The Effects of Translation as a Pedagogical Tool in Teaching Non-english Majored Students
Main Article Content
Abstract
Although teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has reached the post-method era, which means no single method is considered the best way of teaching, the use of translation and first language (L1) instruction remain a much avoided element in many English classrooms. Nevertheless, current studies in Vietnam have shown that both teachers and students are supportive of, or at least not against the idea of moderately using L1 in EFL classes. This study aims at further exploring the effectiveness of translation as a pedagogic tool in an EFL class for Vietnamese non-English majored students. After comparing the students’ performance after learning through translation method and other methods with no use of L1, it seems that the students who were taught using translation tasks were able to use items of vocabulary and language structures they have just learned more frequently and precisely. It was also discovered that the act of translating not only provided the students with more learning opportunities but also enabled the teacher to monitor the students’ progress more closely. Despite being a preliminary work, this study hopes to contribute as an evidence supporting the use of translation as part of a multi-section lesson of EFL.
Keywords:
Translation, L1 usage, code-switching, non-English majored students.
References
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[2] S. Machida, Translation in Teaching a Foreign (Second) Language: A Methodological Perspective, Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 2, No. 4, 2011.
[3] K. Malmkjaer, Translation and Language Teaching: Language Teaching and Translation, St. Jerome Publishing, Manchester, 1998.
[4] C. James, Three Uses for Translation in Foreign Language Teaching, Works in Applied Linguistics, Vol. 13, 1989, pp. 15-26.
[5] L. T. H. Chan, Post-Communicative Pedagogies: Revisiting the Translation Method of Teaching English in East Asia, Translation and Interpreting, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2015, pp. 75-90.
[6] P. Scheffler, Learners’ Perceptions of Grammar-Translation as Consciousness Raising, Language Awareness, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2013, pp. 255-269, https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2012.703673.
[7] A. Galante, English Language Teaching in the Post-Method Era, Contact Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 4, 2014, pp. 57-62.
[8] S. Laviosa, Translation and Language Education: Pedagogic Approaches Explored, Routledge, 2014.
[9] A. Kaharuddin, The Communicative Grammar Translation Method: A Practical Method To Teach Communication Skills of English, ETERNAL (English, Teaching, Learning, and Research Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2018, pp. 232-254.
[10] P. H. Hiep, Communicative Language Teaching: Unity Within Diversity, ELT journal, Vol. 61, No. 3, 2007, pp. 193-201.
[11] N. T. Nhan, H. T. Lai, The Current State of the Art in ELT with Special Reference to the use of the First Language in EFL Classes in Vietnam, Language in India, Vol. 12, No. 3, 2012.
[12] K. H. K. Anh, Use of Vietnamese in English Language Teaching in Vietnam: Attitudes of Vietnamese University Teachers, English Language Teaching, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2012, pp. 119-128.
[13] F. Gallagher, Considered in Context: EFL Teachers’ Views on the Classroom as a Bilingual Space and Codeswitching in Shared-L1 and in Multilingual Contexts, System, Vol. 91, 2020.
[14] M. Edwards, J. M. Dewaele, Trilingual Conversations: A Window into Multicompetence, International Journal of Bilingualism, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2007, pp. 221-242.
[15] M. A. K. Halliday, An Introduction to Functional Grammar, Routledge, 1994.
[16] N. T. Nguyen, P. Grainger, M. Carey, Code-Switching in English Language Education: Voices from Vietnam, Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 6, No. 7, 2016.
[17] I. Puspawati, Teachers’ Use of Code Switching in EFL Classroom and its Functions, Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2018, pp. 42-51.
[18] E. Üstünel, Eda, P. Seedhouse, Why That, in That Language, Right Now? Code‐Switching and Pedagogical Focus, International Journal Of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 15, No. 3, 2005, pp. 302-325.
[19] J. D. O’Cain, G. Liebscher, Primary Language Use in Foreign Language Classrooms, In M. Bigelow, J. Ennser-Kananen (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Educational Linguistics, Routledge, New York, pp. 349-360.
[20] S. Krashen, Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning, Pergamon Pres, Oxford, 1981.
[21] G. J. Gorsuch, Yakudoku EFL Instruction in Two Japanese High School Classrooms: An Exploratory Study, JALT Journal, Vol. 20, No. 1, 1998, pp. 6-32.
[22] L. M. A. Iglesias, Students’ Opinions about the use of L1 in an Intermediate Level Course, Unpublished Master’s Thesis, University of St Mark and St John, 2016.
[23] R. G. Kern, The Role of Mental Translation in Second Language Reading, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Vol. 16, No. 4, 1994, pp. 441-461.
[24] I. Spahiu, Using Native Language in ESL Classroom, International Journal of English Language and Translation Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2013, pp. 243.
[25] D. Atkinson, The Mother Tongue in the Classroom: A Neglected Resource?. ELT journal, Vol, 41, No. 4, 1987, pp. 241-247.
[26] J. M. O'malley, A. U. Chamot, Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990.
[27] Y. F. Chang, On the Use of the Immediate Recall Task as a Measure of Second Language Reading Comprehension, Language Testing, Vol. 23, No. 4, 2006, pp. 520-543.
[28] T. Lee, Incorporating Translation into the Language Classroom and Its Potential Impacts upon L2 Learners, In D. Tsagari, G. Floros (Eds.), Translation in Language Teaching and Assessment, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013, pp. 3-22.
[29] T. S. Kabir, Teachers’ and Students’ Perception of Using Translation (L1) for Developing Reading Skill, Shanlax Internatioanl Journal of English, Vol. 8, No. 4, 2020, pp. 1-11.
[30] S. Latsanyphone, S. Bouangeune, Using L1 in Teaching Vocabulary to Low English Proficiency Level Students: A Case Study at the National University of Laos, English Language Teaching, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2009, pp. 186-193.
[31] H. Navidinia, S. A. Nazarloo, Z. Esmaeili, Using Translation in Foreign Language Classrooms: Examining Its Effectiveness in Teaching Vocabulary to EFL Students, AJELP: Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy,
Vol. 6, 2018, pp. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol6.1.2018.
[32] A. M. De Groot, J. G. Van Hell, The Learning of Foreign Language Vocabulary, In J. F. Kroll,
A. M. De Groot (Eds.), Handbook of Bilingualism: Psycholinguistic Approaches, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 9-29.
[33] M. Koletnik, Expanding Vocabulary Through Translation-An Eclectic Approach, Scripta Manent, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2012, pp. 2-12.
[34] M. Koletnik, Teaching Grammar through Translation, In D. Tsagari, G. Floros (Eds.), Translation in Language Teaching and Assessment, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013, pp. 23-40.
[35] J. Lee, D. L. Schallert, E. Kim, Effects of Extensive Reading and Translation Activities on Grammar Knowledge and Attitudes for EFL Adolescents, System, Vol. 52, 2015, pp. 38-50.
[36] H. Navidinia, M. Akar, J. Hendevalan, Using Translation in Language Teaching: Exploring Advantages and Disadvantages from Linguistic, Humanistic and Practical Perspectives, International Journal of English Language and Translation Studies, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2019, pp. 12-18.
[37] N, Erdemir, B. Seildhofer, Reconsidering Translation and Mother Tongue in English Language Teaching, In 9th International METU Postgraduate Conference on Linguistics and Language Teaching-Selected Papers, 2009,
pp. 247-262.
[38] S. Campbell, Translation in the Context of EFL-The Fifth Macroskill, TEFLIN Journal, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2002, pp. 58-72.
[39] S. Machida, A Step Forward to Using Translation to Teach a Foreign/Second Language, Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2008, pp. 140-155.
[40] A. Ekoç, Using Translation as a Pedagogical Tool: A Case Study in a Writing Class at Preparatory School, Journal of Language and Literature Research, 2019, pp. 346-357, https://doi.org/ 10.29000/rumelide.606209.
[41] V. H. Van, The Current Situation and Issues of the Teaching of English in Vietnam, 2010 (accessed on: July 15th, 2021).
[42] N. T. B. Hoang, S. H. Jang, Y. Yang, English-Only Classrooms: Ideology versus Reality, Paper Presented at the 2010 AARE Annual Conference, Melbourne, http://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2010/1755 HoangJangYang.pdf/, 2010 (accessed on: July 15th, 2021).
[43] M. Denscombe, The Good Research Guide: For Small Scale Research Projects (Fifth ed.), Open University Press, 2014.
[44] G. Cook, Unmarked Improvement: Values, Facts, And First Languages, In IATEFL Conference, Vol. 18, 2007.
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