Online Translators are tools that students utilise in order to complete assignments therefore I think it`s important that we teach them how to properly use this tool. Although I only have a few months of teaching experience, it is easy to identify which students work is authentic and which is directly translated using an online translator. As the article identifies, online translators are not always correct because they translate word by word rather than translate the meaning of the words. One activity to help students understand the potential unreliability of such translations is to have them compare translation sites. Oftentimes, the results will vary in translation and the meaning of the text. This is a very useful exercise because it will help develop critical thinkers. It will also hopefully build a better understanding of how different languages can`t always be translated directly.
I don`t think I will encourage students to translate texts but I think it would be interesting for individual words. I would prefer that students use dictionaries because students can see the different meanings that a word has and chose the correct word based on the context. Translators in my opinion allow students to acquire language that is too advance and I don`t think it`s a true indication that they have mastered the language.
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