COMMON ERRORS OF TRANSLATIONS IN ESL

I have spoken about English Immersion a past issue of this Newsletter and today will elaborate on the ERRORS that ESL teachers think they need to rely on translating in learner’s native language to teach English.

The belief that ESL teachers must frequently or exclusively use translations into the learners' native language as a teaching method is a common ERROR.

It is common and non-productive practice to have two teachers present in ESL classrooms in non-native English-speaking countries.

But think of the millions of ESL teachers who can only speak English and are SUCCESSFULLY helping billions of ESL students worldwide to learn English and you realize that translating is not necessary.

The operative word here is ‘successfully’ and they do not speak much, if any of the native language of the learners.

I am one of those millions of native English teachers and my success rate for teaching English to non-natives has always been high.

This approach to rely on translation, while it may seem intuitive or comforting, has a long list fallacies and drawbacks:

1?? Inefficient Language Acquisition

Relying heavily on translation can hinder the development of fluency in English.

Language acquisition is most effective when learners immerse themselves in the target language.

Learners need to engage in real communication rather than constantly switching between languages.

Think of the learners who are always using fillers such as um-ing and ah-ing because they are first thinking in their native language to speak in English.

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2?? Limited Exposure to English

Translation-heavy methods limit learners' exposure to the English language.

Language acquisition thrives when learners are consistently exposed to authentic language use in various contexts, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Think of your class as your very own podcast interview where the flow of English is growing with time.

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3?? Negative Transfer

Translating directly from one's native language to English can lead to negative transfer errors.

The learners apply the rules and structures of their native language to English, resulting in awkward or incorrect sentences.

These errors can be challenging to correct later.

Think of the students who always use incorrect grammatical structures when speaking English because they have constructed their grammatically incorrect sentences in their own language first.

Those students are NOT thinking in English first because if they did, the grammar would be correct or at the very least close to correct.

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4?? Incomplete Comprehension

Relying on translations can encourage passive understanding rather than active language use.

Learners may become skilled at deciphering English texts but struggle to express themselves spontaneously or hold conversations in English.

Think of the non-native English speaker that you meet face-to-face after communicating only by emails.

You expect them to speak so well in English only to find in your first meeting that they are tongue-tied and cannot speak at all!

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5?? Encouraging Dependency

Constant translation can create a dependency on the native language.

This makes learners less confident and capable of thinking in English independently.

It may lead to a reliance on translation tools or bilingual dictionaries, which is not practical in real-life communication situations.

Think of the leaners who are constantly referring to their translation apps on the phones rather than getting meaning and clear comprehension from the language.

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6?? Reduced Engagement

Learners may become disengaged when they don’t understand.

They are immediately getting bored if they perceive the class as repetitive or unstimulating.

?Frequent translations can make the learning process completely unenjoyable and less engaging.

Think of the learners who opt out of the conversations because the concepts are not understandable to them.

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7?? Cultural Disconnect

Excessive use of translation may also neglect the cultural aspects of language.

Language is not just about words and grammar.

It's also about understanding the cultural nuances and context behind the language.

Relying on translations stops the exploration of these cultural dimensions.

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8?? ESL Teacher Burnout

The constant need for translation can be exhausting for teachers.

It limits the ESL teacher’s ability to develop dynamic, interactive lesson plans that encourage active language use.

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Although translation can be a valuable tool, it should only be used in certain contexts and for specific purposes, such as clarifying complex concepts or explaining difficult vocabulary words.

It should be used only minimally and judiciously.

Translation is a supplementary tool and not as a primary teaching method.

Effective ESL teaching typically involves a balanced approach that includes immersion, contextual learning and communicative activities.

What can help learners develop their English skills more holistically and effectively is if the focus is on real-life language use an provides and allows students to express their ideas and opinions in the best way they can.

This is what contributes to excellent acquisition of the English language.

How can you avoid the use of translations?