English Grammar Learn

English Grammar Learn

English Grammar Learn

Foreign language teaching has been around for a very long time. The first foreign languages were Greek and Latin, desired for their academic superiority. The learning of them meant many tedious hours of learning grammar rules and memorizing them. Little could the child scholars of old have envisioned that, 500 years later, their modern counterparts would be enjoying interactive boards, e-books and sub-title free Harry Potter movies in their quest to learn a foreign language.

There have been many changes in the way foreign languages are taught over the years. Some of the methods have come and gone as most fads do, but others have become ingrained in the more modern techniques as basic necessities of language learning. The eminent Moravian educator Comenius said in 1632, “Every language must be learned by practice rather that by rules, especially by reading, repeating, copying and by written and oral attempts at imitation.” Despite his wise words, change was a long time coming and it wasn’t until the 19th century that effective language learning was taken seriously.

The Grammar Translation Method

For hundreds of years, the grammar translation method has held sway. Once hailed as a modern method itself, the name is self explanatory – rules are learnt and memorized, texts are translated and there is little in the way of practical application. The theory comes from the humanist tradition which considers knowledge for knowledge sake sufficient motive for the learning of a foreign language.