The document compares the Grammar-Translation Method and the Direct Method in English language teaching, highlighting their distinct features, advantages, and disadvantages. The Grammar-Translation Method focuses on grammar rules and utilizes the mother tongue, while the Direct Method encourages immersion in the target language and emphasizes communication skills. Ultimately, the author advocates for the Direct Method as a more effective approach for language teaching.

1. STUDENT NUMBER 14210510044
(This can be found on your University card)
COURSE TITLE: Approaches To English Language Teaching
COURSE LECTURER: Öğ. Gör. Dr. Ali Bostancıoğlu
Essay Title (if appropriate): Comparison of Grammar Translation – Method
and Direct Method
Academic Misconduct Declaration
In writing my examination number at the top of this page, I declare:
• that the work that I am submitting for assessment contains no material copied in
whole or in part from any other source unless it is explicitly identified by means of quotation
marks;
• that I have acknowledged any quotations and content based on other sources by
providing detailed references in an approved format;
• that I understand that unidentified and/or unreferenced copying constitutes plagiarism,
which is a very serious offence.
Word Count: _1130
In the interests of giving feedback, it is sometimes best to share writing samples among the students.
Any written work that is shared will be made completely anonymous and all personal information,
including the exam number, will be removed. By checking the following box, I indicate that I do not
wish any part of my written work to be shared:

2. 2

3. The Grammar – Translation Method and Direct Method
“An approach is a set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature of language
learning and teaching” (Edward Anthony, 1965). Edward Anthony emphasizes approaches to
English language teaching techniques and it has several language teaching approaches and
methods, and two of them are the Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct Method. The
Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct method both has been used by language
teachers for many years. The Grammar – Translation Method, which is other name is
Classical method first showed in 18th
century and was originally used for teaching old
languages like Greek, Latin, then it was realized that the Grammar - Translation Method
cannot help develop communication skills. After that, the Direct Method was built with the
inferences to overcome the weakness of the Grammar – Translation Method. As a result of
that, there are many differences in the Features, Advantages and Disadvantages and,
Techniques of these two methods.
Both the Grammar - Translation Method and Direct method has particular features,
and they are really different. In the Direct Method the teacher provides the knowledge in
grammar inductively through speak. On the other hand, the Grammar - translation method is
focused on grammar rules and their application is learned through rules. In the Grammar -
Translation Method students can use their mother tongue but in the Direct Method students
use only target language. This rule is active in vocabulary too. While learning new words
students do not use mother language in the Direct method, they learn new words by practicing
every day. In contrast of that, in Grammar - Translation Method students learn new words by
direct translation of the language. In Grammar - Translation Method is believed that students
learn vocabulary when they are translating. In the Direct Method teacher directs the class
activities, but students are more active than the Grammar – Translation Method. In the
1

4. Grammar - Translation Method teacher is authority in the classroom and students do what
teacher says, that’s why students more active in the Direct Method.
Both the Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct Method commonly have been
using in the language teaching over the world. And both methods have their advantages and
disadvantages. In the Grammar – Translation Method, mother tongue is provided as the
reference system in the learning of the target language. Translation from one language to
another has a big role in language learning. In the Grammar – Translation Method,
comparison between two languages helps students understanding of the meaning of intangible
words and confusing sentences. In contrast of Grammar – Translation Method, the utter
avoidance of the mother language sometimes troubles the Direct Method in teaching the
meaning of complicated sentences. Another disadvantage of the Direct Method is grammar
limitation. Without clear grammar explanation, students shortage a necessary knowledge of
the second language. As a result, they tend to make sentences with a lot of grammatical
mistakes in them. It is difficult for them to protect against mistakes and self-correct them
without the orientation of the rules of the second language. On the contrary of the Direct
Method in Grammar - Translation Method well-disciplined study of grammatical rules have a
big role in encouraging students ability of reading comprehension and making grammatically
correct sentences almost without any mistake. As an advantage of using the Direct Method
we can say the importance of on practicing with new language items and on language skills,
rather than on language knowledge is important in achieving automaticity of using the second
language.
Techniques of these two methods are not totally different from each other. In the
Grammar - Translation Method considering that they can use their native language, they read
a literary passage in second language and translates it into native language. Doing that this
2

5. method believes that who can translate well, can learn language better. In the Direct Method
students reads a passage aloud and it helps to their pronunciation. In this method priority is
speaking well. In the Grammar - Translation Method teacher gives to students 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 items.
( Techniques&Principles in language Teaching, Diane Larsen – Freeman and Marti
Anderson, page 42). Direct Method has a same technique but difference that is in the Direct
Method there is no given exact grammar rules, students have to fill in the blanks using
previous examples. In the Grammar – Translation Method, in the end of the class teacher
gives the students a topic to write about in second language. Sometimes, teacher can ask to
prepare a precis of the passage which they read during class, instead of creating a
composition. As in the Grammar – Translation Method, in the Direct Method, teacher asks
students to write a paragraph with their own words o the major geographical features.
Students can do it from memory, or they can use the reading passage in the class as a model.
In my opinion, the Direct Method is a more effective way than the Grammar –
Translation method to teach a language. It has many benefits for learners. The grammar
translation method easily makes learners bored with a list of isolated words. It limits their
ability on remembering vocabulary because they have to memorize these words. On the other
hand, through demonstration, objects, pictures learners learn vocabulary more easily and
remember longer because these things make a good impression on them rather than just
providing a list of words. Furthermore, the direct method focuses all skills: reading, speaking,
writing, listening and teach the grammar rules while the translation method just focus on
grammar, writing and reading. Sometimes, teachers who teach the translation method have a
tendency to ignore incorrectness on pronunciation. It is actually a big problem for young
learners when they get older. It is hard for them to correct these mistakes and therefore, they
3

6. continue to use incorrect pronunciation. If I were situation like that I will immediately correct
the mistakes of my learners in polite way.
In conclusion I compared two of the most useful approaches to English language
teaching methods which are called the Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct Method.
And I have explained you what the differences are between these two methods according to
their features, advantages, disadvantages and techniques. Both of them have good points and
negative effects, whereas one of them uses mother language but other does not and it is not
helpful for learners to understand complicated sentences. And while one of them focusing on
communication, the other elaborates only grammar rules. If you are a teacher of foreign
language, give full attention to this passage about these two methods. And choose your way
carefully to teach learners a second language.
References
Larsen-Freeman, D and Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language
teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Approach (yaklaşım) Türkçe anlatım by Reyhan Denli. Avaliable onlıne at:
http://egitim.erciyes.edu.tr/~arak/3.TurkceOgreniyorum.com/27-
31Ocak2014TR_EgiticilerSemineri/Yaklasimlar.pdf
(accessed November 2016)
4

7. continue to use incorrect pronunciation. If I were situation like that I will immediately correct
the mistakes of my learners in polite way.
In conclusion I compared two of the most useful approaches to English language
teaching methods which are called the Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct Method.
And I have explained you what the differences are between these two methods according to
their features, advantages, disadvantages and techniques. Both of them have good points and
negative effects, whereas one of them uses mother language but other does not and it is not
helpful for learners to understand complicated sentences. And while one of them focusing on
communication, the other elaborates only grammar rules. If you are a teacher of foreign
language, give full attention to this passage about these two methods. And choose your way
carefully to teach learners a second language.
References
Larsen-Freeman, D and Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language
teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Approach (yaklaşım) Türkçe anlatım by Reyhan Denli. Avaliable onlıne at:
http://egitim.erciyes.edu.tr/~arak/3.TurkceOgreniyorum.com/27-
31Ocak2014TR_EgiticilerSemineri/Yaklasimlar.pdf
(accessed November 2016)
4