The Grammar Translation Method:
The Grammar – Translation Method is not new. It has had different names, but it has been used by language teachers for many years. Earlier in this century, this method was used for the purpose of helping students read and appreciate foreign language literature. It was also hoped that, through the study of the grammar of the target language, students would become more familiar with the grammar of their native language and that this familiarity would help them speak and write their native language better. Finally, it was thought that foreign language learning would help students grow intelectually; it was recognized that students would probably never use the target language, but the mental exercise of learning it would be beneficial anyway.

In Grammar Method the primary skills to be developed are reading and writing. Little attention is given to speaking and listening, and almost none to pronunciation. The teacher is the authority in the classroom. It is very important that students get the correct answer. It is possible to find native language equivalents for all target language words. Learning is facilitated through attention to similarities between the target language and the native language. It is important for students to learn about the form of the target language. Deductive application of an explicit grammar rule is a useful pedagogical technique. Language learning provides good mental exercise. Students should be conscious of the grammatical rules of the target language. Whenever possible, verb conjugations and other grammatical paradigms should be committed to memory.