The Audio Lingual Method (ALM) was developed during World War II to quickly teach American soldiers foreign languages for military purposes. Known as the "Army Method", ALM combines structural linguistics, contrastive analysis, aural-oral training, and behaviorism. It focuses on intensive oral practice of language patterns through repetition and substitution drills to increase communication ability in a short time period. The learner plays a reactive role, responding to teacher-led stimuli, while the teacher maintains an active, central role in varying drills and tasks. ALM was first named by Professor Nelson Brooks in 1964.