1.2 The traditional approach to grammar teaching

The teaching of foreign languages has evolved for many centuries How to make the English learning more effective is what we always pursue. Different teaching approaches have been introduced and some teaching approaches have developed to the teaching of English in China. However, there the teaching approach used in the class didn’t change in essential. 

Although the teaching materials keep changing all the time, teachers’ teaching idea hasn’t been transformed at all. Most teachers employed the “spoon-feeding” method to teach English in our country. Especially in the course of grammar, some teachers even spend nearly forty-five minutes, which is the whole period of a class. Grammar Translation Method is a typical approach teachers used in English grammar teaching these years. 

Grammar translation method of English teaching which is under the influence of traditional grammar theory is the most widely used traditional method of English grammar teaching. The characters of a typical lesson conducted under the guidance of this method is as the following: The ultimate purpose of English teaching is to read materials which is written by English, such as reading English classics, so written language is emphasized rather than oral language. The goal of English learning is to translate English material into one’s mother tongue. Obviously, teachers are the absolute authorities in the class. The contents of texts are usually received little attention. 

However, when we look back to reevaluate grammar translation method again, it gets the following judgments. The function in the learning of a foreign language was been exaggerated in this method. It emphasized too much on the knowledge of language, however, ignored the training the language skills. The whole process of foreign language teaching is out of the touch of real language environment, so it has no practical meaning. Attention was only paid to written language instead of spoken language.

Luckily, among the teaching approaches practiced in China, the Situational approach has been advocated and popularized in Junior High Schools. Since the proper use of this approach may solve the problems exists in the grammar translation method. Why situational approach is effective in English grammar teaching in Junior high schools?

Adequate examples and activates the language knowledge can be provided through designing some circumstances and specific authentic occasions and associate authenticity by Situational approach. Such scenes and the vivid image help the students learning more relaxing, putting knowledge into vivid scenes, can not only enhance interest in learning, but also change their previous dull teaching situation. What’s more, if the creation of the scenes is lively, vivid and accurate enough, students will be more able to understand the message, activate thinking and stimulate expression the desire of thinking.