A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE USE OF THE GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD AMONG TEACHERS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN ABEOKUTA

The Grammar Translation Method (GTM) is acknowledged to be an effective method used to teach learners of the English Language as a Second Language. However, it has been criticized over the years for its dependence on memorization of grammatical rules and translation from one language to another Abdul and Hafiza (2016). This study investigated teachers' perspective towards the use of the grammar translation method in teaching aspects of the English Ianguage. Sample for this study were made up of fifty (50) teachers consisting of twenty-five (25) teachers ench from the private and public primary schools in Abeokuta. Simple random sampling technique was wsed in selecting the respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data for the study. The findings revealed that both the teachers in the private and public schools still use aspects of the grammar translation method to teach the pupils however, the method is mostly wsed by teachers in the public schools. This is becawse learners in the public schools do not acquire English and Yoruba Languages simultaneously and the public schools do not have the resource materials needed to upgrade their teaching methodology to accommodate modern teaching methods. It was recommended that while the government provides the necessary resource materiais needed for the adoption of the modern tenching methodologies, the grammar translation method should not be totally discarded because of its immense contribution to second language learning.