Translation revisited for low-proficiency EFL writers

Abstract

This study describes the implementation of a translation method in an EFL writing classroom and shows how a specific group of learners responded to the method. Using a 'practical action research' framework, the researcher designed and implemented the proposed translation method through four stages of writing over three consecutive semesters. The participating students, all of whom had very low levels of English proficiency, showed clear improvements in both their confidence and their actual capacity for English writing. The findings of this study are expected to work as a reference for second or foreign language teachers who wish to apply the proposed method in their classrooms in the future. The study also contributes to the field by emphasizing the affective and linguistic advantages of translation tools and offering new insights into the monolingual paradigm of English-only classes in second language teaching and learning.