Grammar Translation Method A method of foreign or second language teaching which makes use of translation and grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities. The Grammar Translation Method was the traditional way Latin and Greek were taught in Europe. In the nineteenth century it began to be used to teach “modern” languages such as French, German, and English, and it is still used in some countries today. A typical lesson consists of the presentation of a grammatical rule, a study of lists of vocabulary, and a translation exercise. Because the Grammar Translation Method emphasizes reading rather than the ability to communicate in a language there was a reaction to it in the nineteenth century, and there was later a greater emphasis on the teaching of spoken language. |