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.
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