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| The direct method |
The general dissatisfaction with the grammar-translation method gave birth to the direct method of teaching. This method claims to teach a foreign language without the use of a mother tongue. It is based on the natural approach that learning a foreign language is the same as learning the mother tongue naturally without the help of any written rules. Its two major aims are: to think in the target language and to speak it with the correct pronunciation. In short, it aims at establishing a direct bond between thought and expression, between experience and language. This method works on four principles;
No translation under any circumstances.
- A strong emphasis on Oral work.
- Avoidance of grammatical explanation for stop.
- Maximum use of question-answer techniques
Advantages of the direct method:
1. Natural method:
The child learns first by listening and speaking. This method lays stress on this natural way of learning language skills.
2. Fluency in speech:
Through excessive speaking, speech habits are formed. As a result, the learner develops fluency in speech. He can speak the language like the native people. Speech fluency also improves the learners writing skills. He gets rid of translation habits and starts thinking directly in English.
3. Improves listening comprehension:
In this method listening and speaking skills are exercised. So the learner develops a better listening comprehension. We can listen to the speaker and understand him fully.
4. Improves pronunciation:
Through continuous speaking, the learners' pronunciation is improved. His intonation gets better. He can speak in a way that he can be understood by a native speaker.
5. Interesting:
It is an interesting method. The teacher and the students take an active part in the teaching process. The use of audiovisual aids such as radio, tape recorder, TV, charts, pictures, films make teaching and learning interesting.
Disadvantages of the direct method:
1. Time-consuming:
In this method, the use of the mother tongue is not allowed. The teacher has to adopt some lengthy ways to explain the meaning. He has to use mime (body movements), visuals, or explanations to make the idea clear. In this way, a lot of time is wasted.
2. Unsuitable for large classes:
In this method, every student is required to take part in classroom activities. This is not possible in alert class. Most of the students remain active and cannot take part in the learning process.
3. Lack of proportion:
In language teaching, all four skills should be taught according to their importance. But in this method listening and speaking skills are given more importance; reading and writing are usually ignored.
4. Unsuitable for higher classes:
No doubt, this method is very useful at the early stage of learning. But at the higher stages, it becomes dull.
5. Trained teachers, not available:
For using this method effectively, a particular type of teacher is required. He should be patient, painstaking, and trained. Such teachers are very rare. In the hands of an ordinary teacher, this method loses its utility.
6. No use of mother tongue:
In this method, the use of the mother tongue is not allowed. Explanation of abstract words such as honesty, virtue put a teacher into trouble.
7. Very expensive:
This method is very expensive. To use this method effectively many audio-visual aids such as charts, pictures models, tab recorders, TV are required. Such things are not available in ordinary schools.
In schools with and use this method in a modified form, we should not ignore reading. We should use mother tongue if it is both necessary ok and translation is also useful.
Features of direct method:
- Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in a target language. There is inhibition of the mother tongue.
- Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
- Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures; abstract vocabulary is taught by the association of ideas.
- Oral communication skills are built up in a carefully traded progression organized around the question and answer exchanges between teachers and students in small extensive intensive classes.
- Grammar is taught inductively.
- New teaching points are taught through modeling and practice.
- Both speech and listening comprehension are taught.
- Correct pronunciation and grammar are emphasized.
- Learning is by sound not by sight.
- Sentences are units of an expression.
Conclusion:
By the late 1920 century, the method was starting to go into decline and there was even a return to the grammar-translation method which guaranteed more in the way of scholastic language learning orientated around reading and grammar skills. But the direct method continues to enjoy a popular following in private language school circles, and it was one of the foundations upon which the well-known Audio Lingual Method expanded starting halfway through the twentieth century.
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