王　卓　李雅娟

Abstract:Grammar-translation Approach and Communicative Approach are both very important teaching method in the process of second language learning. This paper mainly discusses the connection between these two aproaches, and discusses their distinct features.

Keywords:Grammar-translation Approach；Communicative Approach；distinct features

中图分类号： H319文献标识码: A文章编号：1672-1578（2009)5-0015-02

1 Introduction

Teaching method plays an irreplaceable role in the research of second languae teaching and learning practices. Many research have been put on teaching method in order to find the most effective and efficient way in teaching foreign languages. Among these teaching methods, grammar-translation approach has been adopted in China in the early period of second language teaching practice. While, Communicative Approach has been adopted more and more nowadays. Grammar-translation method and communicative approach are both very important teaching methods in second language learning and acquisition. They all play very important roles in the relevant learning and teaching activites. But they all have their own characteristics in the practices of second language learning and teaching concerning with the core, the teaching procedure, the objective and achivement and many other aspects. This paper will discuss and compare these two teaching approaches briefly.

2 Comparison between Grammar-translation and Communicative Approach

Its very hard to make a clear line to distinct Grammar-translation Approach and Communicative Approach, since there must be some overlap and similarities between them. One thing we can make sure is that Grammar-translation Approach was once very popular in our country, and was once a dominate approach to teach English. But nowadyas, communicative approach has been adopted in English teaching activities more and more.

As compared with many other methods and approaches, Grammar Translation tended to be referred to in the past tense as if it no longer existed and had died out to be replaced world-wide by the fun and motivation of the communicative classroom. If we examine the principal features of Grammar Translation, however, we will see that not only has it not disappeared but that many of its characteristics have been central to language teaching throughout the ages and are still valid today. The Grammar Translation method embraces a wide range of approaches but, broadly speaking, foreign language study is seen as a mental discipline, the goal of which may be to read literature in its original form or simply to be a form of intellectual development.

2.1Time period

Grammar-translation Approach at first appeared in the 1960s and is still regared as one effective way of learning foreign language without close contact with native speaker. But in a long run, students would able to use second language outside the classroom under the instruction of Grammar-translation Approach. While this approach does not directly practise language use in the classroom, it can provide a basis for language use when the student requires it (Cook, 177).

The approach to language teaching that can be broadly labelled as communicative language teaching emerged in the 1970s and 1980s as the emphasis switched from the mechanical practice of language patterns that engaged the learner in more meaningful and authentic language use. At the height of the Communicative Approach to language learning in the 1980s and early 1990s, it became fashionable in some quarters to deride so-called "old-fashioned" methods and, in particular, something broadly labelled "Grammar Translation".

There were numerous reasons for this change but principally it was felt that translation itself was an academic exercise rather than one which would actually help learners to use language, and an overt focus on grammar was to learn about the target language rather than to learn it.

2.2Teahing procedure

Grammar-translation method is very much based on the written word and texts are widely in evidence. A typical approach would be to present the rules of a particular item of grammar, illustrate its use by including the item several times in a text, and practise using the item through writing sentences and translating it into the mother tongue. The text is often accompanied by a vocabulary list consisting of new lexical items used in the text together with the mother tongue translation. Accurate use of language items is central to this approach. Grammar-translation method doesnt directly teach people to use the language for some ppurpose outside the classroom, but it is nevertheless frequently intended as preparation for the actual use of language(Cook,177).

Generally speaking, the medium of instruction is the mother tongue, which is used to explain conceptual problems and to discuss the use of a particular grammatical structure. It all sounds rather dull but it can be argued that the Grammar Translation method has over the years had a remarkable success. Millions of people have successfully learnt foreign languages to a high degree of proficiency and, in numerous cases, without any contact whatsoever with native speakers of the language.

Most present-day practitioners would probably like to think that their classes are "communicative" in the widest sense of the word. Their lessons probably contain activities where learners communicate and where tasks are completed by means of interaction with other learners.

To this end there will probably be considerable if not extensive use of pair, group and mingling activities, with the emphasis on completing the task successfully through communication with others rather than on the accurate use of form. During these activities the teachers role will be to facilitate and then to monitor, usually without interruption, and then to provide feedback on the success or otherwise of the communication and, possibly, on the linguistic performance of the learners in the form of post-activity error correction.

In terms of the organization of the lesson, the classic present, practice and perform model, where careful input of a particular structure is typically followed by controlled, less controlled and freer practice is likely to have been replaced by a more task-based approach, possibly on the lines of test, teach, test, where the learners are given a communicative task which is monitored by the teacher and then their language use while performing the task is fine-tuned by the teacher in a lesson stage which focuses on error correction or a particular form that is causing difficulties. This is typically followed by a further task-based stage, where the initial task is repeated or a similar task is performed, ideally with a greater degree of linguistic accuracy than during the first attempt.

Another feature will probably be that the traditional grammatical approach of starting the beginners syllabus by presenting the present tense of the verb ‘to be will have been replaced by a more communicative focus, with basic introductions, requests and questions enabling learners to begin communicating in English from the very first lesson. It is probably fair to say that, as we look at the language classroom of 2009, there will probably be a certain degree from stepping back from the extremes of the totally communicative classroom, with its obsession about reducing teacher talking time to a minimum and maximizing the opportunities for communication.

2.3Teaching syllabus

There are certain types of learner who respond very positively to a grammatical syllabus as it can give them both a set of clear objectives and a clear sense of achievement. Other learners need the security of the mother tongue and the opportunity to relate grammatical structures to mother tongue equivalents. Above all, this type of approach can give learners a basic foundation upon which they can then build their communicative skills.

While communicative approach tended to give the impression of a syllabus without direction and a sense of communication for communications sake. What we will probably find now is a more balanced approach with opportunities for structural input (including practice of language patterns). There will, however, almost certainly be an emphasis on more authentic contexts with example sentences being at the very least semi-authentic and potentially of communicative use rather than arbitrary examples of form with little or no communicative value. In todays classroom we will probably also see a lot of authentic listening and reading material being used and far fewer contrived texts designed to illustrate grammatical form or present items of vocabulary and with no attempt to communicate a meaningful message to the listener or reader. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the communicative approach will be that it has allowed teachers to incorporate motivating and purposeful communicative activities and principles into their teaching while simultaneously retaining the best elements of other methods and approaches rather than rejecting them wholesale.

3 Conclusion

Applied wholesale of course, it can also be boring for many learners and a quick look at foreign language course books from the 1950s and 1960s, for example, will soon reveal the non-communicative nature of the language used. Using the more enlightened principles of the Communicative Approach, however, and combining these with the systematic approach of Grammar Translation, may well be the perfect combination for many learners. On the one hand they have motivating communicative activities that help to promote their fluency and, on the other, they gradually acquire a sound and accurate basis in the grammar of the language. This combined approach is reflected in many of the EFL course books currently being published and, amongst other things, suggests that the Grammar Translation method, far from being dead, is very much alive and kicking as we enter the 21st century.

Without a sound knowledge of the grammatical basis of the language it can be argued that the learner is in possession of nothing more than a selection of communicative phrases which are perfectly adequate for basic communication but which will be found wanting when the learner is required to perform any kind of sophisticated linguistic task.

Bibliography:

[1]Cook,Vivian.Second Language Learning and Language Teaching [M].Beijing: Foreign Language Teacing and Research Press，2000.

[2]Yalden,Janice Principle of Course Design for Language Teaching [M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teacing and Research Press，2000.

作者简介：王卓（1982-），女，助教，陕西人，河南科技大学外国语学院教师，主要从事语料库语言学及二语习得的研究。

李雅娟（1980-），女，助教，陕西人，河南科技大学外国语学院教师，主要从事二语习得及教学法的研究。