A tradução na sala de aula de LE: (des)construindo conceitos

Abstract

Within the field of Applied Linguistics there are broad discussions about the use of translation in Foreign Language (FL) classrooms. Several factors have influenced in the negative stigma regarding translation in classroom. Language institutes and basic schools condemn the use of translation in their classes and teachers feel guilty when occasionally resorting to this method, acting like they’re doing a crime. With this article, I intend to: I. Provide a brief historical profile of the use of translation in the FL classroom, citing the methodological factors that drove the use of mother tongue in class to a negative status; II. Try to show FL teachers that the use of translation in the classroom is a useful tool in teaching a FL; and, therefore, III. Try to avoid teachers’ feelings of guilt regarding the use of translation in the FL classroom, even when they do so in a non-systematic way.