Teaching a second or foreign language through translation

[Anamary]

I am a teacher of english in Santiago de Chile, South America and I would like to know some opinions about teaching a second language through translation method. I personally disagree with this approach since I was trained with the communicative approach and with the paradigm that translation was out of question. Now, I am currently studying to get a master's degree in TEFL and turns out that translation method is on the table to be discussed. What do you think?
:confused:

Ana Maria Minguez

[Tiamat]

I teach English as a Second Language in Australia, and don't agree with the direct translation method at all. The children I teach aren't learning English as an "extra" or as a school subject that they may or may not ever use, but as a language in which they need to become fluent in order to live their lives as Australian citizens. They need to be able to work in English directly.

Also, the children I teach are from Afghanistan and many of the concepts don't translate easily. They need direct understanding.