It originated from the practice of teaching Latin; in the early 16th century, students learned Latin for communication, but after the language died out it was studied purely as an academic discipline. When teachers started teaching other foreign languages in the 19th century, they used the same translation-based approach as had been used for teaching Latin. The method has been criticized for its shortcomings.
This teaching technique originated from the practice of instructing Latin; initially, students learned Latin to communicate effectively, but later it was studied solely as an academic subject. As other foreign languages were introduced in the 19th century, teachers employed a translation-based approach similar to that used for teaching Latin. However, this method has been criticized for its limitations.