To translate or to not translate

I am currently in a German language class. I am also a former high school teacher of Spanish and also English.

Here is my issue(s) and question(s):

I know the age old argument(s) of "immerse them - foreign language only" versus "grammar, reading, listening - academic approach only". I also know the other age old argument of "NO TRANSLATION" - "PERIOD!".

I had a discussion today with a student who is about 20 years younger than me. She insisted that my approach to the German language is all wrong. I - after years of teaching and learning languages (I can functionally work in about 5) - have adopted the ideology (if you will) that the immersion - little grammar - no translation methodology works best for young people. The translation and more academic method probably works better for older people - maybe those over 25 or 30 (like me).

For example - today in class I was not able to finish one exercise because I did not understand what one word meant in my own language. I struggled and struggled - since the teacher was not willing or able to help me in English - until finally I simply gave up. My bottom line point is - I think that I as an older student who learned a second language as a younger student I can say that I need to translate some. I would even go so far as to say that grammar structures and the major vocabulary for the week should be first presented in the mother tongue, and then the lesson repeated totally in the language being learned - i.e. German.

I was blindsided when I suggested this today to my fellow student mentioned above. I would like your thoughts.

I don't like the idea of a "One size fits all" approach to learning.
Different people with different personalities and temperments learn in different ways.

I think that ALL methods, mentioned above and otherwise, should be used. Besides, it's not about the method, or *how* it's accomplished. It's about the goal, and getting the language into you is the goal regardless.

<<I think that ALL methods, mentioned above and otherwise, should be used. Besides, it's not about the method, or *how* it's accomplished. It's about the goal<<

I second that. Ideologies of ALL kind are not beneficial.

I also agree with the idea that there is "no one size fits all" for languages.

I think you need to relax more. If you don't understand a word what will happen? It's not like surgery. Oops, I left a sponge in the patient! It's a class. I know that English speakers are REALLY afraid of not understanding. It has to be like this. Are you getting 75%, 90%? or are you like the dog who only understands his name?

The time you need to be on top of things is when You do interpreting or translating (especially for money.), otherwise do your best.

An analogy or two from tennis may or may not be good. Different people in tennis, even at the highest levels, play tennis differently. For example the serve and volley player versus the baseline player. And even among baseline players there is the single handed forehand plus two handed backhand player versus the two handed forehand plus two handed backhand player etc. Note that Monica Seles, a two handed forehand plus two handed backhand player, has won a number of grand slam events in tennis. No one system has wiped out all the others. It seems reasonable to assume that something along these lines exists with language learning.