The grammar-translation method is a foreign-language teaching approach, dominant in European and American schools from the nineteenth century into the mid-twentieth, that teaches a language chiefly through explicit grammar rules, vocabulary lists memorized in pairs with their native-language equivalents, and written translation exercises between the two languages, with little attention paid to spoken fluency. It grew out of the traditional method for teaching Latin and Greek and remains a point of contrast against which every later communicative language-teaching method has defined itself.
Facts
Central QuestionHow can students be taught to read literature in a target language through explicit grammar rules and translation exercises, with little emphasis on speech 1 Most Effective ForReading comprehension of target-language literature and general mental discipline, rather than spoken fluency or communicative skill 1 Connections
Superseded By
Source Direct method (education) - Wikipedia
Sources
1. Grammar-translation method - Wikipedia
Principles and goals section, first aim
One is to develop students' reading ability to a level where they can read literature in the target language.
Principles and goals section, second aim
develop students' general mental discipline
View the SourceDirect method (education) - Wikipedia
Superseded By: Direct Method (Language Teaching), Historical context sectionQuote, Superseded By: Direct Method (Language Teaching), Historical context section
The direct method was an answer to the dissatisfaction with the older grammar translation method, which teaches students grammar and vocabulary through direct translations and thus focuses on the written language.
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