The history of Grammar Translation Method
In the Western world, “foreign” language learning in schools was synonymous with the learning of Latin or Greek.
Latin, thought to promote intellectuality through “mental gymnastics”, was only until relatively recently held to be
indispensable to an adequate higher education. Latin was taught by means of what has been called the Classical
Method: focus on grammatical rules, memorization of vocabulary and of various declensions and conjugations
translation of texts, doing written exercises. (Brown, H.D., 1994)