Grammar-translation

The  grammar-translation method is a  method of teaching foreign languages derived from the classical (sometimes called traditional) method of teaching  Greekand  Latin. In grammar-translation classes, students learn  grammatical rules and then apply those rules by  translating sentences between the target language and their native language. Advanced students may be required to translate whole texts  word-for-word. The method has two main goals: to enable students to read and translate literature written in the target language, and to further students’ general intellectual development.

Where it came from
The grammar-translation method originated from the practice of teaching Latin. In the early 1500s, Latin was the most widely-studied foreign language due to its prominence in government, academia, and business.However, during the course of the century the use of Latin dwindled, and it was gradually replaced by English, French, and Italian. After the decline of Latin, the purpose of learning it in schools changed. Whereas previously students had learned Latin for the purpose of communication, it came to be learned as a purely academic subject.

Throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, the education system was formed primarily around a concept called faculty psychology. This theory dictated that the body and mind were separate and the mind consisted of three parts: the will, emotion, and intellect. It was believed that the intellect could be sharpened enough to eventually control the will and emotions. The way to do this was through learning classical literature of the Greeks and Romans, as well as mathematics.[citation needed]  Additionally, an adult with such an education was considered mentally prepared for the world and its challenges.

How to use it
There are two main goals to grammar-translation classes. One is to develop students’ reading ability to a level where they can read literature in the target language. [2]  The other is to develop students’ general mental discipline. The users of foreign language wanted simply to note things of their interest in the literature of foreign languages. Therefore, this method focuses on reading and writing and has developed techniques which facilitate more or less the learning of reading and writing only. As a result, speaking and listening are overlooked.

Activites

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;">Grammar-translation classes are usually conducted in the students’  native language<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;">. Grammar rules are learned deductively; students learn grammar rules by rote, and then practice the rules by doing grammar drills and translating sentences to and from the target language. More attention is paid to the form of the sentences being translated than to their content. When students reach more advanced levels of achievement, they may translate entire texts from the target language. Tests often consist of the translation of classical texts.