GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD

Definition: a method of foreign or second language teaching which makes use of translation and
grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities. It was originally used to teach”
dead” languages (and literatures) such as Latin and Greek, involving little or no spoken
communication or listening comprehension. 

History: the method was mainly used to teach Latin and Greek way back in the early 19 th and
20th centuries. But actually, the origins can be traced way back when the earth was still believed
to be flat between the year 1466- 1536 when Erasmus of Rotterdam used it to produce an
updated translation of the New Testament.
ADVANTAGES:
 Easiest for teachers to use
 To help students with literature understanding. It is the idea that students were able to
read and to access foreign language literature.
 Does not require teachers to speak good English or make good lesson preparations.
DISADVANTAGES:
 This method did not allow students to create their own meanings and express their own
ideas and feelings in English because there is not much interaction.

 This method is a teacher- centered where there is not much interaction. It also focuses a
lot on grammar, and they used to translate very often to explain the language.

 When teachers used this method, they used to explain English in the student’s mother
tongue. There was a little active used of the target language because teachers used to
teach long list of words.

 This method did not allow students to create their own meanings and express their own
ideas and feelings in English because there is not much interaction.