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Overview of the Direct Method in ESL

The Direct Method emphasizes teaching language through immersion and direct communication like a child learns their first language. It emerged in response to criticisms that the Grammar-Translation Method taught about a language but not how to speak it. Key features include conducting class exclusively in the target language, teaching everyday vocabulary and sentences through demonstration and conversation, and inductively teaching grammar. It has advantages like teaching language naturally and without differentiating active and passive vocabulary, but disadvantages include not comprehensively teaching all language skills like reading and writing.

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Mohammad Hossain
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54 views3 pages

Overview of the Direct Method in ESL

The Direct Method emphasizes teaching language through immersion and direct communication like a child learns their first language. It emerged in response to criticisms that the Grammar-Translation Method taught about a language but not how to speak it. Key features include conducting class exclusively in the target language, teaching everyday vocabulary and sentences through demonstration and conversation, and inductively teaching grammar. It has advantages like teaching language naturally and without differentiating active and passive vocabulary, but disadvantages include not comprehensively teaching all language skills like reading and writing.

Uploaded by

Mohammad Hossain
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Direct Method

The Direct Method, also known as the Natural Method, emphasises teaching a
language through immersion and direct communication, mirroring the way a child
learns their first language. The approach aims to create an environment that
replicates real-life language usage, encouraging learners to think, communicate,
and respond directly in the target language.
It emerged and was established in Germany and France around 1900, principally
in response to the perceived inability of the Grammar-Translation Method to teach
learners to communicate fluently. Critics of the Grammar-Translation Method
argued that its focus on rules, translation, and rote memorization taught learners
about the target language but not how to speak it. As a result, the Direct Method
shifts the focus onto developing more active communication skills.

Key features of the Direct Method:


According to Richards and Rodgers (2001), the key features of the Direct Method
are the following:
● Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the target language.
Learners are encouraged to think directly in the target language,
eliminating the need for translation.
● Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
● For the sake of developing oral communication skills, question-and-answer
exchanges are frequently arranged between teachers and students in
small, intensive classes.
● Grammar, when it is taught, is taught inductively. In this teaching method,
the teacher does not give rules to the students. Instead, the students are
encouraged to figure out the rules on their own.
● New teaching points are introduced orally first. That is, students listen and
speak before they read or write.
● Vocabularies are not taught, like GTM, with bilingual word lists. In DM,
specific vocabulary is taught through demonstrations, real-life examples,
objects, and visuals. Abstract vocabulary is taught through the association
of ideas.
● Unlike in GTM, both speech and listening comprehension are taught.
● Correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasised.

Advantages:
It is a natural method.
It teaches the second/foreign language in the same way as one learns one’s
mother tongue. The language is taught through demonstration and conversation
in context. Pupils, therefore, acquire speech fluency. They are quick at
understanding spoken English. They can converse in English with felicity and
ease.
There is no gap between active and passive vocabulary.
This method does not differentiate between active and passive vocabularies.
According to this method, whatever is required for understanding through English
is also required for expressing through it. If English is taught through the mother
tongue, the gulf between the active and passive vocabularies is widened. The
learner acquires more passive vocabulary because he concentrates on
understanding English rather than expressing it.
This method is based on sound principles of education.
It believes in introducing the particular before the general, concrete before the
abstract, and practice before theory.

Disadvantages:
1. some educationists hold the view that the Direct Method does not take
into account all aspects of language teaching. Dr. Michael West considers that the
best thing about this method is that it links the foreign word with the idea that it
represents. Hence, instead of being called a Direct Method, it should be called a
Direct Principle.

Not Comprehensive
Language learning involves the acquisition of skills such as listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. The Direct Method concentrates on listening and speaking,
not reading and writing. That is why many of those who have learned English
through the Direct Method feel that they do not get adequate command over
written language.

A comparison between the DM and GTM


A comparison between the Direct Method and the Grammar Translation Method
must take into account the following points:

The Direct Method:


● Avoid close association between the second or foreign language and the
mother tongue.
● Emphasises listening and speaking.
● follows the child’s natural way of learning a language.
● Teaches the language by ‘use’ and not by ‘rule’.
● Does not favour the teaching of formal grammar at an early stage.

The Grammar Translation Method:


● maintains a close association between the foreign language and the
mother tongue.
● Emphasis on reading and writing.
● Follows the adult’s natural way of learning a language
● Teaches the language by ‘rule’ and not by ‘use.
● Teaches formal grammar from the very beginning.

Techniques:
Larsen-Freeman (2000) discusses the following techniques of the Direct Method:
Reading Aloud: Students read sections of passages and dialogues aloud.
Question and Answer Exercise: The teacher asks questions in the target
language, and the students answer in full sentences.
Student Self-Correction: The teacher creates opportunities for students to
self-correct using follow-up questions, tone, etc.
Conversation Practice: The teacher asks students, and students ask students
questions using the target language.
Fill-in-the-blank Exercise: Students are supposed to fill in the blanks using
knowledge of grammar that they acquired inductively.
Dictation: The teacher reads the passage aloud several times at various speeds
and tempos while students write down what they hear.
Using maps: To develop learners' listening comprehension skills, the teacher may
give students an unlabeled map and give directions; students listen and label the
map.
Paragraph Writing: Students write paragraphs in their own words, using the
target language and various models.

Conclusion
The Direct Method was an important turning point in the history of foreign
language teaching and represented a step away from the Grammar Translation
Method. It continues to enjoy a popular following in many contexts, and it was
one of the foundations upon which the well-known Audiolingual Method
expanded through the 20th century. In Bangladesh, many English medium
schools have adopted the Direct Method with success. However, the lack of
provision for translation makes it unsuitable for mainstream Bangla medium
institutions at the primary or secondary level.

Common questions

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The Direct Method replicates the natural language acquisition of a child by immersing learners in the target language environment, encouraging thinking in the target language without translation, and emphasizing everyday vocabulary and communicative exchanges . It aligns with the child’s natural learning process by focusing on 'use' rather than 'rule' and delaying formal grammar instruction .

The Direct Method emphasizes listening and speaking skills and mirrors a child’s natural way of learning language through 'use', avoiding the close association with the mother tongue, and does not favor teaching formal grammar at an early stage . On the other hand, the Grammar Translation Method focuses on reading and writing, maintains a close association between the foreign language and the mother tongue, and teaches languages by 'rule' with a strong emphasis on formal grammar from the beginning .

Some educators argue against the early introduction of formal grammar because it might hinder the natural learning process by focusing too much on rules rather than practical language use . This approach contrasts with how children naturally acquire language, which is through immersive and practical use, rather than through structured grammar lessons .

In the Direct Method, grammar is taught inductively, meaning students figure out the rules themselves rather than being explicitly provided by the teacher . This contrasts with traditional grammar instruction, which commonly involves explicit rule teaching where students must memorize and apply given grammatical structures .

Dr. Michael West might suggest incorporating elements that account for a more comprehensive language instruction, integrating a better balance between spoken and written language skills, and perhaps reintroducing some elements of vocabulary translation to bridge gaps in written comprehension .

The Direct Method is based on sound educational principles, such as introducing particular before general, concrete before abstract, and practice before theory . These principles facilitate language learning by aligning with natural cognitive processes, encouraging an immersive and practical approach to language acquisition that enhances speech fluency and comprehension .

Critics argue that the Direct Method is less comprehensive because it concentrates on listening and speaking at the expense of reading and writing . This focus can lead learners to feel less competent in written language, as the method does not adequately develop these skills .

The Direct Method employs visual aids and real-life examples by using demonstrations, objects, and visuals to teach specific vocabulary . Abstract vocabulary is taught through association with ideas, aiming to create a meaningful context for language acquisition which simplifies the understanding and retention of new words .

Conversation practices in the Direct Method encourage active use of the language in real-life scenarios, enhancing speaking skills and fluency . Student self-correction, facilitated through follow-up questions and tone, encourages learners to independently identify and correct their mistakes, reinforcing understanding and retention of language structures .

Key challenges include the lack of translation provision, which conflicts with the educational framework of Bangla medium schools at the primary or secondary level . Additionally, the method's focus on immersion and direct communication in the target language can be difficult in environments where English is not the primary language, limiting exposure outside the classroom .

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