The Grammar Translation Method... be continued...

In the XIX century the Grammar Translation Method was an attempt to enhance language- teaching methodology within the classroom atmosphere. This method which derived from the previous "Classical Method, was mainly focused on memorization of vocabulary, translation of texts, grammatical rules, and on written exercises.

However, this teaching method did not help teachers to develop communicative competence in their students because of the characteristics that this new approach had. Within the characteristics of the Grammar Translation Method were:

-Classes were taught in the mother tongue.

-Vocabulary was presented in the form of endless lists with no context.

-Grammar was the focus.

-Long explanations of grammar.

-No attention to pronunciation or others skills such as listening or speaking.

-Reading of difficult classical texts.

According to Brown(1998) these were basically the most characteristic features of this method which remained very popular during many decades in most of schools even though students did not learn English communicatively. On the other hand, this method is still used by most of English teachers who consider this method easy to teach. Besides, it does not demand too much effort either its teaching nor its evaluation. This happens mainly because grammar tests are easier than others based on writting or speaking skills' developement.

Nowadays, there are many web-pages giving free English, French or Italian classes. But, if people have a look at them, they will realize that most of these Internet sources focus their attention on teaching grammatical rules as the base of their teaching instead of focusing on developing communicative competences. It seems that the way teachers gave their lesson in the XIX century is not so far away from what some teachers continue doing currently.It is essential, then that teachers believe in their students English abilities and open their eyes to new teaching methods because we clearly are not in the XIX century. We are in a globalized world which just wants to communicate!