The direct method aims to teach foreign languages in the same way people learn their first language, without translation. It uses the target language for all communication through meaningful contexts and visual aids. Grammar is taught inductively by having students discover rules. Key techniques include reading aloud, question-answer exercises, self-correction, and conversation practice to develop oral skills. While it promotes correct pronunciation, it requires an engaged teacher and may be difficult with large classes or abstract concepts.

1. Direct Method
Miss Lama AlBabtain
ENG 406

2. Background
 Founded by Francois Gouin, in 1860, he
observed hundreds of French students learning a
foreign language and concluded that learning a
foreign language should be in the same way by
which people learn their L1.
 It aims to use the target language to communicate
with daily words. Grammar is taught inductively,
in which students discover the rules.

3. Background
 It’s to make up with the Grammar-Translation
Meth0od, which emphasizes reading and writing,
fixed rules for sentences patterns, and grammar
and translation skills.
 So, in DM, no translation, no native language but
with meaningful context, realia, pictures, visual
aids, demonstration and dramatization to help
students learn words, preposition, grammar of
the target language.

4. Principles
 No translate but demonstrate
 Never explain but act
 Never make a speech but ask questions
 Native speaker to deliver teaching for
correct pronunciation, and better oral skills.

5. Techniques
 Reading aloud:
 Take turns reading sections of a passage, play, or
whatever teaching materials. The teacher uses
gestures, pictures, realia, examples, or other
means to make the meaning of the section clear.
 Question and answer exercise
 Students ask and answer Qs in full sentences and
practice new words and grammatical rules.

6. Techniques
 Self-correction::
 To make students self-corrected by asking them
to make a choice between what they said and an
alternative answer he supplied;
 Or the teacher may repeat a student said, using a
questioning tone or to repeat what the students
said and stop before the error to signal that
something is wrong with students’ answers.

7. Techniques
 Conversation exercise:
 For communication purpose, teaching contains
conversational activities: starting with questions
in the target language which contained a certain
grammar structure, then let students ask Qs with
each other with the same sentence patterns.
Finally, let student have free talk.

8. Techniques
 Fill-in-blank exercise
 Dictation: a normal speed – phrase by phrase,
normal speed again.
 Map drawing: A map with unnamed
geographical features. The teacher gives
directions and students label the map. Then
change the roles.
 Paragraph writing: to write a paragraph in their
own words by using the teaching materials a
model.

9. Good points
 Letstudents learn the correct pronunciation
and better oral skills because no native
language is used and communication is
main activity in the class. Whereas,
students’ enterprising spirits and the teacher
speaking the target language fluently are
required.

10. Disadvantages
 Students may be afraid of asking Qs.
 It’s hard to practice the methods in a class
with more than 20 students. It needs a great
amount of teachers
 It’s hard to explain abstract words.
 It takes much time for teacher to explain the
words that might be trivial.

11. Thanks for attention!
Reference website:
http://content.edu.tw/senior/english/tp_tt/tea