GTM DM

1. Not anew.
2. Has been used by language teachers for many Definition:
years in the teaching classical languages: Latin Named direct because meaning should be
and Greek. connected directly with the TL without a
3. Also referred to as: the Classical Method or the translation into the NL.
Historical Traditional Method.
Concept/Meaning  TL
background: 4. Students learn grammatical rules then apply
Rationale:
them by translating sentences from the TL into
The DM was used because the GTM was
their NL.
inefficient in preparing the students to learn and
5. During the 20th century the GTM was used to
use the TL communicatively.
enable students to read and appreciate foreign
language literature.

1. Translation from the TL into the NL makes 1. No translation is allowed.

successful language learning. 2. Meaning is conveyed directly using the TL
2. The primary skills to develop using the GTM: through:
reading and writing where little attention to - Demonstration. - Visual aids. - No use of NL.
listening and speaking and almost non to 3. Inductive presentation of grammar: (example
pronunciation. presented first to students then the rule is
3. The focus is on accuracy not fluency. figured out/generalized through).
4. Meaning is associated directly with the TL.
Features/ 4. Learning a language is facilitated through 5. Meaning is demonstrated by the teacher
Characteristics: memorization of equivalents and similarities using realia, pictures, and pantomime with
between the TL and the NL. no translation into NL.
5. Grammar is taught using the deductive / 6. Students communicate in real life situations
explicit technique. Students learn the grammar using the TL.
rules and examples, then asked to apply the 7. The syllabus is based upon real life situations
rules to other examples. (at a bank, school, hospital)
6. The GTM mostly depends on memorization of 8. Vocabulary is practiced using new words in
vocabulary and grammatical rules of the TL. complete sentences.

1. Vocabulary is emphasized over grammar.

Skills/Areas 1. Vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing. 2. Oral communication is basic though working
language 2. Little / no attention is devoted to speaking or on the four skills.
emphasized: pronunciation. 3. Reading and writing are based upon
students’ oral practice.
4. Pronunciation is focused from the beginning.
 Goal of the Teacher in DM:
Students should learn to think in the TL.
__________________________

1. Reading in the DM classrooms is developed

through practice with speaking.

2. The teacher should demonstrate not explain

or translate.

3. Meaning is conveyed through realia,

pictures, and pantomime.

Goals of the Teacher in GTM: 4. Students should learn to think in the TL.
1. Main purpose of learning a language is to be 5. Vocabulary is developed if used in full
Principles: able to read literature in the TL. sentences rather than memorizing word lists.
2. Studying literature and grammar of the TL
provides good mental exercise to develop 6. The purpose is to develop language
students’ minds. learning through asking and answering
questions.

7. Self-correction facilitates language learning.

8. Pronunciation is worked on from the

beginning of language instruction.

9. Inductive / implicit presentation of grammar

should be used. No deductive or explicit
grammar is used.

10. The syllabus is based on situations not on

linguistic structures.
The Teacher: The Teacher:
Role of the Has the authority in the classroom. Teachers and students are partners in the
teacher & teaching- learning process.
Students: The Students:
The Students:
do as the teacher say and learn what she knows.
More active and less passive than in the GTM.
Student-teacher interaction: Student-teacher interaction:
Student-
Teacher Most of the interaction is from the teacher to the Although interaction is Teacher-directed the
interaction: students. initiation goes both ways:
/Student- Student-student interaction: - Teacher to students. - Students to teacher.
Student Student-student interaction:
Little student initiation and little student-student
interaction:
interaction. Students converse with one another.
Feelings of the
No aspects in the GTM relevant to this area. No principles of the DM related to this area.
students:
 1. Reading aloud:
1. Translation of Literary Passages:  Students take turns reading sections of a
passage, play, or dialogue out loud.
 Students translate a reading passage from TL
into NL.  At the end of each student’s turn, the teacher
 Translation may be oral or written or both. uses gestures, pictures, realia, examples, to
 Vocabulary and grammatical structure in the clarify the meaning of that section.
past that are studied and subsequent lessons.
2. Question and Answer Exercise:
2. Reading Comprehension Questions:
 Students are given questions and answers
 The 1st group of questions asks for information should be in full sentences (Justify) so they can
involved in the reading passage. practice new words and grammatical structures.
 The 2st group of questions require students to  They have the opportunity to ask questions as
make inferences on their understanding of the well as answer them.
passage.
 The 3st group questions requires seasons to
connect the passage to their own experience. 3. Self-correction:
 Teacher repeats what a student has just said,
3. Using Synonyms/Antonyms: using a questioning voice to signal that
 Give antonyms/synonyms of some words in something was wrong with it.
the reading passage.  Teacher repeats what the student said, stopping
 Define some words in the reading passage just before the error student then knows the
based on their understanding of the given text. next word was wrong.
4. Use of Cognates: 4. Conversation practice:
 Cognates are represented by “the spelling or  Teacher asks students several questions in the
sound pattern” that correspond between the TL, which they have to understand to be able to
NL and TL. answer correctly.
 Students are asked to memorize cognates in
Techniques: the TL with different meanings from those in 5. Dictation:
the NL. Teacher reads the passage three times:
5. Deductive Applications of Grammar Rules: - First: reads it at a normal speed, while
students just listen.
 Grammar rules are presented with examples. - Second: reads the passage phrase by phrase,
Exceptions to each rule are also noted. pausing long enough (Justify) to allow students
 Once students understand a rule, they are asked to write down what they have heard.
to apply it to other different models. - Third: again, reads at a normal speed (Justify)
to help students check their work.
6. Fill-in-the-blanks Exercise:
Students are given a series of sentences with some 6. Fill-in-the-blanks Exercise:
words missing and they fill the blanks with new  It is done using the TL not the NL.
vocabulary or grammatical items.  Students can figure out the grammatical rule
7. Memorization: from the presented examples.
Students memorize lists of TL vocabulary and
their equivalents & grammatical rules-grammatical 7. Paragraph writing:
paradigms such as verb conjugations. Teacher asks the students to write a paragraph in
their own words on the reading passage they
8. Using new words in sentences: studied in class or from memory.
Students are asked to make up new sentences
using the new vocabulary to check their 8. Map Drawing:
understanding. Students are given a map with geographical
9. Composition: features unnamed and are asked to follow the
teacher’s instructions to locate the correct
Students are given a topic related to the presented geographical feature (sea or mountain range for
reading passage and asked to write about it using
the TL. example) Then the students exchange turns with
the teacher. This activity promotes both
student-teacher interaction.
 Language view:
Language view: 1. Language is spoken not written.
2. Students study common everyday speech
The view of Literary language is superior to spoken language. using the TL.
language
Culture view: Culture view:
/culture:
Culture consists of literature and fine arts. Students study culture as consisting of the
history, geography and daily lives of people who
speak the TL.
1. No formal evaluation is provided in the DM.
1. Written tests: students are asked to translate
2. Students are asked to use the language not to
from the NL to the TL and vice versa.
Evaluation demonstrate knowledge of the language
2. Questions about the target culture.
accomplished: through oral skills (Interviews by the
3. Questions about applying the grammatical
teacher) or written skills (writing a paragraph
rules.
on what they studied).

1. Meaning is made clear by translating it into the

Role of the
students’ NL. NL should not be used in the classes of the DM.
students’ NL:
2. The students’ NL is mostly used in the GTM.
Teacher’s
respond to the The teacher supplies the students with the correct The teacher let the student to self-correct their
students’ answer. errors.
errors:
1. Useful for large number classes.
2. Beneficial to use in the class with students of
1. Help the learners to be fluent and focus on
various levels of intelligent.
oral practice.
Advantages: 3. Students understand easily using the method.
2. Create suitable environment for teaching TL.
4. Doesn't consume time finishing the syllabus.
3. A great method for teaching vocabulary.
5. Use pictures of the words and the things to help
students memorize them.

1. No oral work.
2. Focus only on the NL (TL ignored).
1. Not suitable for average/below-average
3. No Speaking in the TL. The only thrust remains
students.
on the reading.
Disadvantages: 2. It is unsuccessful method for early stage of
4. Doesn’t develop thinking in the TL or help the
learning.
students to learn correct pronunciation of the
3. Over emphasis on oral practice.
TL.
5. Doesn’t involve the students mentally.