The Use of Translation as a Learning Strategy: A Case Study of Students of the University of Bahrain

Abstract

The use of native language in learning English is a controversial issue. Some studies advocate its use while others are against it.  As far as Arab Bahraini students are concerned, there are no studies that show whether translation is useful for students with different language proficiency and therefore, this study is filling a gap in knowledge in this area. This research aims to determine to what extent translation as a learning strategy is used by 4th year students and Orientation program students at the University. One hundred students from both groups participated in a survey with two sets of questionnaires related to beliefs and strategy use. The results of this qualitative and quantitative study have revealed that the majority of orientation students use translation as a learning strategy and hold positive beliefs about it, whereas a small percentage of the 4th year English major students still use translation as a learning strategy although they hold negative beliefs about it.  As a result, it is recommended that students at public schools should have more exposure to English language during English classes, enabling them to think directly in the target language without being pressured to use translation. As a result, the number of students in the University orientation program will ultimately decrease due to the improvement of their language proficiency.