2. Direct Method
Definition: A method of teaching language directly establishing a direct or
immediate association between experience and expression, between the English
word, phrase or idiom and its meaning through demonstration, dramatization
without the use of the mother tongue.
Aims of this Method:
Direct method aims to build a direct relation between experience and language,
word and idea, thought and expression.
This method intends for students to learn how to communicate in the target
language.
This method is based on the assumption that the learner should experience the
new language in the same way as he/she experienced his/her mother tongue.
3. The Direct Method, it’s sometimes called the
Natural Method. Not limited to but often used in
teaching foreign languages, the method refrains
from using the learners' native language and uses
only the target language.
It’s named “direct", because meaning should be
connected directly with the target language without
translation into the native language.
4. History
It was established in Germany and
France around 1900, and it was an
answer to the dissatisfaction with the
older Grammar Translation Method,
which teaches students grammar and
vocabulary through direct translations
and thus focuses on the written
language.
5. One of its main proponents was the German Maximilian Berlitz,
whose schools in the form of Berlitz International exist to this
day.
6. Direct Method
is also known as:
Natural Method Phonetical
Method
Anti-Grammatical
Method
Reform
Method
7. Background
• In the mid and late 19 century,
Europe experienced a wave of
increasing opportunities of
communication, due to
industrialization and international
trade and travel.
• A need was felt to develop oral
proficiency in foreign languages.
• Language teachers had already
found Grammar-translation
method inadequate and ineffective
in developing 'communicative
ability' in learners.
8. Background
• They strongly advocate an alternative
method in which language was presented
in contexts and the mother tongue was
avoided.
• Its principal advocates were Prendergast
and Sauveur who proposed what they
called Natural Method that suggest
radical change from Grammar-
translation. It is this method that later
on came to be known as the Direct
Method
9. •DM believe L2 learning must be an imitation of L1 learning, as
this is the natural way humans learn any language.
•According to the German scholar F. Franke, a language could
best be taught by using it actively in the classroom.
•Rather than using analytical procedures that focus on
explanation of grammar rules, teachers must encourage direct
and spontaneous use of the L2 in the classroom.
•These natural language learning principles provided the
foundation for what came to be known as the Direct Method,
which refers to the most widely known of the natural methods.
•Direct Method argued that a L2 could be taught without
translation or the use of the learner's native tongue if meaning
was conveyed directly through demonstration and action.
12. 2- Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught during the
initial phase; grammar, reading and writing are introduced in
intermediate phase.
13. 3- Oral communication skills are built up in a carefully graded
progression organized around question-and-answer exchanges
between teachers and students in small, intensive classes.
14. 4- Grammar is taught inductively.
Students Figure Out Rules Themselves. Because we aren’t translating for our
students, we’re introducing language in context through action and interaction.
We’re pushing students to think in English and to develop their own understanding
of the rules of the language. For example, by hearing the teacher say “he is a
student” to Ricardo, and “they are students” to Chris and Natalia, students start
learning verb conjugations without creating diagrams or having patterns laid out
for them.
15. 5- Concrete vocabulary is taught through
demonstration, objects, and pictures; abstract
vocabulary is taught by association of ideas.
16. 6- Both speech and listening comprehensions are taught.
17. 7- Correct pronunciation and grammar are emphasized.
18. 8- Student should be speaking at least 89% of the time during
the lesson.
19. 9- Students are taught from inception to ask questions as well
as answer them.
20. Techniques
• Q & A: The teacher asks
questions of any nature and
the students answer.
• Dictation: The teacher
chooses a grade
appropriate passage and
reads the text
• aloud. Teacher reads the
passage three times
22. Techniques
• Map Drawing: Students
are given a map without
labeled then the
students label it by
using the directions the
teacher gives.
• Paragraph Writing : The
students are asked to
write a passage in their
own words.
24. 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
25. Teacher’s Role
The role of the teacher is to direct class activities,
encourage students to participate in class and corrects
their mistakes immediately.
But students and teacher are partners in the learning
process.
Student’s Role
Students are very active. Oral communication skills are
emphasized, there is a large amount of Learner-Learner
interaction.
Error Correction
The teacher, using various techniques, tries to get
students to self-correct whenever possible
Use of Mother Tongue
Student’s native language shouldn’t be used in the
classroom
26. STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING USING DIRECT METHOD
• Teacher ask student using target language and
student answer in full sentences.
Question & Answer Exercise
• Student read sections of passages, plays or
dialogs out loud
Reading Aloud
• Teacher reads passage aloud various amount of
times at various tempos, students writing down
what they hear
Dictation
27. • Teacher facilitates opportunities for students to self correct using follow-
up questions, tone, etc
Student Self Correct
• Students write paragraphs in their own words using the target language
and various models
Paragraph Writing
• Teacher asks students and students ask students questions using the
target language
Conversation Practice
• Items use target language only and inductive rather than explicit
grammar rules
Fill-In-The-Blank Exercise
28. Advantages & Disadvantages of Direct Method
Advantages Disadvantages
Students are encourage & motivated to
use L2 spontaneously.
Lack of teachers that interested in using
DM(not many teachers creative to create
their own materials)
Its emphasis on speech made it more
attractive for those who have needs of
real communication in the target language
DM ignores written work & reading
activities and sufficient attention is not
paid to reading & writing skills.
It make learning process interesting and
fun because DM encourage using realia
during learning process.
In large class, DM is not properly
applied.(not satisfy the needs of
individual)
Students are able to understand what
they learn.(it focus on meaning not the
rules)
DM is not suitable for public school
because it is costly.(realia, visual
materials)
29. Criticism
In spite of its achievements, the direct method
fell short from fulfilling the needs of educational
systems.
One of its major shortcomings is that it was hard
for public schools to integrate it. As R. Brown
(1994:56) points out, the Direct Method “did not
take well in public schools where the constraints
of budget, classroom size, time, and teacher
background (native speakers or native like
fluency) made such a method difficult to use.”
• After a short popularity in the beginning of the
20th century, it soon began to lose its appeal
because of these constraints. It then paved the
way to the Audio-lingual Method.
