fail after using all sorts of novel teaching methods. The translation teaching method should not be languished, and sometimes it must be used personally in some stage or some course in translation teaching. As to teaching methods, no matter in the past, now or in the future, foreign language teaching field never advocate to stick to one pattern. It is good to show each teacher’s special teaching way. As long as it can operate, they are all good methods which are worth to be advocated. But in the primary stage, the five abilities: listening, speaking, reading, writing and translating all need to foster and train. There do have the problem to choose which method is more suitable for training. At present, the teaching of listening and speaking are quite effective, while translation teaching method is suitable for cultivating and training the ability of reading and translating.

1