An Investigation of the Attitudes of Translation Teachers towards the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Translation in EFL ClassAn Investigation of the Attitudes of Translation Teachers towards the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Translation in EFL Class

Abstract

This study investigates the attitudes of English language teachers at the departments of English language and Literature in six Algerian universities towards the arguments used for or against the use of translation in EFL classes. In other words, it seeks to show how these teachers view the advantages and disadvantages of the use of translation in teaching a foreign language, as claimed by some scholars in the field. To reach this aim, it is assumed in the study that English language teachers hold a positive attitude towards the alleged advantages of using translation in an EFL context. The data was collected using a questionnaire administered to ten teachers with a seven-year minimum experience in the field of teaching translation in English language departments. The results show clearly that translation is still a teaching approach privileged by those English Language teachers, who manifestly hold a positive attitude to the arguments in favor of using translation as a teaching technique.