Post-communicative pedagogies : revisiting the translation method of teaching English in East Asia

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Translation and Interpreting

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Volume

7

Issue

2

First Page

75

Last Page

90

Publisher

University of Western Sydneys

Keywords

Communicative approach, Ideology, Pedagogies, Teaching English as a second language, Translation method

Abstract

In the course of the development of EFL instruction, the so-called grammar-translation method was one of the earliest ones used. Later, EFL pedagogies evolved and other approaches were enunciated as alternatives to the old method. The most remarkable of these is the communicative (or direct) approach, built on the rationale that L1 stands in the way of L2 acquisition. It has been propagated with fervour in East Asian communities, especially in Hong Kong, as in many countries in the Third World. This article begins by contrasting Hadzantonis' Transition Model, aimed to eradicate all traces of local culture through English language instruction, as exemplified in the case of South Korea, with Canagarajah's resistance pedagogies, as used in Sri Lanka, and then uses this as the basis for a proposal to reintroduce, or reinvigorate, the Translation Method, which is not only pedagogically effective but also conducive to the formation of intercultural identities (rather than allowing East Asian values to be replaced by Western ones). The practicalities of EFL classroom instruction are related to the development of national policies in various parts of East Asia in which English learning is related to an urgent social need to nurture not only competent bilingual experts but also translation professionals.

DOI

10.12807/ti.107202.2015.a06

E-ISSN

18369324

Publisher Statement

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chan, L. T.-H. (2015). Post-communicative pedagogies: Revisiting the translation method of teaching English in East Asia. Translation and Interpreting, 7(2), 75-90. doi: 10.12807/ti.107202.2015.a06

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