The Direct Method to English Language Teaching

1. Presented by:
- Abdessamad Rais
- Younness Tinilfte
- Yassine Hadrache
CRMEF Sous Massa - Inzegane
Supervised by:
prof. Raja Hakim

2. THE OUTLINE
 Definition and historical background.
 Objectives.
 Key features/characteristics.
 Techniques.
 Advantages.
 Criticism and challenges.
 Application of the DM in a classroom.

3. DM The direct method, also referred to as the reform-method
or natural method is a method to teaching languages that
relies heavily and only on the target language and refrains
from using learners’ native language. Its claim is that the
extreme use of mother tongue affected the naturalness of
language.
In this method the same environment of L1 is created to learn
second or foreign language. Foreign languages are taught in a
way that was more similar to first language acquisition.
DM incorporated techniques designed to address all the areas
that the Grammar-Translation did not.

4. DM as a reform-method came in the late 1800s as a reaction
to Grammar-Translation Method that was limited in many
areas such as the inability to create communicative
competence in students.
DM originated from the belief that foreign languages can be
acquired naturally in the same way we acquired our mother
tongue.

5. Lambert Sauveur, a French
teacher, was the first to try and
formalize such a philosophy for
the teaching of modern
languages. He opened a
language school in Boston and
his conversation-based method
had attracted a great deal of
attention and became known as
the Natural Method, from which
the DM sprung and developed.

6. Maximilian Berlitz, the German
linguist, is one of the
proponents of the DM. He
opened his first school in
Providence, Rhode Island, with
the aim of teaching second
languages ‘directly’, i.e.
unmediated by translation.

7. 7
Key
Features

8. 8
- Rejection of the use of learners’ mother tongue. Instruction, thought,
and expression are conducted on in L2.
- Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
KEY FEATURES:
- The use of visual aids and real objects that substitute the need to use
translation.
- Prioritizing speech, oral skills, listening comprehension and emphasis on
correct pronunciation.
- The culture of the target language is taught inductively through authentic, meaningful
contexts.

9. 9
- New words are taught through direct association with actions, dialogues, situations,
objects, or pictures.
- The syllabus used in the Direct Method is based upon situations or topics, not grammatical
structures.
- Students practice vocabulary by using new words in complete
sentences
- Rejection of the memorization of grammar rules . Grammar is taught inductively, acquired
unconsciously through practical use, that is, through intensive listening and imitation.

10. OBJECTIVES:
Help students learn to communicate in the target
language, by learning how to think in that language and
by not involving L1 in the language learning process =
Direct association and thought process.
Enables students to speak a foreign language
with a reasonable degree of fluency as the
previous GMT could not be of great help. =
Fluency.
Objectives include teaching the students how to use
the language spontaneously and orally. =
Communication.

11. 11

12. 12
English
English
English
English
English
English
English
English
English

13. These principles are guidelines for teaching oral language, are followed
in contemporary Berlitz schools:

14. 14
HOW IS EVALUATION
ACCOMPLISHED?
It seems like there is actually no
formal evaluation in the class
mainly because in the Direct
Method, students are asked to
use the language to
communicate, not to
demonstrate their knowledge
about the language.

15. 15
LANGUAGE SKILLS AND COMPONENTS THAT ARE
EMPHASIZED
• Listening and Speaking are
primary.
• Reading is important as well,
especially when it’s aloud.
• Writing exercises are based upon
what the students practice orally
first.
• Pronunciation also receives
attention right from the beginning
of a course.
• Vocabulary is stressed over

17. 17
 Statements are demonstrated with actions and students repeat
both the language model and the actions as in this sentence: I
am going to the window; I am looking at the mirror.
 Reading Aloud: Students take turns reading sections of a passage,
play, or dialogue out loud. At the end of each student’s turn, the
teacher uses gestures, pictures, realia, examples, or other means to
make the meaning of the section clear.
 Question and Answer Exercise: Asking questions in the target
language and having students answer in full sentences so that they
practice new words and grammatical structures.
 Student Self-Correction: Teacher facilitates opportunities for
students to self correct using follow-up questions.

18. 18
 Dictation: The teacher reads the passage three times.
1st time : normal speed, students just listen.
2nd time: phrase by phrase, pausing long enough to allow students to write down what
they have heard.
3rd time the teacher reads at a normal speed, and students check their work.
 Paragraph Writing: The teacher asks the students to write a paragraph in their own
words about a certain topic they studied.
 Conversation Practice: The teacher asks students a number of questions in the target
language, they have to understand to answer correctly. For example; the teacher asks
individual students questions about themselves. The questions contained a particular
grammar structure. Later, the students were able to ask each other their own questions
using the same grammatical structure.
 Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise:. All the items are in the target language; no explicit
grammar rule would be applied. The students would have induced the grammar rule
they need to fill in the blanks from examples and practice with earlier parts of the
lesson.

19. 19
Teacher’s role
• Teacher must encourage spontaneous use of the foreign
language in the class room.
• The teacher directs the class activities.
• The teacher asks the student through target language directly.

20. 20
Students’ role
• Learners would be able to induce rules of grammar.
• Student role is less passive than in the Grammar-Translation
Method.
• The teacher and the students are more like partners in the
teaching–learning process.
• The students are expected to do what the teacher asks.

21. 21
The initiation of the interaction goes both ways, from teacher to
students and from students to teacher, although the latter is often
teacher-directed. Students speak and interact with one another as
well.
Nature of student–teacher interaction

22. ADVANTAGES:
22
To learn any language
means to speak that
language with fluency. This
method creates this ability
in students.
This method helps learners to
enjoy the language. So the
learners start using the
language without fear.
This method is
based on the
principle of
"Learning by Doing".
Grammar is taught
inductively and Students
don’t worry about
memorizing.

23. CRITICISM AND CHALLENGES
23

24. BY THE LATE 1920S, THE METHOD WAS STARTING TO GO
INTO DECLINE AND THERE WAS EVEN A RETURN TO THE
GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD
24
READING/WRITING
This method does not
help in important
aspect of language
learning like reading
and writing.
EQUIPMENT
This method requires
many audio visual
aids, which are
expensive for schools
to afford.
INACTIVITY
The learning can be
passive, if teacher can
not motivate the
students enough.

25. 25
DIFFICULTY WITH ABSTRACT
CONCEPTS
Abstract concepts are
challenging to convey only
using L2 and Realia.
LIMITED VOCABULARY
EXPOSURE
Focusing on realia and
situations for vocabulary
building can lead to a
limited range of vocabulary
being taught,
STANDARDIZED TESTS
focusing on only
communication skills (not on
vocab and grammar) may not
prepare learners for these
tests.
TEACHER DEPENDENCY TIME-CONSUMING
DM depends on the teacher's
proficiency in L2 and ability to create
immersive learning experiences.
Teacher not proficient = learners not
receiving the full benefits of the
method.
Using only L2 can be time-consuming
when trying to explain complex concepts
without translation.

26. RECAP

27. THE APPLICATION OF THE METHOD:
- Waiter: Good afternoon! Welcome to our restaurant. Would you like to sit at a table in
front of the window, next to the fireplace with these cozy chairs, or under those beautiful
lamps?
- Customer: Thank you! A table in front of the window sounds perfect.
- Waiter: Great choice! Right this way, please.
- Waiter: Here you go. Your table is right in front of the window, with a lovely view of the
garden.
- Customer: Thank you! It looks beautiful.
- Waiter: Can I get you something to drink while you decide on your meal?
- Customer: Yes, please. I’ll have a glass of water.
Passage:

29. COMPREHENSION CHECK.

30. 30
Skills of language are emphasized the most in
DM;
 Speaking
 Writing
 Listening
 Reading
Teacher responds to student errors by:
What are some techniques used in this method.
How is grammar taught?
 Explanation of grammar rules in the native language
 Practice exercises focusing on written grammar
 Inductive learning through dialogues and
conversations
 Translation of sentences between languages
 Reading aloud
 Fill-in-the-blanks
 Translation
 Dialogue memorization
 Conversation practice
 Peer-correction
 Self-correction
 Teacher correction
 Silence
What is the primary aim of the direct method?
What is a characteristic feature of the direct
method in language teaching?
 Emphasis on memorization and grammar rules.
 Focus on translating texts between languages.
 Focus on spoken language over written language.
 Reliance on technology for instruction.
 To develop writing skills
 To promote cultural understanding
 To facilitate natural language acquisition
 To focus on literature analysis

31. Role of native language in the direct method?
 It is used extensively for instruction.
 It is completely avoided.
 It is used sparingly for clarification.
 It is the primary language of instruction.
What is the role of the teacher?
The direct method typically assesses students'
language proficiency through:
The aspect of language learning prioritized by
the direct method
 Reading comprehension
 Listening comprehension
 Written expression
 Translation exercises
 Lecturing on grammar rules
 Correcting written assignments
 Facilitating communication activities
 Assigning vocabulary quizzes
 written exams focusing on grammar and
vocabulary
 oral interviews and speaking tests
 group presentations and projects
 multiple-choice tests and quizzes
How does the direct method typically introduce new
vocabulary?
Which language learning approach is often
contrasted with the direct method?
 Grammar-translation method
 Audio-lingual method
 Communicative language teaching
 Task-based language teaching
 Through translation exercises
 Through memorization of word lists
 Through context and real-life situations
 Through grammar-based explanations

32. How should we speak if we follow a Direct Method
?  Quickly
 Slowly
 Naturally and normally
 Loudly
In order to teach new vocabulary items in DM,
we use these techniques:
 Definitions
 Demonstrations and miming
 Equivalent in another language
 Realia

33. REFERENCES
Thornbury, S. (2017). Scott Thornbury’s 30 Language Teaching
Methods Google EBook: Cambridge Handbooks for Language
Teachers.
Patel, M. F., & Jain, P. M. (2008). English Language teaching:
Methods, Tools & Techniques.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and principles in language
teaching. Oxford University.
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in
language teaching. Cambridge University Press.