Retranslation

Students translate a short English text into L1, then — after a time delay — translate it back into English and compare with the original, noticing gaps in collocations, grammar, and natural phrasing.

Procedure

1. Lead in: Introduce the topic of the text. Students discuss or predict content.
2. Read and react: Students read the short text (50–100 words). Discuss: do they agree with it? Is it surprising?
3. Translate to L1: In pairs, students collaborate to translate the text into natural-sounding L1. Collect the translations and the original.
4. Time delay: At least one hour — ideally the next lesson.
5. Retranslate to English: Return only the L1 translations. Pairs work together to translate back into English.
6. Compare: Display the original. Students compare their English version with the original, underlining differences in word choice, collocations, and structure.

Variations

• Multilingual class: Group students by shared L1. In the comparison stage, mix groups so students from different L1 backgrounds compare what they translated differently and why.
• Solo student: If one student has a unique L1, set the translation as homework and do the retranslation in class.
• Simpler texts: Use dictogloss-level texts (2–3 sentences) for lower levels.

Tips

• Tell students to aim for natural L1, not word-for-word translation — this is what creates productive gaps when translating back.
• You don't need to share the students' L1, but if you do, resist intervening too much during translation — let the gaps emerge naturally.
• Emergent language: collocations, cohesive devices, and structures that don't transfer directly between L1 and English.
• The delay is non-negotiable — without it, students reconstruct from memory rather than from their linguistic resources.