|
5.2 Discussion To sum up, the result of this dissertation shows that theGTM helps students to make a more obvious improvement in the process of acquiring grammar than the Communicative Language Teaching. The GTM is a useful and helpful method to teach grammar for China middle students. On the contrary, even if the students do not make better progress1in Experimental Class, they become interested in the class and they prefer to use CLTto teach grammar.1Both GTM and CLT have their own advantages and disadvantages in the process of teaching grammar, the reasons will be discussed in detail. 5.2.1 Characteristics of the process of teaching grammar There are five of aspects that are very contrasting in the process of teaching grammar between GTM and CLT. Firstly, the first language ismainly used to teach grammar1in the classroom in GTM (Sanjaya, 2013, p60). The teachers can use the first language to facilitate students in learning grammar and the method makes students think in the first language. Bergsleighner (2002) says that teachers use the first language to help students master the knowledge of grammar effectively. First language can be used by teachers as a useful teaching tool for explaining grammar and in the classroom. The idea of using first language can prevent the waste of time in explanations in the classroom. Cook (2001) also states that first language can be used to explain abstract grammar and to convey the meanings of new vocabulary and complex sentences.The1first language can make a positive influence in the process of learning foreign language to a great extent. Due to this feature, the students’ score in Control Class is much higher and stable than the students in Experimental Class. Most of the time, I taught grammar by using first language and when students had problems, I also used first language to explain grammar. Students can understand and learn grammar easily and deeply. In CLT, the teachers only use the first language in some certain words in teaching learning process (Brown, 2007), the first language is not allowed to be used in the whole class. The teachers help students to learn English by usingmother tongue as the tool of communication (Sanjaya, 2013). Maybe it is difficult to teach and explain grammar in the classroom for the students in middle school. In China, the students who are in middle school very young and they learnt English only about for 4 years, their basic knowledge is not sufficient to learn grammar by only using the target language. Through observation, when asked the students to discuss in small group, I found that most of the students cannot express themselves well and they talked about it by using first language. According to the experiment, the grammar translation method really helps the students to get good grades than the communicative language teaching method. While, the disadvantage is that students rely too much on the first language in grammar translation method. Secondly, theway of memorizing vocabularies is that by translating them into mother tongue in1grammar translation method (Sanjaya, 2013). Students need to memorize countless items of vocabulary. Brown (2007) points out that the GTM is used to help students understand thereal1meaning and then use the vocabularies in English. The1disadvantage is that the students always feel bored in the class and their learning motivation cannot be cultivated successfully. Only 30% of the students think the GTM can stimulate their learning motivation. While, the communicative language teaching method can help students to memorizevocabulary through real word contexts (Brown, 2007). For example, the teacher will use some pictures or cards which present the vocabulary on it to teach the vocabulary. Sanjaya (2013) states that by using the real picture, it is useful for the implementation of the word in sentences or self-expression. Students can acquire the vocabulary in a relaxed environment and they know how to use it in real communication. This suggests why the communicative language teaching method is more favored by the students in China middle school. The questionnaire also illustrates that 80% of the students think the communicative language teaching method is acceptable in the classroom. Thirdly, Harmer (2007) says that the students are taught the grammar deductively in grammar translation method. Gollin (1998) explains the deductive approach is that the teachers teach grammatical rules explicitly, which the students then apply to examples and do exercises in the classroom. The grammar translation method focuses on the students understanding the grammatical rules before producing the sentence of text (Sanjaya, 2013). That is to say, the grammatical rules are explained by the teacher, then through the practice of writing by students. TheGTM1makes a positive influence on the process of mastering the rules of grammar.The1students’ score in the experiment also demonstrates that the GTM is more helpful in learning grammar for China middle school students. Asl (2015, p20) also states that the GTM is suitable for classes with large number of students, because it is a cost-effective and appropriate method that focuses on teacher centeredness. The reason is that the teacher presents the grammars for all of the students at the same time, students only listen to the teacher. That is why the GTM is more popular and acceptable in China middleschools, because there are lots of students in one class. While, the grammar translation method also has its disadvantages. For example, Chang (2010) states that the students acquire the grammatical knowledge in a passive way, they only listen to the teacher in the whole class and need to memory the basic grammatical rules which cannot help to cultivate students’ interests and motivation. Additionally, based on the observation of the students in the Control Class, the students are not interested in learning English grammar and they are not active in the class. I found that most of the students cannot focus on the lesson from begin to the end of class. By contrast, the communicative language teaching method is so different from the GTM since the CLT method focuses on the teacher teaching grammar in an inductive way (Thomspson, 1996). Gollin (1998, p88) explains the conception of the inductive approach is that the grammar is not taught explicitly but “induced from carefully graded exposure to and practice with examples in situations and substitution tables”. That is to say, CLT encourages the students touse target language to communicate with each other and checking the students’ grammatical competence in real sentences or texts. The1advantage of CLT is that the students enjoy the lesson and their interest can be cultivated successfully, because they have many opportunities to communicative with other students. Through observation of the students in the Experimental Class, when I asked the students to discuss in the group and I found that the students were so interested and active. Maybe due to this characteristic of CLT, it is more acceptable by students. But the problem is that1if the teacher does not teach the grammar at the end of theclass, the students will make grammatical errors or mistakes1(Sanjaya, 2013, p61). They may do not have the ability to find out the rules of grammar in China middle school students. Therefore, it is not useful for China middle school students to learn grammar. Additionally, the score in the pro-test also illustrates that GTM is more helpful in the process of learning grammar than CLT in China middle school. Fourthly, the teaching materials are the best and the most convenient resources that can facilitate the teachers to plan various activities and to teach the students in the classroom. The teaching material will be discussed in the GTM and theCLT1respectively. Sanjaya (2013) points out that all of the teaching materials are come from the teachers or a systematic book and the materials are already settled by teachers. Therefore, the students do not have the ability to use or realize the knowledge in real context, because they are not familiar with the social language. While, one of the positive influences is that the students will not be disturbed by bad things from outside of the classroom [ibid]. Students can pay more attention to the grammatical rules in teaching textbook, maybe due to this characteristic of GTM, the students in Control Class can make great score in the post-test. In comparison, Hiep (2005) points out that the authentic teaching materials are usually used by the teachers in the CLT method. The aim of the authentic teaching materials is tohelp the studentsto learn English in1real context. For example, I taught grammar by using some pictures or videos which were come from the websites or TV. In this case, the teaching materials are connected with the real context, so it is useful to improve the students’ ability to use the foreign language in real social life. Ausubel (1960) points out that the teaching and learning of foreign language could be more meaningful by using authentic materials, the reason is that the students’background knowledgecan be stimulated when English is1taught by the teacher that related to students’ learning experience. Larsen-Freeman and Anderson (2011) state that the authentic teaching materials offera real environment tocommunicate with each other1in the classroom which is a significant part in the CLT. Using the authentic teaching materials also can fulfil the purposes of teaching and learning grammatical rules and memorizing sentence structures (Muhammad et al, 2017). While, Ma and Huang (1992) points out that the CLT method does not provide the teacher the security of the textbook, so it is difficult for the teachers to select the teaching materials. The teachers need to filter the authentic teaching materials carefully, so that thestudents’ minds and attitudes will not influent by inappropriate things.15.2.2 Nature of interaction Sanjaya (2013, p60) points out1that the GTM is one-way interaction. Brown and Harmer (2007) also say that most of the activities in the process of language learning are settled by theteacher. The1students acquire the knowledge of grammar in a passive way as the proceduresare planned by the teacher in language teaching and learning. In the classroom, few opportunities are given to the students to use the target language.1Through the observation of the students’ manifestation, I found that most of the students can focus on the lesson carefully, but especially at the end of the lesson, only a few of them can still pay attention to the lesson. Hu (2010) states that the points of knowledge are selected by the teacher from authoritative sources (usually form the text-books and classics), and these points are interpreted, analyzed and elaborated for the students by teacher in the classroom. After the grammatical rules are taught by the teacher in the classroom, the typical exercises such astranslation and fill in the blank1are asked to do in the rest of the class (Chang, 2010). Biggs (1996b) points out that the teaching methods are mostly expository in the classroom and the teaching process of language and teaching is teacher-dominated. The students should receive the knowledge of grammatical rules from the teacher without preconceptions (Paine, 1991). I was almost always speaking in the class and even no students asked question to me.1Additionally, there is also little interaction between the students andthe teacher in the1process of learning grammar in the classroom (Sanjaya, 2013). The advantage is that this method can save lots of time and it is suitable for the big size of the class, especially for China school. While, the disadvantage is that there is no interaction with their teacher and between the students, the interest in learning is not high in the classroom. The process of learning the foreign language is so boring in the grammar translation method. Contrastively,the1interaction between the teacher and the students inthe classroom is so actively1in communicative language teaching method (Sanjaya, 2013). Finocchiaro & Brumfit (1983) points out that the lots of opportunities should be providedfor students to use English1in order to achieve the purpose of communication and to learn the language through using it. The teaching in the CLT method is students centered. The communicative language teaching method regards the studentsas communicators and negotiators of language knowledge (Nunan, 1991; Richards & Rodgers, 1986). At the same time, the communicative language teaching is opposed to the teacher dominating the class and asks to build equal relationship between the teacher and students (Hu, 2010). The responsibility ofteacher is not onlyto teach knowledge of language but also as the students’ friend to help them to overcome difficulties. The1questionnaire shows that 75% percent of the students want to make friends with their teacher. Hiep (2005) says that the interaction between the students is emphasized and students can communicate to solve the problems. The teacher as one of a co- communicators, an organizer of resources and a negotiator in most activities in the communicative language teaching method (Hu, 2010). CLT encourages the collaborative learning in the classroom, and the teacher should provide opportunities for students to discussand communicate with each other in a group. In the Experimental Class, I divided the class into small groups and asked them to talk about some topics. I found that they can share ideas with each other. In the process oflanguage teaching and learning, the way of using student-centered method is more helpful and useful1compared with the grammar translation method (Kapurani, 2016, p63). Through the observation of the discussion, the students were very active and interested in the lesson. The advantage is that the students not only can acquire the grammatical rules actively but alsocan communicate by using English,1it also can make positive impact on the socialization and motivation of the students [ibid]. Sanjaya (2013) states theteacher as co-communicator1in the classroom can make the process of learning and teachinglanguage becomes more effective.1Additionally, learning in collaboration can improve the students’ social skills, build equal relationships between students and the teacher and engage the students in the process of learning language. On the contrary, in the Experimental Class, I found out that the students discussed things in first language and talked about things that were not related to the lesson. Huang (2016, p194) states that it is difficult to give balanced attention to all students. It is also difficult to control every student to discuss things that are relevant to the lesson. Another disadvantage of the communicative language teaching method is that the students who are good-proficient dominate the discussion or activity [ibid]. Through the observation of the class, I found out that some of the students only listen to other students and did not speak anything. 5.2.3 Teachers’ responses to student errors Harmer (2007) points out that the teacher considers the accuracy as necessary thing in the GTM. When the students make grammatical errors or mistakes, the teacher will revise the students’ errors and mistakes directly. The advantage is that the students can realize their error timely and pay attention to the errors that prevent from making the errors again.1While, Sanjaya (2013) states that the disadvantage is that it maycause negative impact on students’ confidence1because they are afraid to make errors in the classroom. The students will lose the confidence to use the language especially in communicative performance [ibid]. The questionnaire also presents that only 15% of the students think the GTM can improve their confidence to express ideas or thoughts. Additionally, they are also afraid to being laughed by other students in the classroom. On the other side, in the communicative language teaching, the teacher allows students to make mistakes in grammar, but the teacher will teach and guide the students how to analyze and revise theirmistakes instead of complaining1(Brown, 2007). In this method, the students are confident and happy to learn English. The1questionnaire shows that 70% percent of the students think the communicative language teaching is helpful in improving the confidence to express their thoughts. The students are not afraid to use the target language in the classroom or in daily life. While, the disadvantage is that the students cannot realize their errors immediately and they cannot find the errors by themselves, so they may make the same errors again in the classroom. To sum up, the GTM and the CLT method make different responses to the students’ errors, GTM method is more directly and CLT method is more indirectly(Sanjaya, 2013). Both of GTM method and CLT method have their own advantages and disadvantages. 5.2.4 Handing the students’ emotion and feeling Sanjaya (2013, p61) says that the GTM is a very classical method that the teachers do not care about the students, feeling and emotion. The reason is that there are no principles or rules related to handling this area in the GTM method. The teachers think the main aim of the class is to teach the explicit grammar in the GTM method, it is not their responsibility to pay attention to the students’ feeling. When I taught English in the Control Class, I found that the learning environment in the class is so stressful and the students were looked nervous. On the contrary, the communicative language teaching method is a modern method that the students think their teacher as the parents in the process of learning grammar [ibid]. The students feel comfortable and relaxed because they have the opportunities to express their own thoughts, feeling, hobby and ideas. In the classroom, the teacher will pay more attention to observe the students’ actions and emotions. When the teacher discovers the students’ problems in emotion and feeling, the teacher will try the best to find out the ways to deal with these problems. Brown (2007) points out that theteacher tries the best to motivate the students to achieve the objective of learning English. Additionally, the relationship between the teacher and students is very harmonious,1so that the students can learn the target language in a relaxed and happily environment. 5.2.5 The language skills that are emphasized The students need to master four skills inthe process of learning English, such as1listening, reading, speaking and writing. Harmer (2007) points out thatthe2receptive skills contain listening and reading, the productive skills contain speaking and writing.1Different language teaching method focus on different skills.Sanjaya (2013) points out that the1skills that are focused on reading and writing in GTM. That is to say, theGTM asks the students to master the skills of reading and writing.1It is an efficient way of learning vocabulary and the rules of grammar. Mart (2013, p104) states that the grammar translation method emphasizes the grammatical rules and vocabulariesthrough translation.1Moreover, translation activities are helpful for the students and the students will have many opportunities to improve the accuracy in foreign language [ibid]. The grammar translation method expects the students to learn the rule of language in class and then they perform it in daily life. The GTM has been regarded as a helpful method for students in the process of acquiring foreign language. It enriches the students’ vocabulary, improves the ability of interpretation, and through imitating writers that help the1students to produce similarly good texts (Hell, 2009). The students’ post-test scores in the experiment also illustrates that the GTM is more useful in learning and teaching grammar than the CLT method. However, the disadvantage is that the students are not familiar with other parts such as pronunciation and phonology1(Sanjaya, 2013). The grammar translation method pays a little attention or no attention to the skills of listening and speaking. Thedisadvantage is that even if the students master the rules of grammar, but they cannot express their ideas in some1situations particularly when they involved in meaning communication (Muhammad et al, 2017). In contrast to the GTM is the CLT method, the four skills are taught to the students in the process of teaching and learning in the CLT method (Sanjaya, 2013). Lightbown and Spada (2006) states that the communicative language teaching method focuses on meaningful input and communication competence instead of emphasizing on grammatical rules and memorization. That is to say, the communicative language teaching method primary focuses on function over form. It focuses on the foreign language fluency instead of teaching grammar and vocabulary in the classroom [ibid]. Thestudents are asked to use the English in real situations in the communicative language teaching method. It implies that the fluency of language is more important than the1grammatical accuracy (Muhammad et al, 2017). Through observation of the students in the Experimental Class, they have confidence and encourage to communicate with other students. The reason is thatsome activities1are used by the teacher in the Experimental Class,such as games and role play. These activities give students many chances and opportunities to practice communicating in real environments1(Muhammad et al, 2017). Maybe due to this, the communicative language teaching is preferred by the students. Nevertheless, the application of theCLT method has not provided expected results in China schools (Chang, 2010). Burnaby and Sun (1989) claim that teachers find it difficult to use the CLT because of the class sizes, resources and equipment in China classroom. Chang (2010) points out that the CLT method holds a relaxed attitude towards accuracy, because the CLT method beliefs that the meaning is important than form. As the CLT pays a little attention or no attention to grammatical rules, the students are easier to make grammatically incorrect sentences. Additionally, Muhammad et al (2017) state that the competence of communication could not be achieved without learning the grammatical rules. It cannot be enough for the students to achieve the expected native-like fluency and accuracy if they lack the knowledge of grammar (Pica, 2000). Grammar as necessary part in foreign language learning and teaching, hence, the grammatical rules cannot be ignored in the process of teaching andlearning English. Due to the grammatical rules and vocabularies are not emphasized in the CLT method, the students’ scores in the post-test is lower than the students who are taught by the grammar translation method. 6. Conclusion Durrani (2016) points out that English has become a global language and an official language of more than 100 countries in the world. With the development of globalization and socialization in the world, English has become the dominant language and people all over the world are learning English.1Therefore, the methods and approaches to teach English have become very important and significant. Different approaches and methods to language teaching and learning have been developed for many centuries. Chang (2010) states thatgrammar should be considered as the important part for students who are majoring English.1As one of the important parts, the grammar has been taught to students in China middle for many years [ibid]. Penny (2000) defines that grammar is a set of rules that teach students how the words can be changed orcombined to express meaning. Without grammar, grouping the words together without any real meaning or sense. The students’ knowledge of grammatical rules can affect the accuracy of the sentences. The GTM and the CLT1method have both played important roles in the process of language teaching and learning in China middle school. This paper compares these two approaches and finds out both of them have different characteristics and influence for China middle school students.1In order to prove which method is more suitable for China middle school students, the experiment, questionnaire and observation were carried out in this paper. Firstly, according to the results of the experiment, it illustrates that the grammar translation method helps students get better scores in the process of teaching and learning grammar in China middle school. The students in the control class made a significant improvement in acquiringgrammar than those who used the communicative language teaching method in the experimental class after experiencing 9 experimental days. Chang (2010) points out thatin China middle school, the traditional language teaching method is still occupying an important position,1which is called the grammar translation method. In this method, the grammar is taughtin a direct way, then the exercises practiced by the students [ibid]. The GTM1helps improve the students’ ability of grammatical rules, due to it is focuses on rules of grammar and vocabularies. The first language can be used in the classroom that the teachercan use it to help the students to acquire the1foreign language (Sanjaya, 2013). Brown (2007) states that the way of learning vocabularies is memorized by translating it to the foreign language that can make students know the relevant meaning and helpful in the target language. Harmer (2007) says that the grammar is taught by the teacher in deductively way. The students will produce sentences systematically and rigid. The teacher will revise the students’ errors immediately. Harmer (2007) says that the teacher considers the accuracy as important thing in the grammar translation method. On the contrary, Chang (2010) points out that the grammar translation method is teacher-centered, as the result, the teacher spends majority of time to explain thegrammatical rules in the1classroom. The disadvantage is that little or no opportunities are given to the students. Memorization of the vocabulary and grammatical rules are so boring for the students, which cannot help to motivate students’ interest and build their confidence in learning foreign language [ibid]. Through the result of the questionnaire, it is not difficult to find out that most of the students think the grammar translation method is not helpful for stimulating their learning motivation and they think the lesson is not interesting. Secondly, the students’ learning motivation and interests are stimulated in the experimental class than those who used the GTM in the control class. TheCLT is more acceptable than the grammar translation method in China middle school. Larsen- Freeman (2011) points out that the communicative language teaching encourages students to communication with each other with the foreign language without focusing on the grammatical rules. In so doing, Sanjaya (2013) says that the CLT pays more attention to students’ willingness and cares students’ emotion. This way makes the students enjoy the lesson and they have courage and confidence to use English in the1classroom or even outside the classroom. Additionally, there is an equal relationship between the teacher and students in the classroom. Sanjaya (2013) states that the teacher can regard their students as friends to teach the target language.Lots of activities are used in the classroom1such as role play or games This way can reduce the level of stress and make the relaxed learning environment for students. The result of the questionnaire also illustrates that most of the students think the communicative language teaching method is interesting and think it is useful for stimulating their learning motivation. But Littlewood (2007) argues that there are many conflicts in China middle schools such as the classroom management, minimal demands on communication competence and educational values. The communicative language teaching method is difficult to applied in China middle school as the large class size, traditional examination, and personal beliefs of teachers and students (Iwashita & Ngoc, 2012). That is why the grammar translation method can dominate the classroom for many years. All in all, both of the GTM and the CLT method have advantages and disadvantages in the process of learning and teaching grammar in China middle school. Sanjaya (2013) states that from the explanation about the comparison between GTM and CLT method, it can be said that the CLT method is more communicative and cooperative than theGTM enhancing students’ ability to use language. While, the grammar translation method is monotonous and includes a one-way interaction [ibid]. The communicative language teaching has many techniques in the process of teaching and learning foreign language that makes students comfortable and happy in the classroom. Chang (2010) points out that language should not only be taught with knowledge of grammatical rules, but also be capable of using the target language in different situations appropriately. Many scholars and experts suggest that combination of the GTM and the CLTmethod in the classroom [ibid]. The teacher should integrate the communicative activities and form-focused activities so that the students can acquire both fluency and grammatical accuracy in the process of learning the target language (Muhammad et al, 2017).
|
