Grammar–translation method? Why a history of the methods?Considerations from a Spanish perspective

ABSTRACT This article seeks to draw attention to the particular situation regarding knowledge of the Grammar–Translation Method (GTM), or lack thereof, which still dominates a great part of the teaching and research scenes. Considering mainly what has been published in Spanish, it provides answers to the questions outlined in its title. To that end, it briefly addresses some aspects covered by research on the GTM which show how imprecise knowledge of this method can be. It focuses then on the teaching scene in Spain regarding the GTM in the context of a history of the methods. Its aim is to refute the belief presented in many academic forums by those who still assume that the History of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning begins with the GTM and summarise it as a history of the methods used to teach mainly grammatical contents.