The Grammar Translation And The Communicative Language Teaching Method.
The grammar translation and the communicative language teaching method are two of the most common approaches used by educators to teach a second language. In addition, these methods are guiding principles that equipped the language teachers in their challenge to transfer language skills to non-native students. According to Natsir [CITATION Muh14 n t l 12298] the comparison of these two shows important characteristics of the teaching-learning process, interaction and language skills that are emphasized for helping students to succeed in learning a new language.
Regarding the characteristics of the teaching-learning process in the grammar-translation method, students are taught to translate from native language into the targeted language, learn grammar deductively and memorize native language equivalents for the target language vocabulary. On the other hand in the communicative language teaching method everything is mostly done with communicative intent, students use the language through communicative activities such as game and roleplays and communication is purposeful by using authentic materials and the activities are often carried out by students in small group. Grammar is taught inductively.
The interaction in GTM is mostly from the teachers to the students, which means that little students’ initiation and interaction is required. This gives the teacher full control of the class, whereas in CLT the teacher is a facilitator and sometimes becomes a co-communicator, making students interact with one another. There is also an awareness of variation in language use rather than simply attention to the language. This makes the student talking time more productive. Unlike language skills in GTM Vocabulary and grammar are emphasized. Reading and writing are the primary skills, so they are comparing and translating what they know with their mother tongue, in cont...