What functions of translation in TEFL can you enumerate?

For a very long time Translation was the foundation of language teaching especially when we
think about teaching grammar. The Grammar Translation Method is one of the oldest methods
of Foreign Language Teaching. It is the effect of the influence of Latin.

The main form of activity in the class was translation from the target to the native language
and vice versa. The unit of the material for translation, as well as for the whole method, was
the sentence. The two forms of translation, from and into the target language, were performed
both orally and in writing. The learner’s native language had an important role to play: it was
used as the medium of instruction, e.g. for talking about the target grammar and in translation
activities.

Alternatives which appeared in reaction to the Grammar Translation Method totally dominated
the Foreign Language Teaching and rejected translation.
However, translation activities are now a feature of many communicative classrooms and
successful aids to learning, although the approach to using them has changed.

Well-designed translation activities used in the classroom can practise the four skills: reading,
writing, listening and speaking. Translation exercises require accuracy, clarity and flexibility
in terms of a Communicative Language Teaching .

Translation used as a group work inspires learners to discuss the meaning and use of language
as they work through the process of understanding and then looking for counterparts in another
language.

Translation is a real-life, natural activity and increasingly necessary in a global environment.

Many learners living in either their own countries or a new one need to translate language on
a daily basis, both informally and formally. This is even more important with the growing
importance of online information.

Translation can be a support for the writing process or the process of learning grammar,
especially at lower levels.

Teachers can focus translation activities on highly specific learning aims, such as practice of
certain vocabulary, grammar points, styles and registers

Translation exercises help learners to expand and check their knowledge of a specific, thematic
vocabulary, grammar or idiomatic expressions. One can face such exercise on a state exam
e.g. Polish Matura Exam. Student must translate part of a sentence to show their fluency and
accuracy in a foreign language.
It is useful to explain the aims of a translation exercise and discuss any concerns that the
learners have. Many activities use materials that can be generated by learners, which can have
positive impact on motivation, dynamics and learners’ confidence in a foreign language use .

What (in the Audio – Lingual Method) were the consequence of the slogan “Language
is speech and not writing”?
“Language is speech and not writing” (Moulton, 1961) is one of the five slogans that express
the quintessential nature of the Audiolingual Approach.
Language is speech and not writing reflects:
1) the structural linguistic research priorities according to which writing was considered
to be merely a secondary representation of speech

2) the practical demands for speakers competent in oral communication rather than able
to appreciate classical works of literature

3) the reaction to the traditional reading oriented methods of teaching

Reasons for the primacy of speech are derived both from the history of the human species (the
phylogenetic argument) and the lifespan history of an individual human being (the ontogenetic
argument). The former one points out that writing is a fairly late development in our
civilization, whereas the latter refers to the fact that people learn writing much later than
speech and mostly in the context of the educational system; it is merely a secondary form of
communication unavailable to vast numbers of people or even societies. At the same time,
since speech is primary and writing is only its secondary form of representation, most attention
should be devoted to the development of the oral skills, which will benefit the written skills
anyway. Following these arguments, the sequence of skills postulated by the audiolingualists
is called the 'natural order'. It has a profound influence on audiolingual teaching, among other
things on:

The order in which skills are introduced: listening, speaking, reading, writing. This order is
reflected at the course and lesson level; at the lesson level, we have a recommended order of
class activities connected with the presentation of the material to be learned: a typical lesson
begins with the presentation of the material as listening and oral practice, then in reading and
writing activities; at the course level, we have the so-called pre-reading period for beginners,
when textbooks are withheld from the students for about 4 to 6 weeks to allow good
pronunciation habits to be formed and to prevent any interference from the written language
(in the case of English, its especially intricate spelling system); also at the course level, we
have what is called the retardation of reading and writing until solid mastery of the material in
speaking is established, which in fact means deemphasis of reading and writing; the underlying
principle is that once the learner has learned the material orally, it will be available in the
written skills; however, transfer of practice from the oral to the written skills does take place
unconditionally; finally, there is a characteristic strategy for a reading lesson once reading is
introduced: a typical reading lesson is organized to incorporate as much listening and speaking
as possible: the text is treated as an opportunity to consolidate grammatical material which has
been practised orally; the text is first introduced as oral summary with some explanations by
the teacher and followed by his/her comprehension questions; reading aloud is an important
part of the reading lesson.

The status of pronunciation; great care is attached to the development of accurate, possibly
native-like pronunciation, through exercises with native pronunciation models for imitation
and articulatory instructions, as well as practice in discrimination between the target language
phonemes or native and target language phonemes, stressed and unstressed syllables in a word,
drills in rhythm at the level of clauses and sentences focusing on the pronunciation of strong
and week forms, and on intonation patterns.

Is the search for universal, effective method of language teaching doomed to failure or
not? What is your point of view in this matter?
Teachers who are professionals of Foreign Language Teaching know that there is no universal
and effective method of language teaching. Only proper interaction between teachers, learners
and materials guarantees the success of the teaching/learning process.
Professionals having both academic training and experience in teaching know that there is no
universal and effective method of language teaching. Learners of foreign languages are not the
same. They have different needs and motivation. They learn a language for a specific purpose
which may not be the same for all the participants of a language course. Even if they learn
Business or Medical English. Some of them may want to emigrate or add value in searching
for a job. Even if the purpose of language learning is the same for all participants of the group,
the students have different expectations and language learning capabilities.

It is very hard to find universal and effective method of language teaching. On the other hand
the research is in progress. I can’t say it’s doomed to failure but I don’t think we are close to
the discovery of the solution of this intriguing and at the same time very interesting matter.