Rise and Development of Language Methodology: a Historical Perspective

Abstract

All teaching methods are similar. Each method focused on reaching certain level of language proficiency. Failure to do so, another method will take over, and so on. Shift in theories of nature of language and language teaching and learning took place continuously, to date. Most of the recent issues of foreign language teaching, are in-fact rooted in the contemporary methods. In order to understand the present better,  we should understand the past too. By having a glance through the past centuries, we can see how the foreign language teaching (FLT) methods were. Since the decline of the Latin in the 16^th century, innovations in the methods of FL teaching had started. This will further promote teachers’ professional knowledge (TPK) in foreign language education (FLE). This paper, will review the history of FL methodology. Its main aims are: to uncover the reality of FL methodology in the past, and to provide a better professional knowledge and teaching ability at classroom level, to all FL teachers.