Translate in the classroom

[Tania Santacruz]

Hi everybody... to me this is an interesting subject because all the different opinions there are about the subject... as Teachers, what do you think about translate in the classroom? I've heard so many opinions, like: "The Ss must think in L2 all the time, instead of translating from L1 to L2"...

What do you think about this? Have you translate in your classroom?

[Carlos Raul Lopez Reatiga]

Tania,
Translation is indeed a resource for learning a language. It is a helpful tool. However, it is my opinion that translation doesn't really exist as such. I mean, what we get is the interpretation of some words, sentences, or paragraphs.
Interpretation is, as many other things in real life, interpreted in different ways by different people. See this example:


Translation helps to learn a language but it should be left as the last resource if your objectives are others rather than translating from one language to another.
When students want to learn the target language for communicating in real situations, translation is not of great help for them since it will take them too much longer to really communicate.
That's what I think.
CU Around ;)
Carlos Raul

[Monica Janeth Lopez Uribe]

HelloO Tania
I think that translate in the classroom is not the best option to do, because sometimes students want to translate everything specially when they write they want to translate exactly every word and sometimes it doesn`t make sense and give another meaning different from their idea.
You have to teach them not translate all the time make them try to get the idea of what they are reading or wite make them think in English and speak in english.
if you could please reply to my discussion about teaching deductive or inductive and why?
=)

[yolanda]

Ss have this problem all the time spetialy if they had never had English before but if they had never had a teacher that spoke to them in English they will have diffulties on understanding what you are teaching them but if you use the translation they will never get use to english and understanting the language.

by the way can you pleas post me a coment on my discussions on Encyclomidia plis.

see you take care.

[Michael Nolan]

Sometimes the teacher might want to use L1 in the classroom to discuss non-academic ideas, such as hours, homework assignments, or other requirements. This is particularly true in beginning classes. Even in an advanced class, it might be appropriate to say, "Hay un temblor--¡todos afuera!" rather than, "Everybody out--there's an earthquake!"

At beginning and intermediate levels you might want to have the students translate new vocabulary or instructions (for a game, activity, test, etc.) This is especially true if it appears that one or more students don't understand. In this case, try to have a student translate for the others, rather than doing it yourself.

Jeremy Harmer, "The Practice of English Language Teaching," (Longman: Harlow, Essex 1983) makes the latter point on page 203.