The Direct Method is an approach to teaching foreign languages that uses the target language exclusively and avoids translation or explaining grammar rules. It was developed in the 1860s based on observations of how children acquire their first language. Key principles include using real-world examples and demonstrations rather than explanations, emphasizing oral skills and questions/answers, and avoiding grammar explanations. Techniques include reading aloud, conversations, dictation, and map tasks. While it aims to mimic natural language acquisition, critics argue it is difficult to implement fully and may not be suitable for large classes.

1. Direct Method
What is Direct Method?

2. Direct Method
The Direct Method has one
very basic rule: No
translation is allowed.

3. What is Direct Method?
“The method of teaching foreign language
without the use of mother tongue.”
It only uses target language to teach target
language.
It is also called “Natural language” because
of its learners do not use native language.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Four Major Principles
No Translation under any circumstances.
A strong emphasize on oral work.
Avoidance of grammatical expression.
Maximum use of question answer
techniques.

8. Role of the students
Student are less passive as compared to
GTM.
They think and speak in the target
language.
They try to speak as much as possible.
They learn how to ask a question as well as
answer them.

9. Role of the Teacher
The teacher role is quite active.
He /She directs all the classroom activities.
Asks minimum Questions and Answers.
He /She uses sentences instead of words
and makes student speak much.

10. Techniques
Reading loud
Question and answer exercise
Getting students to self-correct
Conversation practice
Fill-in-the-blank exercise
Dictation
Map drawing
Paragraph writing

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

12. Getting student to Self-correct
A teacher might supply repeat what a student has
just said, using a questioning.
A teacher must repeat what the student said,
stopping before the error.
The student knows that the next word was
wrong.

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

14. Fill in the blanks exercise
Students are given series of sentence with words
missing.
They fill in the blanks with new vocabulary
items only from the target language.

15. Dictation
The teacher reads the passage three times.
The first time the teacher read it at a normal
speed, while the student only listen.
The second time he reads it phrase by
phrase, to allow students write down what
they heard.
The last time the teacher again reads at a
normal speed and check student’s work.

16. Map drawing
The student are given a map with the
geographical features unnamed.
The teacher gives directions to the students.
The student can have a completely labeled
map if they follow his instruction correct.

17. Paragraph writing
The teacher asks students to write a
paragraph in their own words.
The student can do this from their memory.
They can use the reading passage in the
lesson as a model.
The same techniques of paragraph can be
applied to any other topics.

18. Advantages
Let students 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.

19. 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.

20. The Role of DM in Pakistan
Direct method is not used in Govt. schools
because students are not taught the foreign
languages from their beginning stages.
In private schools DM is being used with
some amendments.
The Role of mother tongue is not ignored.
Grammar and other rules are also taught
according to the principal of DM.

21. The principles are still followed in
contemporary schools:
 Never translate: demonstrate,
 Never explain: act,
 Never make a speech: ask questions,
 Never imitate mistakes: correct,
 Never speak with single words: use sentences,
 Never speak too much: make students speak much,
 Never use the book: use your lesson plan,
 Never jump around: follow your plan,
 Never go too fast: keep the pace of the student,
 Never speak too slowly: speak normally,
 Never speak too quickly: speak naturally,
 Never speak too loudly: speak naturally,
 Never be impatient: take it easy.

22. Summary
No method of teaching a target language is
absolute rather contextual.
A good teacher can reap maximum advantages
from carefully handling the Direct Method.
The complete detachment from mother tongue
is almost impossible.

23. Conclusion
Language learning should be of use.
Good for the class of small size.
Culture should be taught about people’s daily
lives.

26. Thanks for attention!
…!Good bye