Grammar Translation Method (GMT)

 01-2023

The grammar translation method is a method of teaching foreign languages derived from the classical method of teaching Greek and Latin. In grammar-translation classes, students learn grammatical rules and then apply those rules by translating sentences between the target language and the 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.

Its characteristics:

- Classes are taught in the mother tongue

- Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words.

- Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

- Reading of difficult texts is begun early.

- Long, elaborate explanations of the intricacies of grammar are given.

For this class we actually had an excercise in which we had to translate this little poem: