Translation As An Effective Approach In Foreign Language Teaching: A Re-evaluation

There has been a long history to use translation as a teaching method in the foreign language classroom, a method that goes back to the Grammar Translation Method in the classical period. It was originally associated with the teaching of Latin and classic Greek, with the aim to develop an ability to read original texts rather than to speak. With the emergence of both language learning theories and linguistic theories, translation, as a teaching method, underwent the fall from grace, and gradually lost support from teachers who always prefer theory-based methods such as the Communicative Method. The dissertation first gives an overall review to the translation-related teaching method, to show a clear picture of translation in the development of foreign language teaching (FLT). Other teaching methods using translation include Community Language Learning (CLL), and Suggestopedia.Translation has been a controversial issue in FLT field. People enumerate its various disadvantages: it causes negative transfer; it inhibits thinking in the foreign language; it is not a communicative activity, etc. However, those who are strongly against it seem to base their opinion on a limited and partia] understanding of translation, and fail to exploit its full potential in FLT. There is a fact worth noticing that learners do, and always will translate the foreign language into their mother tongue. No matter how often they are told not to, and no matter what teaching method they are subjected to, learners of a foreign language seem to use translation as a "natural process" (Danchev, 1983: 37-38 ) or a "learner-preferred strategy" (Atkinson, 1987: 41). There are various advantages of using translation in FLT. For example, translation invites speculation and discussion within a meaningful context, and is a kind of communicative activity; it exposes the learners to authentic texts of great variety, and so can improve learners' language competence; it is ideal forstudying the language system and can help students understand more clearly the differences of the two languages, etc. The dissertation analyzes both the pros and cons on the basis of different theories, and discusses the reasons why translation can be seen as an effective means to achieve foreign language teaching and learning goals.The role of translation in FLT has been analyzed in three aspects - reading, writing, and lexical acquisition. In reading, translation can help learners to achieve better comprehension of texts, increase their culture background knowledge, and improve their reading skills such as inferring meaning from context. Moreover, it is a good evaluative device in reading class. Though the mental translation process may slow down the reading speed, we can find a way to offset the weak points and make the best use of its assets. In writing, translation is extensively used by students for generating ideas, searching for topics, developing concepts, and organizing information. Students feel that with the help of translation, the ideas are easier to develop, and thoughts and opinions could be expressed more clearly. In addition, translation can contribute to the complexity and coherence of the writing. The dissertation recommends some translation exercises - sentence translation exercise, back translation , and guided writing, to be used because they have been proved effective to improve students' writing skills, to lexical acquisition, translation plays a more important role. It leads to incidental learning of vocabulary, and is a direct and efficient way for learners to understand the meaning and notice the nuances of words and make learners feel secure to use them. Experiments are conducted to study the influence of translation exerting on lexical acquisition, and prove that translation is helpful for both the memorization and application of new words.There are several characteristics for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Chinese context. First, English is usually learned in the classroom, and language teachers are usually native Chinese, so students are rarely exposed to English in a natural environment. Second, the English Classes usually have too many studentsand English teaching hours are limited. Third, English teaching and learning are influenced by the traditional relationship between Chinese teachers and students. This relationship puts the teacher at the center of classroom activities, and students at a passive position. Fourth, we have a rigid examination system. There are something more of unique Chinese features. Therefore, in Chinese context, because of the great imbalance of inputs between Chinese and English, no matter how hard students try to avoid using Chinese in class, they can rarely override its influence on English learning. Translation is the basic way to understand and practice the foreign language in the background of non-foreign-language environment. Moreover, students are accustomed to the traditional role in an enlarged class, and both teachers and students have to work to pass all kinds of examinations. So instead of trying to minimize the role of Chinese in class, teachers should make good use of the students' knowledge of mother tongue which is so strongly ingrained, for the maximum benefit of English learning. The dissertation proposes some teaching models to use translation in EFL to encourage students to participate in problem solving activities and creative language use. Some guidelines are also suggested to teachers when to use translation in class: to be aware of the extent of using LI; to be careful enough when selecting translation material; to give learners prior guidance on practical procedures but not the ultimate or the "right" answer; to make good use of pair work and group work; and to make translation a process-based activity.In the end, the dissertation re-defines what we understand by translation in an EFL context, which should include the communicative nature of translation and encourages both students and teachers to correct their misconception, that is, translation is merely a boring, pointless and uncommunicative text-based activity, and let them realize that translation functions as an accelerator in foreign language learning rather than an obstacle. Here is the tentative re-definition: "Translation is a communicative process used in foreign language as a means of teaching, in which efforts are made to transfer the meanings of one language into an oral or written expression of another, which conveys an equivalent message".