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The grammar translation method.

a method of foreign or secondlanguage teaching which makesuse of translation and grammarstudy as the main teaching andlearning activities

Dates back to Erasmus 1466-1536

Originally used to teach Latin andGreek in the late 19thand early 20thcenturies

Earlier in 20th century, this methodwas used for the purpose of helpingstudents read and appreciate foreignlanguage literature

Background

Traditional method of second languageteaching in schools

Most common language teaching method

Stressed the literacy development

Teacher centered

The student is not the center of the education but the teacher.

Original purposes

Helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature

Helpful for mental exercise

Students can become more familiar with the grammar of their native language also write and speak their native language better

key features

Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with littleactive use of the target language.

Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists ofisolated words.

Long elaborate explanations of the intricacies ofgrammar are given.

Grammar provides the rules for putting wordstogether, and instruction often focuses on the formand inflection of words.

Reading of difficult classical texts is begunearly.

Little attention is paid to the content of texts,which are treated as exercises in grammaticalanalysis.

Often the only drills are exercises intranslating disconnected sentences from thetarget language into the mother tongue.

principles and techniques

The ability of communicating in thetarget language is not a goal

Deductive application of rules

Reading comprehension questions

Teacher as the authority

Memorization

Fill-in-the-blanks

Use words in sentences

Composition