rethinking translation in the second language classroom

the twentieth century, but also due to the implementation of a translation course
curriculum in a L2 classroom.
The goal of this thesis is to consider the use of translation as another component
along with the four skills of the foreign language teaching: speaking, writing, listening
and reading. It is proposed that translation, as a pedagogical resource, may contribute to
enhance the learner’s accuracy of the L2, which will eventually foster communicative
confidence and development of their linguistic and communicative skills in both
languages. Specifically, this work focuses on teaching discourse and text analysis in L2
through the implementation of translation exercises.
Translation and Second Language Teaching
It was in the nineteenth century when the use of translation in language teaching
got its first detractors, and followed later by members of the Reform Movement, like
Sweet (1899/1964) and Jespersen (1901/1904).
In the twentieth century, new language teaching and learning methodologies, such
as the direct, natural and communicative methods, considered the use of translation in L2
again detrimental for the development of the language. The reason is due to the
widespread influence of the grammar-translation method. This method was implemented
in the nineteenth century in secondary schools along Prussia, and it was mainly designed
to teach dead languages such as Latin and Greek, where the main aim was to study the
written form of language and learn to read it. In opposition to the newer methodologies,
the grammar-translation method presented lists of vocabulary with their corresponding
translation in L1, explained the grammatical rules in L1, and included sentences to be
translated into and out of the L2. Due to the concentration on reading and translation
8