The Attitude of Elementary School Students Toward Translating in EFL Class

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Stavovi učenika prema prevođenju na nastavi engleskog jezika u osnovnoj školi
• Author: Dunja Markovinović
• Mentor: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (mentor)
• Committee member: Marija Andraka (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Silvija Hanžić Deda (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-09-20, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences

Abstract

This paper covers the topic of translation in primary school ESL classes and students’ attitudes towards it. Translation in language learning classes is sometimes a controversial topic. The first association to translation in language learning classes can be the grammar-translation method, which used to be the dominant method of teaching languages. Because of that, an aversion
toward translation in ESL classes has spread among English teachers. However, translation activities used in ESL classes can be much more than the grammar-translation method, as long as the teachers adjust them to their students’ age and proficiency. Opinions on using translation in English classes are divided, which is what motivated this research. The aim of this paper was to research the attitudes of primary school students towards translation as well as their proficiency in it. The research was conducted in a primary school in Zagreb. 42 sixth-grade students participated in the research. The research consisted of two short translation tasks, one from Croatian into English and one from English into Croatian. After completing the translation tasks, the students answered a questionnaire. The students were mostly more successful in the translation of the English text, but they also found it to be more difficult. However, the opinions on what was more difficult were quite divided. While the total number of achieved points was higher for the translation of the English text, the students acquired more points for vocabulary in the translation of the Croatian text. More students expressed a positive attitude towards translation and those students achieved better results than the ones who expressed a negative attitude. However, without further research, it is difficult to conclude what is the cause and what is the result.

Abstract (croatian)

Ovaj rad bavi se prevođenjem i učeničkim stavovima prema prevođenju na nastavi engleskog u osnovnoj školi. Prevođenje u nastavi jezika ponekad je kontroverzna tema. Pri spomenu prevođenja u nastavi jezika, nekima prva asocijacija može biti metoda prevođenja gramatike, koja je nekoć bila najzastupljeniji način poučavanja jezika. Zbog toga se kod nekih učitelja stvorila averzija prema prevođenju na nastavi engleskog jezika. No, aktivnosti koje uključuju prevođenje u nastavi engleskog mogu biti puno opširnije i zanimljivije od metode prevođenja gramatike. Najbitnije je da učitelji aktivnosti prilagode dobi, znanju i sposobnostima svojih učenika. Mišljenja o korištenju prevođenja u nastavi engleskog veoma su podijeljena, što je jedan od čimbenika koji su motivirali ovo istraživanje. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti stavove osnovnoškolskih učenika prema prevođenju. Cilj je također bio istražiti njihovu vještinu prevođenja. Istraživanje je provedeno u jednoj zagrebačkoj školi. U istraživanju su sudjelovala 42 učenika. Istraživanje se sastoji od dva kratka teksta koja su učenici trebali prevesti; jedan s hrvatskog na engleski i drugi s engleskog na hrvatski. Nakon prevođenja, učenici su ispunili kratku anketu. Učenici su većinom bili uspješniji u prevođenju engleskog teksta. Istovremeno, u anketi su taj zadatak proglasili težim. No, mišljenja o tome koji je smjer i koji su dijelovi bili kompliciraniji, veoma su podijeljena. Učenici su postigli veći broj bodova za prijevod engleskog teksta. Za vokabular su postigli više bodova u prijevodu hrvatskog teksta. Više studenata izrazilo je pozitivni stav nego negativni. Učenici koji su izrazili pozitivne stavove bili su i uspješniji u prijevodu. No, bez daljnjeg istraživanja teško je razabrati uzrok od posljedice.

• Keywords: translation; teaching methodology; teaching languages; language competences
• Keywords (croatian): prevođenje; metodika; poučavanje jezika; jezične vještine
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:156437
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-02-22 10:39:33