Direct method

The direct method of teaching, sometimes called the natural method. The method refrains from using the learners' native language and uses only the target language. This method emphasizes to the using of target language as much as possible so student accustomed to hear the English words and pronounciation in the class. It uses the approach of native language accquisition. The basic of this method was that second language learning is similar to first language learning. In this light, there should be lots of oral interaction, spontaneous use of the language, no translation, and little if any analysis of grammatical rules and syntactic structures. In short, the principles of the direct method were as follows: classroom instruction was conducted in the target language there was an inductive approach to grammar only everyday vocabulary was taught concrete vocabulary was taught through pictures and objects, while abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas. Characteristic features of the direct method are:

teaching concepts and vocabulary through pantomiming, real-life objects and other visual materials

teaching grammar by using an inductive approach (i.e. having learners find out rules through the presentation of adequate linguistic forms in the target language)

centrality of spoken language (including a native-like pronunciation) focus on question-answer patterns

Principles
1. Classroom instructions are conducted exclusively in the target language. 2. Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught during the initial phase; grammar, reading and writing are introduced in intermediate phase. 3. Oral communication skills are built up in a carefully graded progression organized around question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and students in small, intensive classes. 4. Grammar is taught inductively.

5. New teaching points are introduced orally. 6. Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures; abstract vocabulary is taught by association of ideas. 7. Both speech and listening comprehensions are taught. 8. Correct pronunciation and grammar are emphasized. 9. Student should be speaking approximately 80% of the time during the lesson. 10. Students are taught from inception to ask questions as well as answer them.

Background and History

In the last two decades of the nineteenth century ushered in a new age. In his The Art of Learning and Studying Foreign Languages (1880), Francois Gouin described his "harrowing" experiences of learning German, which helped him gain insights into the intricacies of language teaching and learning. Living in Hamburg for one year, he attempted to master the German language by dint of memorising a German grammar book and a list of the 248 irregular German verbs. Then he decided to memorise the German roots, but with no success. He went so far as to memorise books, translate Goethe and Schiller, and learn by heart 30,000 words in a dictionary, only to meet with failure. Upon returning to France, Gouin discovered that his three-year- old nephew had managed to become a chatterbox of French - a fact that made him think that the child held the secret to learning a language. Thus, he began observing his nephew and came to the conclusion that language learning is a matter of transforming perceptions into conceptions and then using language to represent these conceptions. Equipped with this knowledge, he devised a teaching method premised upon these insights. It was against this background that the Series Method was created, which taught learners directly a "series" of connected sentences that are

easy to understand. For instance, I stretch out my arm. I take hold of the handle. I turn the handle. I open the door. I pull the door. Nevertheless, this approach to language learning was short-lived and, only a generation later, gave place to the direct method, posited by charles berlitz. The direct method enjoyed great popularity at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of Direct Method It makes the learning of English interesting and lively by establishing direct bond between a word and its meaning. It is an activity method facilitating alertness and participation of the pupils. According to Macnee, "It is the quickest way of getting started". In a few months over 500 of the commonest English words can be learnt and used in sentences. This serves as a strong foundation of further learning. Due to application of the Direct Method, students are able to understand what they learn, think about it and then express their own ideas in correct English about what they have read and learnt. Psychologically it is a sound method as it proceeds from the concrete to the abstract. This method can be usefully employed from the lowest to the highest class. Through this method, fluency of speech, good pronunciation and power of expression are properly developed.

Disadvantages of Direct Method 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. This method is based on the principles that auditory appeal is stronger that visual. But there are children who learn more with visual than with their oral- aural sense like ears and tongue. The method ignores systematic written work and reading activities and sufficient attention is not paid to reading and writing. Since in this method, grammar is closely bound up with the reader, difficulty is experienced in providing readers of such kind. There is dearth of teachers trained and interested in teaching English in this method. This method may not hold well in higher classes where the Translation Method is found suitable. In larger classes, this method is not properly applied and teaching in this method does not suit or satisfy the needs of individual students in large classes.

Implementation in speaking class

This method is emphasized to the speaking skill which is suitable to use in speaking class. In using this method, there are some technique and drills which is suitable to use, such as; reading aloud, question and answer excercise, getting student to self correct, conversation practice, fill in the blank, dictation, map drawing, and paragraph writing. And in the material of Making and accepting appointment the suitable technique that teacher can use are fill in

the blank and conversation. After the teacher explain the material mostly in english. The teacher give some simple expamples such as; Will you go out with me tonight?, I want to make an appointment to see my best friend, Can we meet at cafe tomorrow morning? For making appointment and for accepting appointment; Okay. Ill be there on time, No problem, Im free or Im sorry. I cant meet you today. I have to see my dentist for rejecting appointment in orally. Then the teacher can use fill in the blank in some words (time, place, and appointment/reason) that write in whiteboard. After that explaination and examples that teacher use orally, then teacher ask the students or offer students to fill in the black with their answer orally. The students A are asked to making appontment to student B and student B answer whether accepting or rejecting. Than student B give another appointment to student C and that so on. After that practice finish. The teacher can use another examples of complex conversation that writes in whiteboard and student read it aloud.