The document discusses the history and principles of the Direct Method for teaching foreign languages. It emerged in the late 19th century as reformers like Henry Sweet, Wilhelm Viëtor, and Paul Édouard Passy criticized traditional grammar-translation methods. They believed language learning should emphasize speaking over writing, imitate natural first language acquisition, and avoid translating or formal grammar instruction early on. Maximilian Berlitz then developed the Direct Method, which teaches exclusively through the target language using actions, pictures, and realia rather than translation or grammar rules.

2. Linguists, such as Henry Sweet (1845-1912)in
England, Wilhelm Viëtor (1850-1918) İn
Germany, and Paul Édouard Passy (18591940)in France too became interested in the
controversies that emerged about the best
way to teach foreign languages, and ideas
were fiercely discussed and defended in
books( The Practical Study of Languages by H.
Sweet), articles and pamphlets(Language
Teaching Must Start Afresh by W. Viëtor).
Reformers in the late 19th century shared
many beliefs about the principles on which a
new approach to teaching foreign languages
should be based.

3. The late nineteenth-century reformers
shared the following beliefs:






Knowing a language is being able to speak it.
Great stress on correct pronunciation and
target language from outset.
Second language learning must be an
imitation of first language learning, as this is
the natural way humans learn any language.
The written word / writing should be delayed
until after the printed word has been
introduced.
The learning of grammar ductively/
translating skills should be avoided.
All above items must be avoided because
they hinder the acquisition of a good oral
proficiency.

4. The AntiGrammatical
Method
The Berlitz
Method
The Reform
Method
The Natural
Method

5. The Direct Method was developed by
Maximilian Berlitz towards the end of
the 19th century as a reaction to the
Grammar Translation Method.

6. The Direct Method is named “direct”
because meaning should be connected
directly with the target language
without translation into the native
language.
meaning
target
language

7. Basically, the Direct Method aims to provide
language learners with a practically useful
knowledge of language. Knowing a language is
being able to speak it.
Rather
than
translating
the
teaching
material, the teacher is expected to directly use
the target language in class because a language
can best be taught by using it actively in the
classroom.
The teacher should not explain but associate the
meaning through action and demonstration.

8. Direct Method
1. avoids close association between the
second language and the mother tongue.
2. lays emphasis on speech.
3. follows the child‟s natural way of
learning a language.
4. teaches the language by „use‟
5. does not favour the teaching of formal
grammar at the early stage.

9. Grammar Translation Method
1. maintains close association between the
second language and the mother tongue.
2. lays emphasis on translation.
3. follows the adult‟s natural way of
learning a language.
4. teaches the language by „rule‟.
5. teaches formal grammar from the very
beginning.

10. 
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.

Reading Aloud: Students take turn reading
sections of a passage, play or dialog out loud.

Getting Students to Self-Correct: The
teacher should have the students self-correct
by offering them a choice between what they
said and the correct answer.

11. 
Conversation Practise: The teacher asks
students a number of questions in the
target language which the students are
able to answer correctly. Later, the
students ask each other their own
questions using the same grammatical
structures.

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. They can do this from memory or
use a reading passage in the lesson as a
model.

12. There are many advantages of direct method.
Firstly, it makes the learning of English interesting
and lively by establishing direct bond between a
word and its meaning. Secondly, it is an activity
method facilitating alertness and participation of
the pupils. According to Macnee, "It is the quickest
way of getting started". In a few months over 500
of the commonest English words can be learnt and
used in sentences. This serves as a strong
foundation
of
further
learning.
Furthermore, students are able to understand what
they learn, think about it and then express their
own ideas in correct English about what they have
read and learnt. This method also can be usefully
employed from the lowest to the highest class. In
addition, through this method, fluency of
speech, good pronunciation and power of expression
are properly developed.

13. 

There are many disadvantages of direct method.
Firstly, there are many abstract words which
cannot be interpreted directly in English and much
time and energy are wasted in making attempts for
the purpose. This method is based on the
principles that auditory appeal is stronger that
visual. But there are children who learn more with
visual than with their oral- aural sense like ears
and tongue. In addition, the method ignores
systematic written work and reading activities and
sufficient attention is not paid to reading and
writing. Since in this method, grammar is closely
bound up with the reader, difficulty is experienced
in providing readers of such kind. This method also
may not hold well in higher classes where the
Translation Method is found suitable.