DIRECT METHOD OF TEACHING ENGLISH

The direct method of teaching was developed around 1900 in Germany and France. It is
sometimes called the natural method because the aim is to teach students in a similar way
that they acquire their first language. The direct method of teaching came as a response to
the shortfalls of the grammar-translation method, which works to teach grammar and
translate vocabulary from the native language of the student. Therefore, the grammartranslation method relies heavily on the written language, whereas the direct method places
the emphasis on both listening and speaking.
Methodology
The direct method of learning English is fairly simple. In consists, primarily, of just five
parts.

Show The student is shown something so that they understand the word. For
example, they might be shown realia or other visual aids such as flash cards for nouns.
The teacher might use gestures to explain verbs, and so on.

Say The teacher verbally presents the word or sentence, taking care to pronounce
the word correctly.

Try The student then tries to repeat what the teacher is saying.

Mould The teacher corrects the students and ensures that they are pronouncing
words correctly.

Repeat Finally, the students repeat the word a number of times. Here the teacher
uses a number of methods for repetition, including group repetition, single student
repetition and other activities designed to get the students to repeat the word.

Advantages
Probably the biggest advantage of this method of teaching English is that it actually teaches
the language and doesnt teach about the language. Furthermore, due to its emphasis on
speech, it is better for students who have a need of real communication in English. Finally,
this method introduced the use of teaching vocabulary using realia, which is still widely used
today when teaching English to speakers of other languages.

Disadvantages
One major disadvantage for this method is that is works on the assumption that a second
language is learnt exactly the same way as the first. Second language acquisition varies
considerably from first language acquisition.
Another criticism of the direct method is that it was hard for public schools to integrate it.
In his book, R. Brown (1994:56) explains that the direct method wasnt successful in public
schools because of constraints of budget, classroom size, time, and teacher background
(native speakers or native like fluency) made such a method difficult to use.
Direct Method of Teaching English
Although parts of this method are still used today, it was largely been overtaken by the
audio-lingual method where the focus wasnt vocabulary, instead students were drilled in the
use of English grammar. This audio-lingual method is no longer a popular method of teaching,
instead more communicative methods are more widely used today. Lessons now try to mimic
real, everyday, occurrences, for example, a class would usually be taught things like asking
for things in different social settings.

GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD

History
The Grammar Translation Method is an old method which was originally used to teach dead
languages which explains why it focuses mainly on the written form at the expense of the
oral form. It was designed according to the faculty psychology approach which was very
popular during the 18th and 19th century. It contended that mental discipline was essential
for strengthening the powers of the mind. The way to do this was through learning classical
literature of the Greeks and Romans.

Method

Use of mother tongue.

Vocabulary items are taught in the form of word lists.

Elaborate explanations of grammar.

Focus on the morphology and syntax.

Reading of difficult texts early in the course.

Practice focuses on exercises translating sentences or texts from mother tongue to

the target language and vice versa.

It is surprising to see that the Grammar Translation Method was still in use in some
classrooms during the late decades of the 20th century. May be, its because it bears some
advantages.

Advantages
Translation is the easiest and shortest way of explaining meaning of words and

phrases.
Learners have no difficulties to understand the lesson as it is carried out in the

mother tongue.
It is a labor-saving method as the teacher carries out everything in the mother

tongue.
Criticism
What the method is good at is teaching about the language , not teaching the

language.

Speaking or any kind of spontaneous creative output was missing from the curriculum.

Students lacked an active role in the classroom.

Very little attention is paid to communication.

Very little attention is paid to content.

Translation is sometimes misleading.

Because of all these disadvantages, instructors tried to find better ways to remedy the
pitfalls of the grammar translation method. The Direct Method was the answer.

Total physical response (TPR) is a language-teaching method developed by James Asher, a

professor emeritus of psychology at San Jos State University. It is based on the
coordination of language and physical movement. In TPR, instructors give commands to
students in the target language, and students respond with whole-body actions.
The basic technique of TPR is simple. Learners act out commands given by the teacher or
their
fellow pupils (at a later stage). These commands, or series of commands, are simple at the
beginning
(stand up, sit down) but after some time they may become more complex (I want the boys to
stand in a circle

please). A TPR sequence can be a chain of actions relating to a compound task (take pen and
paper, sit
down, begin at the top of your paper, write down: Dear ...) or even contain a story-line.
Learning to understand and respond to language physically is something all - normally gifted learners can do well. As a result they feel successful as a student and they experience the
enjoyment
of easy learning (in the first year or so). They are usually surprised about the speed with
which they
learn to understand English.
Learners are totally involved in TPR acti vities because they are allowed to concentrate on
one thing
only: they act out what they've heard. There is no pressure on them to speak the foreign
language
yet. This is with good reason. Before any learner can start to speak a foreign language
spontaneously
and creatively he or she must feel the inner readiness to do so. When learners are ready
they feel that
the words of the language - sound and meaning integrated and combined into larger
utterances spring from within themselves. This inner readiness will develop gradually but inevitably with
prolonged exposure to the sound of understood language and an active involvement in its
meaning. TPR
has proved to be an effective learning strategy in this respect.
Total Physical Response can be an integral part of any English lesson, especially at beginner
level.
During the first few weeks of an English starter course at school TPR may even be the main
activity
that the learners are involved in. A 'bookless' period impresses upon the learners the notion
that
language is basically meaningful sound (rather than words on paper).
In this booklet you will find examples of basic procedures and some TPR sequences of various

kinds. After reading this document you may want to create some materials yourself.