Effectiveness of Using Grammar - Translation and Direct methods in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language

Abstract

The Chinese language is the most popular language in all over the world. In recent years, Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL) has caused a mania in the world with more schools and universities opening up Chinese courses. Chinese Language is one of the five major languages of United Nations Organisation and second language of Australia and the United States of America. Although there are many studies focusing on the speaking and reading comprehension abilities of the learners, studies on different teaching methods and their impacts on listening, speaking, reading and writing comprehensions of the learners are not so common. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the Grammar - Translation Method and the Direct Method in TCFL and to examine their impacts on the speaking ability of the learners. The theme of this study was include Grammar - Translation Method and those for TCFL speaking development. Data was collected from the internal students reading B.A. Special degree in Chinese at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka by a using questionnaire. The results of the study depict that the students think that the Grammar - Translation Method help improve learning Chinese and can increase the comprehension level by Sinhalese - Chinese and English - Chinese translation in class. Additionally, the Direct Method has increased learning motivation, interactive conversation and beneficial Chinese learning environment. These findings will be helpful in teaching Chinese as a foreign language in an improved manner.