The Grammar-Translation Method

Techniques

 Translation of a literary passage

- The teacher excerpts a passage from a literary text in the target
language and the students read it and translate it to their native language.
- For several classes, using the same passage, students learn vocabulary
and grammar rules.
- The translation may be written or spoken or both.
- Idiomatic expressions should not be translated literally.

• What types of activities are used in the classroom?

 Reading comprehension questions

- Students answer questions in the target language based on their
understanding of the reading passage.
- There are three groups of questions: - information contained within the
reading passage.
- inferences based on students
understanding.
- students relate the passage to
their own experience.
 Antonyms/Synonyms

 Cognates
- Students recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns
that correspond between the languages.
- Memorization of false-friends.

 Deductive application of rule

 Fill-in-the-blanks
- Students fill in the blanks with missing words (new vocabulary items
or with items of a particular grammar type.
  Memorization
- Vocabulary.
- Grammar rules and grammar paradigms.

 Use words in sentences

 Composition

• What types of materials are used?

- Handouts;
- Textbooks and workbooks;
- Dictionaries;

(LARSEN-FREEMAN, D. Techniques and principles in language teaching. Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 2000, 2a. ed.)