Translation for advanced learners

Abstract

The methodological usefulness of translation seems to have been rather overlooked in the last few years by proponents of a communicative approach to language teaching. This article suggests that translation can be, however, a very useful method of implementing a syllabus, whether this is communicatively oriented or not, in the teaching of advanced learners. Two techniques for using translation with such learners are described: the word-for-word ‘spoof’, and the use of backtranslation, both of which attempt to build on what the learner already knows by provoking him into finding translations for himself.