CHAPTER: 16 DIRECT METHOD

 

CHAPTER: 16

DIRECT METHOD

 This Chapter Deals with

Introduction

Meaning of Direct Method

Basic Principles and characteristics of Direct method

Techniques and Procedure of Direct method

Advantages of Direct method

Disadvantages of Direct method

Comparison between Grammar cum Translation method and Direct Method

Conclusion

Introduction : There are various limitations which were realized in Grammar cum Translation method. Direct method was developed as a reaction against the Grammar Cum Translation method.  This method is known by several names such as Natural Method, Mother’s Method and Reformed Method. This method is well known as a natural method because as the learner is expected to learn the target language in a natural manner like his mother tongue. This method is originated in France in 1901. Its principles were propounded in Germany. This method has approved and spread in all over the world by “International Phonetic Association of France”. It is based on the principles of “Fluency in reading and facility in writing follow fluency in speech”.

Meaning of Direct Method : It was realized that the target language should be learnt as the child learns his/her own mother tongue. In this method the target language is learnt in a natural environment. The direct method aimed at introducing the target language directly to the learner as the way learner learns his mother tongue. The central idea of direct method is the association of words and sentence with their meaning through demonstration, dramatization, conversation, discussion and such other means; and not by the use of mother tongue. There is no interference in the form of translation or the use of the rules to explain a particular pattern of the language.

Definition of Direct Method: Explaining the meaning of Direct Method, there are many scholars defined in the following way-:

 

“To teach directly is to establish a direct or immediate association between experience and expression, between English words, phrases or idioms and its meanings”

                                                                                                                                               H. Champion

“The moment a concept and foreign word are intimately brought into contact without the intervention of the native word, we have the direct method”

Felix Franks

“The fullest application of the method is the associating of a complete thought expressed in words with the real experience that would give the occasion and the pulse for the thought”

P.C Gurrey

“The principle is that a foreign word or word group should be associated with its meaning directly- in other words without the habitual intervention of the native speech.”

Kirkman 

Basic Principles and characteristics of Direct method: The basic principles of Direct Methods are -:

v  It emphasizes purely on oral work.

v  Target language is used from the very beginning.

v  Sentence is the unit of speech.

v  No interference of theoretical grammar. It laid emphasis on the functional grammar only.

v  Audio visual aids are used extensively.

v  The role of the teacher is very important in this method.

v  It ignores the grammatical aspects of the language.

v  Vocabulary is taught directly after following the principles of selection and gradation of the structures.

v  Use of mother tongue is totally avoided.

v  A direct bond is established between the word and experiences.

v  It laid more emphasis on speech.

v  Pronunciation is taught systematically in this method.

v  It follows the maxims of teaching that is simple to complex and from concrete to abstract.

v  Oral teaching precedes any form of reading and writing.

v  A questionnaire technique is adopted.

v  In it sufficient stress is laid on phonetics.

v  Natural environment facilitate learning more effective.

 Techniques and Procedure of Direct method: In direct method the following techniques are used-:

v  The teacher should make conversation spontaneously with the students in English language on all occasion.

v  Necessary assistant given by the teacher to the students at the right situation.

v  For helping the students the teacher should use the method of look and say extensively.

v  With the help of the audio visual aids the teacher should present sentence before the students.

v  The techniques of presenting words, structures and sentences with the help of expression of body language.

v  The teacher should use the maxims of teaching as “simple to complex” and “concrete to abstract”.

v  Translation should be avoided totally in the beginning.

 Advantages of Direct method: The advantages of direct method are as follows-:

v  Direct bond in between word and idea, word and experiences.

v  Maximum use of audio visual aids to explain the meaning.

v  Sentence as the unit of teaching not the words.

v  Much stress is laid on speech.

v  No use of mother tongue at any cost.

v  No effort to teach theoretical grammar only effort is made on functional grammar.

v  It uses the maxims of teaching.

v  Systematically teaching of pronunciation.

v  Grammar is not an end in itself.

v  It is based on situational method.

v  Questionnaire method is used in this method.

v  It is an interesting method as it involves many activities.

v  Cramming of words and meaning is discouraged.

v  It helps in making the students active.

v  This method is based on psychological and educational principles.

v  It helps in improving pronunciation of the child.

v  It helps in developing the skill of expression of the students.

v  The students can speak English fluently.

v  It also helps the students to write fairly, quickly and correctly.

v  It aims at the practical command at the lower stage but at the higher stage, it aim to acquire proficiency in critical analysis of the English literature.

v  It develops taste for English literature.

v  It helps in developing the skill of reading and writing.

v  It facilitates understanding of English.

v  It helps in making the pupil to think in English.

v  It enables the pupils to acquire the ability to grasp the sense of what he hears or reads in English as he grasps it in mother tongue.

 

From the above discussion we can see that the use of the direct method is a revamp of the traditional methods of teaching a foreign language. This method has replaced translation cum grammar method due to the advantages of this method.  

 

Disadvantages of Direct method: While there exists a number of advantages of the direct or natural method it is not fully devoid of some disadvantages. We can list the disadvantages of this method which are the followings-:

v  Direct principles not direct method.

v  This method lays more emphasis on oral work only.

v  It is an incomplete method.

v  This method is one of the laborious methods.

v  The grammar aspect of the language is totally ignored in this method.

v  It is a time consuming method.

v  No selected and graded material is available for vocabulary and structure for the purpose of teaching.

v  It is not possible to teach in all the items of language such as idioms and phrases through this method.

v  Abstract ideas like Honesty, Kindness, and Justice etc cannot be taught through this method.

v  This method is not suitable for Indian conditions where classes are overcrowded.

v  This method is not suitable for the beginners.

v  It consist limited vocabulary.

v  The language knowledge gained by this method is technical in nature.

v  It ignores the use of mother tongue.

v  No thinking in English.

v  This is not a popular method for the Indians.

v  This method is unsystematic in nature.

v  It does not suit all the students.

v  Suitable teacher are not available.

v  This method has one sided approach because those students only benefitted those who have a sensitive ear and facile tongue.

v  It gives in sufficient attention to all the skills of language.

v  Greater weakness in practices.

v  Lack of expression of true ideas.

v  This method is not suitable for the average and below average students.

v  No desired result.

v  Lack of environment.

v  It may be failure at early stage.

v  We cannot teach the foreign language or second language like our mother tongue.

Comparison between Grammar cum Translation method and Direct Method

Grammar-cum Translation method

Direct method

1.   It establishes a strong bond between thought and expression. 2.   Unit of teaching is word. 3.   It is based on philosophical principles. 4.   It ignores speech practice. 5.   It helps in learning the target language with the help of mother tongue. 6.   Grammar is taught by deductive method. i.e. Rule to example. 7.   It follows the maxims of teaching that is from known to unknown. 8.   In this method learning is made by connecting old and new ideas. 9.   Much more stress on written work to understand the written language. 10.     It is not helpful in developing the skill of pronunciation. 11.     It is an economical method. 12.     The needs of audio visual aids are no more important. 13.     This method is suitable in Indian conditions. 14.     Students are passive in this method. 15.     This method can be used in overcrowded classes. 16.     This method is helpful in developing the ability of comparison because in this method we learn the target language with the help of mother tongue.

1. It establishes a direct bond between thought and expression. 2.   Unit of teaching is sentence. 3.   It is based on psychological principles. 4.   It emphasizes the skill of listening and speaking. 5.   It helps the students to learn the target language without the help of mother tongue. Students think only in English. 6.   Grammar is taught by inductive method. i.e. example to rule. 7.   It follows the maxims of teaching that is from simple to complex. 8.   In this method ideas are associated with expression. 9.   Much more emphasis on oral work. 10.  It develops the habit of correct pronunciation. 11.  It is an expensive method. 12.  Extensive use of audio visual aids. 13.  This method is not suitable for Indian conditions. 14.  Students are active in this method. 15.  This method is inconvenient for overcrowded classes. 16.  This method is not helpful in developing the ability of comparison because here we learn the target language only.

 

Conclusion: Having discussed the pros and cons of the natural or direct method, we see that this method failed to yield the desired results. Sweet has pointed out “In learning our own language, we begin young and we give our whole time to it, our minds are perfect blanks and we come to it with all our faculties fresh and unknown”. However this condition cannot be met as far as teaching a second language is concerned. Where as in learning the foreign language he has to unlearn the other language, to struggle continuously against the alarming difficulties caused by cross associations whatever defects it may have. This method definitely has advantages over Grammar cum Translation method. No doubt this method can yield proper and meaningful result if it applied in right manner and in the right spirit. In favour of this method Prof. V.K. Gokak remarks, “Direct methods between the words and things gives better result than translation”.