Translation as a pedagogical tool in the foreign language classroom: A qualitative study of attitudes and behaviours

Abstract

A review of the literature on language teaching reveals predominantly negative attitudes towards the use of translation in language teaching (TILT) (Cook, 2010). The purpose of this article is to explore the question of whether this negativity is reflected in the attitudes and behaviours of university lecturers engaged in language teaching as well as to consider the background and contextual factors associated with these attitudes and behaviours. A case study of one Irish Higher Education Institution was conducted, and qualitative interviews were carried out with six lecturers in Japanese and six in German in conjunction with a review of the relevant documentation including course outlines and module descriptors. The results indicated widespread support on the ground for the use of TILT in some form suggesting a need for further research on the impact of the use of TILT on the language learning process.