HOME Assignment 3 PDF

**HOME ASSIGNMENT 3** 1. ***Answer the following questions*** ***This passage is about the Grammar-Translation Method of language teaching. It explains the history and rationale behind this method, which has been used for centuries.*** ***Here's a breakdown of the information:*** ***History: Th...

**HOME ASSIGNMENT 3** 1. ***Answer the following questions*** ***This passage is about the Grammar-Translation Method of language teaching. It explains the history and rationale behind this method, which has been used for centuries.*** ***Here's a breakdown of the information:*** ***History: The method originated in the teaching of classical languages like Latin and Greek, hence its earlier name "Classical Method." In the 20th century, it was widely used for learning foreign languages, particularly to understand literature.*** ***Focus: The Grammar-Translation Method emphasizes memorization and analysis of grammar rules. Students translate between their native language and the target language, with a strong focus on the written form.*** ***Goals:*** ***Reading comprehension: The method aimed to help students understand and appreciate foreign language literature.*** ***Grammar understanding: It was believed that studying the grammar of a foreign language would improve students' understanding of their native language.*** ***Intellectual development: It was thought that the mental exercise of learning a foreign language, even if not spoken, was beneficial for intellectual growth.*** ***Is it accurate?*** ***The passage accurately describes the core principles and history of the Grammar-Translation Method. However, it's important to note that the method is now considered outdated and largely ineffective for most modern language learning goals. This is because:*** ***Limited communication: The strong emphasis on grammar and translation doesn't foster practical communication skills.*** ***Lack of real-life context: Learning through isolated grammar rules and sentences doesn't provide the necessary context for language acquisition.*** ***Artificiality: It often feels unnatural and tedious, discouraging students from engaging with the language.*** ***While the Grammar-Translation Method had its place in the past, modern language learning approaches focus on communicative competence, immersion, and active use of the target language in authentic contexts.*** 1. What are the goals of teachers who use the GTM? 2. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the students? 3. What are the characteristics of the teaching process? Students are taught to translate from one language into another. Often what they translate are readings in the target language about some aspect of the culture of the target language community.  Grammar rules are presented first, followed by examples and practice applying them. They also learn grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations. Learners memorize direct translations of words from the target language into their native language. 4. What areas of language are emphasized? What language skills are emphasized? 5. How is evaluation accomplished? Written tests in which students are asked to translate from their native language into the target language or vice versa are often used. Questions about the target culture or questions that ask students to apply grammar rules are also common. 2. ***Describe the procedure of GTM techniques*** 1. Translation of literary passage. Students are presented with a passage written in the target language. This passage can be an excerpt from a literary work or a specially crafted text.Students translate the passage into their native language. This can be done individually, in pairs, or as a group. focus on: Vocabulary: Identifying and exploring the meaning of key words and phrases. Grammar: Analyzing grammatical structures, such as sentence structure, verb tenses, and specific grammatical rules used in the passage. Idioms & Figurative Language: Understanding the nuances of idioms and figurative language, and translating them in a way that conveys their meaning, not their literal translation. 2. Reading comprehension questions. Students answer questions in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage Literal Comprehension: Questions directly address information explicitly stated in the passage. Inferential Comprehension: Questions require students to draw conclusions and make inferences based on their understanding of the passage, even if the answers aren't directly stated. Personal Connection: Questions encourage students to reflect on the passage and relate it to their own experiences, beliefs, or knowledge. 3. Antonyms/synonyms Students are given one set of words and are asked to find antonyms in the reading passage. A similar exercise could be done by asking students to find synonyms for a particular set of words. Or students might be asked to define a set of words based on their understanding of them as they occur in the reading passage. Other exercises that ask students to work with the vocabulary of the passage are also possible. 4. Cognates Cognate Awareness: Students learn to identify cognates (words with similar origins and often similar spellings and pronunciations) by studying the shared patterns between languages. Pattern Recognition: Teachers introduce patterns that can help students recognize cognates, such as: Spelling patterns: Words like "biology," "democracy," and "technology" have very similar spellings in English and Spanish. Sound patterns: Words like "telephone" and "telephone" have similar pronunciations in English and French. False Cognates (False Friends): Students are also taught about "false cognates" or "false friends," which are words that look similar but have different meanings in the two languages. Examples: "Pretend" in English and "pretender" in French: These words look similar but have different meanings. "Actual" in English and "actual" in Spanish: These words have similar spellings, but "actual" in Spanish means "current" or "present." Memorization: Students learn to memorize false cognates to avoid making mistakes. 5. Fill-in-the blanks Fill-in-the-blanks Exercise Students are given a series of sentences with words missing. They fill in the blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type, such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses. 6. Memorization Students are given lists of target language vocabulary words and their native language equivalents and are asked to memorize them. Students are also required to memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations. 7. Use words in sentences Use Words in Sentences In order to show that students understand the meaning and use of a new vocabulary item, they make up sentences in which they use the new words. 1. Students are introduced to new words, often through lists, flashcards, or contextualized reading passages. 2. **Sentence Construction:** To demonstrate their understanding of the new words, students create their own sentences using those words. This can be done: - **Individually:** Students write sentences on paper or on the whiteboard. - **In Pairs:** Students work together to create sentences using the new words. 8. Composition Writing Prompt: The teacher provides students with a topic for writing in the target language. This topic is often inspired by a reading passage they have studied. Composition: Students are tasked with writing a composition on the given topic, demonstrating their ability to express their thoughts and ideas in the target language. Précis Option: Alternatively, instead of a full composition, students might be asked to write a précis. A précis is a concise summary of the reading passage, highlighting the main points and the author's key ideas. Focus on Grammar and Vocabulary: The emphasis in these writing tasks is on correct grammar and vocabulary usage, 3. ***Check your understanding of GTM?*** 1. It has been said that the GTM teaches students about the target language but not how to use it. Explain the difference in your own words. 2. What are the clues that this method had its origin in the teaching of the classical languages, Latin and Greek? Clues of its origin in classical languages: Emphasis on grammar: Latin and Greek have very complex grammatical structures with extensive rules for declension, conjugation, and syntax. The GTM, with its strong emphasis on these grammatical aspects, mirrors this approach. Focus on written texts: Classical languages were primarily studied through written texts, such as poetry, literature, and philosophical writings. The GTM aligns with this by emphasizing reading comprehension and translation of written materials. Translation as a core activity: Translating from Latin or Greek into the native language was a key practice for understanding these languages. The GTM incorporates translation as a central part of its methodology, reflecting this historical precedent. Literary focus: Classical literature was a primary source for learning and appreciation of these languages. Similarly, the GTM emphasizes learning about the culture and literature of the target language through literary texts. The Grammar-Translation Method, while rooted in the study of classical languages, has evolved and its effectiveness is debated. However, its origins clearly demonstrate its focus on structure, analysis, and memorization, which are essential for understanding a language but might not be sufficient for mastering its communicative use. 4. ***Apply what you have understood about the GTM?*** 1. Think of a particular group of students you have recently taught or are currently teaching. Choose a reading passage from a literary work or a textbook or write one yourself. Make sure it is at a level your students can understand, yet not at a level that would be too simple for them. Try translating it yourself as a text of its difficulty. Plan vocabulary exercises you would use to help your students associate the new words with their native equivalents. - **Match the words:** - desert - пустыня - beautiful - прекрасный - hides - скрывает - well - колодец - **Fill in the blanks:** - The \_\_\_\_ is vast and empty. (desert) - The flower was very \_\_\_\_. (beautiful) - The treasure was \_\_\_\_ under the tree. (hidden) - They found a \_\_\_\_ in the middle of the desert. (well) - **Sentence writing:** - Create a sentence using the word "desert" that describes a place. - Create a sentence using the word "beautiful" that describes something you like. - Create a sentence using the word "hidden" that describes a secret. - Create a sentence using the word "well" that describes how to find water. - "The **beautiful** desert" (adjective before the noun) - "The well was **deep**." (adjective after the noun) **Identify Adjectives:** Circle the adjectives in the passage. beautiful, hidden, deep  There are a list of nouns (sky, flower, book, journey, city) and have them create sentences using adjectives from the passage. - **Comparative and Superlative:**  the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives (e.g., "more beautiful," "the most beautiful"). You have to use these forms to compare and contrast items in the passage. -  Imagine you are the little prince. Write a paragraph about why you think the desert is beautiful. Use at least three adjectives from the passage in your writing. - **Example Composition:** - The **desert** is vast and empty. - The flower was very **beautiful**. - The treasure was **hidden** under the tree. - They found a **well** in the middle of the desert. **Sentence writing:** Example: - The Sahara Desert is a vast and dry desert. - I think the sunset is beautiful. - The secret entrance was hidden behind a bookcase. - The thirsty travelers found a well that provided them with fresh water. 2. Pick a grammatical point or two contained in the same passage. Provide the explicit grammar rule that relates to each one and give some examples. Design exercises that require your students to apply the rule to some different examples. 5. ***Imagine that you are speaking at a methodological conference dedicated to effective methods and technologies for teaching FL. Prove that the grammar-translation method is not outdated, but can be actively used in modern English lessons.*** 6. ***Prepare a lesson plan based on the grammar-translation method.*** 7. ***Make a fragment of your own video lesson based on the grammar-translation method.*** ***REFERENCES*** 1. Diane Larsen-Freeman. Techniques and principles in Language teaching. Oxford University press. 2003. P.11-22. 2. **Richards J.S., Rodgers T.S. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching 2nd edition. --- Cambridge University Press, 2001. --- 278 p.**