Translation as a teaching tool to bridge L1 and L2 for adult learners at elementary levels.

Resumo

This paper aims to investigate the extent to which translation is useful in Foreign Language Teaching for adult learners at elementary levels. Although the effectiveness of translation has been questioned, this study presents reasons why a language teacher should resort to this tool.  The research drew on data collected from written translation exercises of elementary learners at a language center in the city of Londrina, Brazil, in 2009. The exercises were analyzed by examining the occurrence and disappearance of errors lesson by lesson. The results demonstrated that the act of translating fosters learning.