The Direct Method

Contents 1. Definition 2. Background 3. Main features 4. Objectives 5.Procedures 6. Techniques 7. Theoretical basis 8. Comments

Questions

1.What is the Direct Method? 2. What’s your understanding of the word

“Direct”? 3. How did it come into being? 4. What are its main features, objectives,

classroom teaching procedures and techniques, and its theoretical basis?

5. What are your comments on this method?

Definition

The Direct Method is a method of foreign or

second language teaching which insists that only

the target language should be used in class and

meaning should be communicated “directly” by

associating speech forms with actions, objects,

mime, gestures and situations.

It emphasizes the importance of spoken languag

e. Therefore holds that reading and writing shoul

d be taught only after speaking .The Direct Meth

od believes in the natural process of language le

arning and in the inductive teaching of grammar.

Background

The Direct Method got its name from the

assumption that meanings are to be connected

directly with the target language, without going

through the process of translating into the

students’ native language.

It was developed in the late 19th century as a rea

ction against the Grammar-Translation Method a

nd out of the need for better language learning in

a new world of industry and international trade a

nd travel.

In the mid and late 19th century,

international exchanges increased very fast

because of political and economical reasons.

But the different languages used in different

countries created a barrier in such

exchanges.

Increased opportunities for communication in

spoken language among Europeans created a

demand for oral proficiency in foreign

languages. Therefore, language teaching

innovations in the 19th century were inevitable.

The Direct Method emerges as a result of the

innovations.

The new world in the late 19th century made the

Direct Method not only a necessary but also a

possibility. The rapid development of linguistics,

psychology and education greatly stimulated the

establishment of the Direct Method.

Main features

a. Students learn to think in the target language.

b. Meaning is presented by relating directly to

the physical world.

c. Target language is the language of instruction

and communication in the classroom.

d. Grammar is learned inductively through

listening and speaking activities.

e. Correct pronunciation is emphasized.

f. The syllabus （教学大纲） is arranged semant

ically ( 语义地 ) according to situations or topics.

g. Spoken language is preferred to written languag

e.

h. The basic unit of language is the sentence.

Objectives

a. to foster the students’ ability to communicate

in the target language;

b. to enable the students to think in the target

language ;

c. to train the four skills;

d. to achieve correct pronunciation.

Procedures

Classroom procedures in the Direct Method can

be roughly divided into three phases:

Presentation by direct association;

oral practice in the target language

and consolidation with written work

Techniques In order to realize the goal of teaching , a Direct

Method teacher is usually found using the

following techniques:

a. Direct association. New language items are

presented by associating meaning with the target

language directly.

b. Question and answer exercises. In order to

have the newly-introduced language items fully

understood by students, the teacher answers

students’ questions and asks students to answer

her questions in full sentences.

c. Conversation practice. Students are

encouraged to ask other questions using the

same grammatical structures they have

practiced.

d. Error correction. Students are not allowed to make mistakes. Their mistakes are immediately corrected by the teacher or by students themselves.

e. Dictation. Dictation is used as a means to reinforce and test what the students have learned. f. Inductive teaching of grammar. Grammar is learned inductively through listening and speaking activities.

g. Listening comprehension tasks. Designing listening comprehension tasks is one of the ways to establish a favorable classroom climate in the Direct Method.

h. Graded composition. Writing can be introduced as a means of consolidation and evaluation in the Direct Method. Written work should be graded in the following sequence: first, reproduction of familiar reading texts; second, reproduction of narratives orally presented by the teacher; third, free composition.

Theoretical basis

Theory of language

The theory of language underlying the Direct Metho

d was mainly derived from the following views by t

he innovators and reformers of the 19th century:

a. Every language has its own structure. Every lang

uage has its own structure and cannot be forced into

the straitjacket （约束） of Latin grammar.

b. Spoken language comes before written lang

uage. Since the Spoken language comes into b

eing before written language, speech patterns r

ather than grammar should be fundamental ele

ments of language.

c. Spoken language is a learnable system of soun

ds. Spoken language is a learnable system of sou

nds ,and sounds are best described by phonetic tr

anscription （音标） . Training in phonetics wil

l enable teachers and learners to pronounce the l

anguage accurately.

d. Language and thought are closely linked. Acc

ording to Gouin, verbal expression is intimately

linked with thought about real events. Thoughts

and corresponding utterances do not occur rando

mly or singly （单独地） ; they came in seque

nces and ends-means （目的手段） series.

Theory of learning a Foreign language learning is analogous （相似

的） to first language acquisition . The learning

of a foreign language is analogous to first langua

ge acquisition, so a direct association between fo

rms and meanings in the target language should

be established.

b. Language and the physical world are directly

associated. Direct association of language with o

bjects and persons of the immediate environmen

t is emphasized in the Direct Method.

c. Learners acquire rules of grammar

inductively. Rather than teaching grammar

deductively, teachers encourage learners to

induce rules of grammar through active use of

the target language in the classroom.

d. Language meaning is taught by using learner

s’ sensory （感觉的） experience . The best m

ethod of teaching language meaning is the one u

sing learners’ sensory experience, generally visu

al perception （视觉） .

Comments

Advantages1. Students’ participation.

2. Interests for teachers & students.

3. Good pronunciation & intonation.

4. Communicative use of language.

5. Success in non-classroom settings.

6. Exciting and interesting.

7. Speaking FL in the early stages

Disadvantages

1. Lack systematic learning of structures and vocabulary.

2. Too soon express only in FL.

3. Glib( 口齿伶俐 ) but inaccurate fluency with foreign words in NL structure.

4. Good for the smart, not for the slow.

5. high demand on the teacher.

Modern Tendencies

1. Add a strictly functional explanation of grammar in

the NL.

2. Add more practice of grammatical structures.

3. When difficult to explain meanings of words and

phrases, give a short NL explanation.

4. The method of translation of words and phrases as a

check.

Homework

Read your books and try to find the following about

the aural approach:

Its main features and procedures.