Assignment- Module 2, Section B

London Teacher Training College and Green Tara Institute

Topic:
Choose two or three methods of language teaching and compare/discuss the merits or
otherwise of each.

Subject:
Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages- Module 1

Submitted by:
Hnin Ei Hlaing & Sagawar Hlaing

Submitted to:
Tr. Tara

Submission date:
1st April, 2024

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Grammar Translation Method (GTM)
The Grammar Translation Method, the classical Method, is derived from the teaching
of Latin and Greek. In the United States, it was recognized as the Prussian Method. It is applied
in second language teaching so learners can read and cherish Foreign Language literature.
(Richard, and Rodgers, 2014)

Classroom Practices and Procedures

The aim of the lesson concerned with the Grammar Translation Method is to practice
reading a passage. Students are requested to read the passage as well as to translate it into their
mother tongue. Grammar is being presented and the follow-up exercises include the translation
and grammar-checking tasks. Grammar is taught deductively and memorization is a part of the
learning process. The target is to read the literature which provides the students mentally. As a
result of it, students improve their logical thinking. A capable student who can translate from
one language to another is considered to be a successful language learner. (Larsen-Freeman,
1986)

Audio - Lingual Method (ALM)

Audio - Lingual method, the Army Method, is a linguistic, or structure-based approach
to language teaching. It is used in teaching foreign languages. It is the development of the direct
method which started in World War II.

Classroom Practices and Procedures

The teacher explains things with the mother language which is difficult to understand
by the students. Moreover, teachers teach from books containing short reading passages in the
foreign language, preceded by lists of vocabulary. The student imitates the teacher by listening.

Classroom Techniques
The use of drills and pattern practice is an important feature of the Audio - lingual
Method. Various kinds of drills are used. Brooks (1964:156-61) includes the following:
(a) Repetition - The student repeats the utterance as soon as he has heard it.
(b) Inflection - One word in a statement appears in another form when repeated.
(c) Restatement - The student rephrases an utterance according to instruction.
(d) Transposition - A change in word order is necessary when a word is added.

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According to Diane Larsen-Freeman, from the Grammar Translation Point of view, and Audio-
lingual method view (Brooks 1964),

Categories Grammar Translation Method (GTM) Audio-lingual Method

(ALM)

Goal The goal is to be able to read literature It is aimed to link oral skills
written in the target language with other skills as learning
develops.

Teacher’s role The teacher is a person of authority in the The teacher takes the central
class. role and leads the class.

Students’ role The students are to follow the instructions Learners respond to the
of the teacher. questions of the teacher as an
interaction.

Use of native The mother tongue is mainly used in the L2 is the target language but
language classroom. the teacher explains with L1
if the student needs to follow.

Teacher- The interaction is the teacher to students The teacher leads the class
Student and sometimes students ask the meaning and the student follows the
interactions of vocabulary to the teacher. instructions.

Students’ Students are in a passive situation as the Students learn a new form of
motivation activities are based on translation and verbal behaviour by
memorization. imitating, responding, and
performing controlled tasks.

Learning Grammar is taught deductively. The The learning of structure

process lesson is focused on translating the text through the practice of
into the mother tongue. Memorization is patterns of sound, order, and
part of the learning process and applies form rather than by
the rules to do exercises. explanation.

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 Evaluation The students are to translate the target Students first hear a model
language to their native language in dialogue and they act out
written form or vice versa. individually or in chorus.

Error The correct answer plays a major role. Correction of mistakes in

correction The answer is provided by the teacher if pronunciation or Grammar is
the students don’t know the answer or direct and immediate.
their answers are wrong.

The comparisons of drawbacks and advantages of the two theories

With the rise of new approaches to language learning, the missing points in the GTM and ALM
are being highlighted. The imperfections are discussed as follows:
• The GTM has no specific attention to speaking and listening skills whereas the ALM
focuses on speaking and listening by using visual aids.
• Both of the approaches are extremely teacher-centered.
• Not only the GTM but also the ALM has constant activities and recurring procedures
in the same pattern, leading to a negative effect on students’ motivation.
• A fluent, confident, and well-prepared teacher is needed in ALM.
The merits of the Grammar Translation Method and the Audio - Lingual Method are as follows:
• The students are confident since they have no pressure to use the target language in the
classroom for the GTM when students just focus on the drill for the ALM.
• The GTM enhances the students’ understanding of phrases as it emphasizes the
translation while the ALM encourages the students to level up the pronunciation.
• The students improve their ability to write sentences correctly in the GTM. On the
contrary, the ALM allows the student to build up listening and speaking skills.
• The GTM method does not need a teacher with fluent speaking skills.

Opinion
The GTM and ALM are still used around the nation in Myanmar. The GTM continuation
happens not only in schools but also in universities whereas the ALM is mainly used in foreign
language teaching universities. Both of the methods are not popular nowadays. Every approach
has its uniqueness. Different types of learners, class sizes, and learners’ needs are to be
considered before choosing a method. The class sizes and the number of students are some of
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the reasons to use GTM. Although both of the methods are not popular nowadays, they are
still usable for large group classrooms. Moreover, busy and shy adults fit in with the ALM as
it favors repetitions without the need to emphasize text in the process of learning. Both of the
approaches are still effective in teaching language these days.

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Reference:

Bloch, B., and G. Trager. 1942. Outline of Linguistics Analysis. Baltimore: Linguistic Society
of America.
Brooks, N. 1964. Language and Language Learning: Theory and Practice. 2nd ed. New York
: Harcourt Brace.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (1986) Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Richards, Jack C and Rodgers, Theodore S. (2014) Approaches and Methods in Language
Teaching. 3rd edn. Italy: Cambridge University Press.

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