Structural Translation Technology in Teaching English (Form IV)

The aim of the structural translation method is to ensure that young learners of English develop the skill of correct usage of lexical and grammar structures correlated with the corresponding Russian equivalents through the establishment of fixed English-Russian associations. They should acquire automatic skills in using these structures.

The main principles employed in this method are conditioned by the given age group and the proper choice of a vocabulary which doesn’t impose any additional difficulties on the pupils in the process of learning and training.

1. First and foremost the method of translation from English into Russian shouldn’t be ignored in the course of the initial stage of the structure presentation.
2. There must be a variety of different exercises which are arranged according to the principle “from the easy to the difficult”.
3. It is vital that the studied structure be introduced to the learners both in monologues and dialogues.
4. It is of great importance to provide texts with plots that are of interest to this age group.
5. Translation from Russian into English is a “must” as it actually fulfills the function of both training and checking the acquired skills.
6. Creative tasks which invite the learners to use the newly learned structures themselves are necessary.

This article includes the structures with the most frequent occurrence (according to the Longman Grammar)

They are:

To be busy doing something
To be interested in
It takes me an hour to do it
It is kind of you to do it
I want you to do it (the most common case of the Complex Object)

Notice: The structural translation method has been checked in practice. The EL learners of this age group have successfully coped with learning these structures.
The desired effect has been achieved due to the formation of correct English-Russian associations.

SECTION I. To Be Busy Doing Something

I. Read and translate the sentences.

e. g. After lunch Kate is busy doing her homework.
После обеда Катя занята выполнением уроков.
Или: После обеда Катя занята – она делает уроки.
Yesterday it was Friday. In the evening Kate was busy cleaning her room.
Kate’s mother was busy cooking.
Her sister was busy writing a letter to a friend.
Kate’s father was busy helping Kate’s younger sister to write a letter.

II. Make sentences using this structure.

Pattern: New Year’s Eve – to decorate a fir-tree
On New Year’s Eve many children are busy decorating their fir-trees.

1. Children like to invite guests to their birthday parties. The children and their parents are very busy. Before the birthday party –

to go shopping
to cook many tasty things
to write invitation cards
to tidy up the flat
to lay the table

After the party –

to wash up
to show the presents to...

III. Talk.

1. What are you busy doing now?
2. What were you busy doing at 7 o’clock yesterday?
3. What are people busy with in their gardens in the springtime?
4. What are you busy doing in your mathematics class? In your Russian language class?
5. What will you be busy doing next weekend?

IV. Guess work: Say what they are (were) busy doing.

1. The teacher asked Nick to write a test in Russian again after classes. Of course Nick stayed on after school.
2. The fourth-formers were going to invite their parents to a performance at the end of the school year.
3. There are so many dry branches on the trees. The family are now in their country garden.
4. There are a lot of strawberries in my grandmother’s garden this year.
5. It is late August. School is going to start soon. Children need a lot of school things.
6. Jack enjoys teaching his dog funny tricks. At weekends he spends a lot of time outdoors.
7. We’d like to have tulips in front of our school in spring. The members of the biology club are outdoors now.

Notice: It is advisable to have these sentences recorded. The learners are to form sentences after listening to them.

V. Translation practice:

A Busy Family

Сейчас я занят рисованием. Мама тоже занята – она готовит суп. Папа занят чтением газеты. Сестpa занята уроками. Мы все заняты приготовлением к завтрашнему дню.

SECTION II

Мне нужно (требуется) столько времени чтобы сделать это.
потребовалось…
потребуется...
Сколько времени вам нужно чтобы...?
потребовалось…

I. Use the tables to make sentences. Your classmates listen and translate them.

 

II. Read the dialogue and translate the sentences with the given structure:

• I say, Jane, what are you doing now? Can you help me?

• I am busy looking for my new pencil-box.

• Is it difficult to find it?

• It is. My mother tidied up my room yesterday. She was very angry.

• How long did it take her to tidy up your room?

• Oh! It took her three hours.

• Now I see why you can’t find your new pencil-box. Ask your mother where it is.

• But she will get angry with me.

• I am sorry for her but not for you, Jane. Keep your room tidy yourself.

III. Translate the dialogue into English. (The above given dialogue is to be used as a support dialogue)

– Послушай, Лена, что ты делаешь? Ты можешь мне помочь сейчас?
– Да, я только что закончила делать уроки. А чем ты занята?
– Я занята приготовлением обеда. Я бы хотела, чтобы ты почистила картошку.
– А сколько времени нам на это понадобится?
– Я думаю, нам понадобится около часа, чтобы приготовить его вместе.
– Хорошо, я иду.

IV. Creative Task:

A pair of students make up a similar dialogue in Russian and then they present their prepared talk pausing for another pair of their classmates to translate it into English.

SECTION III

To Be Interested in Something/in Doing Something
Интересоваться чем-то

I. Translate the text into Russian.

Nowadays all people worry about the world around them. They have started thinking about their health. They have started to understand that man and nature are one whole. If we do harm to nature we do harm to man. So, most people are interested in protecting nature. They become more and more interested in programmes on nature protection.

II. Talk: Read what they are/were interested in and explain why.

e.g. Helen is interested in biology and chemistry – she wants to become a doctor.
George is interested in music to which he can dance fast. He enjoys dancing.

CONTINUE (Present Simple):

1. We are interested in traveling...
2. John is interested in the circus...
3. Ann is interested in sea life...
4. The children of this class are interested in the school theatre...
5. Everybody is interested in fat-free foods today...

CONTINUE (Past Simple-Negative):

1. When we were younger we were interested in stuffed toys but now...
2. When Harry was a boy he was not interested in girls but now that he is a grown-up...
3. When we lived at the seaside we were not interested in the traditions of that place but now we...
4. When visitors arrive here for the first time they do not enjoy it very much, but soon they...

III. Translation:

1. Мы всегда интересуемся погодой.
2. Девочки интересуются одеждой.
3. Он интересуется спортом?
4. Вы интересуетесь этим человеком?
5. Я всегда интересовался историей.
6. Они были заинтересованы новым проектом.

IV. Read and dramatize the dialogue.

– I say, Kate, let’s play outdoors. The weather is fine.
– Sorry, but I’m busy.
– What are you busy with, I wonder?
– Oh, I’m busy cooking.
– Are you interested in cooking? I’m very surprised...
– It’s not that I’m interested in cooking. I’m just hungry. I’m cooking pasta.
– How long will it take you to cook it?
– I think 10 or 15 minutes.
– Then are you going to go out?
– Of course.

V. The dialogue for consecutive translation.

Note: The dialogue is either recorded on tape or it is read by two pupils and the other two pupils are to translate it into English. The rest of the group are asked to listen carefully and correct the mistakes or they can suggest better translation versions.

– Влад, привет, это Крис.
– Привет, Крис.
– Послушай, давай пойдем с тобой в ботанический сад.
– В ботанический сад? Извини, но я занят.
– Чем ты занят?
– Видишь ли, я читаю новую книгу о бабочках.
– Я знаю, что ты интересуешься бабочками, а в ботаническом саду сейчас проходит выставка бабочек, живых бабочек! Поэтому я и приглашаю тебя.
– Вот это сюрприз! Я одеваюсь. Давай встретимся у метро.
– Хорошо. Сколько времени тебе понадобится, чтобы добраться до метро?
– Я думаю, мне нужно полчаса.
– Прекрасно. До встречи.

The content of the above given dialogue is presented to the pupils with several gaps which are to be filled in with the proper words and word combinations from the dialogue.
Chris is phoning Vlad to invite him to the Botanical Gardens. But Vlad ___________. He is _____________ a new book about butterflies.
He _______________ in butterflies. It is his hobby.
Chris tells Vlad that there is an exhibition of _________ in the Botanical Gardens. It is a great ___________ for Vlad. He is ___________ in the exhibition. Of course, he is going to meet Chris and to go to the Botanical Gardens. They agree to meet at the _____________ Station. It will _________ Vlad half an hour to get there.

SECTION IV

I. Building sentences with the help of the table. The sentences are translated into Russian:

Translation examples:

1. It is nice of you to give us a lift. – Мило с вашей стoрoны подвезти нас.
2. It was nasty of him to hit the puppy. – Это было нехорошо с его стороны ударить щенка.
3. It will be naughty of you to laugh at him. – Это будет шалостью с твоей стороны смеяться над ним.

II. Translate it into Russian:

1. It is rude of your friend to shout at people.
2. It is polite of Jane to treat everybody with sweets.
3. It was wise of his parents to buy him books.
4. It was foolish of Anne to go into the water with her clothes on.
5. It was disgusting of the children to say rude words to the girl.
6. It will be so kind of you to help me with maths.

III. Translate the second sentence in each point from Russian into English.

1. Don’t shout at anybody. Это невежливо с твоей стороны.
2. Не didn’t want to help his mother. Это было некрасиво с его стороны.
3. She ate sweets before lunch. Это было шалостью с её стороны.
4. Не prepared for today’s test last weekend. Это было умно с его стороны.
5. The boys do a lot of sports. Это правильно с их стороны.
6. Why don’t you keep your things in their right places? Это неправильно с твоей стороны.

IV. Respond to my sentences using the required structure.

1. John hit Helen on the head.
2. She always talks back to her mother.
3. They left litter in the classroom again.
4. She goes to the theatre every month.
5. The boys ran and pushed the girl.
6. She never plays on the computer on weekdays.
7. When Helen is ill her classmates always phone her to find out about her health.

V. Learn the dialogue by heart:

• I say, Pete, are you interested in the theatre?

• Oh, I am not sure. I have been to the theatre only once.

• It’s a pity. I go to the theatre every month. I can ask Mother to buy a ticket for you.

• Oh, that will be very kind of her.

SECTION V

I. Read. Translation examples:

1. I want you to help me.
Я хочу, чтобы вы помогли мне.

2. She wants her friends to play tag with her.
Она хочет, чтобы ее друзья...

3. My father wanted me to learn French.
Мой папа хочет, чтобы я учил...

II. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. Tom Sawyer wanted Becky to become his friend.
2. Kate wants her friends to listen to her funny story.
3. The girls want their boy-classmates to be more polite.
4. Parents want their sons and daughters to be clever and to study well. They don’t want them to be lazy.
5. Many children want their parents to take them to the sea in the summer.

III. Retell the short stories:

Jemma is interested in the history of her country. She enjoys visiting new places in Russia. She wants her parents to take her to Sakhalin. It is a very beautiful place.
She wants them to buy her a video camera – she would like to make a film about Sakhalin. She wants her friends to see it and to learn more about interesting places in Russia.
(Based on the book The Magic of Oz)
Dorothy found herself in the magical country of Oz. She made friends with unusual characters there. Dorothy and her new friends needed help. They all wanted to see Oz. Dorothy wanted the Wizard of Oz to help her return home. The Scarecrow wanted him to make him clever, the Tin Woodman wanted him to give him a heart and the Cowardly Lion wanted him to make him brave (храбрый).

IV. Let’s talk.

1. Do you want your parents to buy you something new? What do you want your parents to buy you?
2. Do you want your friends to visit you at home?
3. Do your friends or classmates want you to phone them just to talk with them?
4. Do you want your teachers not to give you homework for Monday?
5. Do your parents want you to read more?

PATTERN (Past Indefinite)

I wanted ––> my parents ––> to buy (to give) ––> me ––> a new computer (a pet) ––> last month ––> and they bought it for me (but they didn’t buy it).

V. Translate it from Russian into English:

1. Петя любит ходить по магазинам. Он хочет, чтобы родители брали его с собой в магазины. Он всегда хочет, чтобы родители ему что-нибудь купили.
2. – Я хочу, чтобы ты купил мне еще одно мороженое. – Ты только что съела большое мороженое. – Но сегодня очень жарко. Тогда купи мне холодного лимонада.
3. – Мама хочет, чтобы я убрал в своей комнате. Но я только что убрал её.
4. Мои родители не хотели, чтобы я гулял в парке один.