Do you think the grammar-translation method is important in learning English? In Japan English teaching is based on grammar-translation method. But many people can't speak English, so the Ministry of Education has begun to emphasize the importance of spoken English. Today's textbooks have been made based on conversation topics. But English teachers have begun to complain that owing to the conversation-based textbooks, the level of English skills of Japanese students have got lower than before. Now they say that Japanese students can neither speak English nor know basic grammar. Many Japanese English teachers say that to acquire basic skills of English, reading is the most important. There must be pros and cons.