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The Direct Method



Activity
Instructions:
Read the passage given below and draw a map highlighting geographical neighbourhood of
Pakistan.
Pakistan is situated in the western part of the Indian subcontinent, with Iran in the west, India in
the east, Afghanistan in the north-west, China in the north and the Arabian Sea in the south. The
northern and western highlands of Pakistan contain the towering Karakoram and Pamir mountain
ranges, which include some of the world's highest peaks: K2 (28,250 ft; 8,611 m) and Nanga
Parbat (26,660 ft; 8,126 m). The 1,000-mile-long (1,609 km) Indus River and its tributaries flow
through the country from the Kashmir region to the Arabian Sea.
Introduction
The Direct Method was developed by Maximilian Berlitz towards the end of the 19
th
century as a
reaction to the Grammar Translation Method.
The Direct Method is named direct because meaning should be connected directly with the
target language without translation into the native language.
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.
This method argues that a foreign language can be taught without translation, unlike the
argument of GTM.
Characteristics
Characteristics are the unique elements of this method given below:
Introduce vocabulary by pantomime
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Grammar by inductive approach
Focus on question-answer patterns
Target language as a medium of communication
Less teacher-centred
Principles
There are certain principles on which this method is based and this makes it different from
others.
1. Never Translate : Demonstrate
Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the target language. Teacher should
demonstrate, not explain or translate.
2. Basic Vocabulary
Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught first.
3. Induce Grammar Rules
Grammar is taught inductively. There may never be an explicit grammar rule given.
4. Focus on Pronunciation
Pronunciation is given primary focus from the very beginning.
5. Learning by Self-Correction
The teacher, by asking the student to make a choice, gets him to correct his own error.
6. Contextual Teaching
The syllabus is based on situations or topics related to real life context.
7. Communication-First Principle
The purpose of language learning is communication; therefore students need to learn how
to ask questions as well as answer them.
8. Forbidden Native Language
Native language should not be used in the classroom.

Techniques
Techniques are the tools which helps to achieve the goal.
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Reading aloud
Question-answer exercise
Student self-correction
Conversation Practice
Fill-in-the-blank exercise
Dictation
Map drawing


Grammar-Translation Method vs. The Direct Method: A Comparison

Direct Method Grammar Translation Method

The teacher provides the knowledge in
grammar inductively through speech.

It focuses on grammar rules and their
application. Language is learned through
rules.

The vocabulary is learned through practice The vocabulary is learned through direct
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every day.

translation of L1.

Oral communication skills are built up in a
carefully grade.

Primary skills to be improved:
Reading and writing.


Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Disadvantages

It makes learning of English lively by
building a direct bond between a word and its
meaning.

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.

Through this method fluency of speech, good
pronunciation and power of expression are
properly developed.

But this method was unable to give maximum
positive results, which led to the further
development of teaching methodologies and
this search produce Audio-lingual Method.

Conclusion
In order to conclude this it is observed that teacher-student relationship is more like partners in
activity which help them learn the target language. This method lay focus on oral skills and
reading and writing is based on the spoken as well.

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