Lecture 3 The Direct Method

• No translations between first and second languages, and little or no analysis of grammar rules. (Form English thinking and English langu age sense.)
words, explaining them in target language using realia, visual aids or demonstrations. After understanding the new words, students will be asked to used them in conversations. 2. Drill Grammar The teacher uses inductive method to teach grammar. First, the teacher brings forward some abstract grammar rules
…… be (am/is/are/was were) doing something
ter 3
The Direct Method
Basic premise
• Second language learning should be more like first language learning. • The method should include lots of oral interaction, spontaneous use of language.
• • • • • •
Li Ping is learning to speak English。 It is raining now。 Is Mike climbing the hill？ They are watching a football match on TV. Listen！ The baby is crying。 Are the students reading the text now？

THE DIRECT METHOD 直接教學法(DM)在GTM沒落後，語言學界興起了一股改革風潮。

語言學家們開始注意到L2的〝會話〞能力，並從觀察幼兒學習母語的過程得知，幼兒會透過情境（context）所提供的背景資訊來瞭解句意，然後運用其所記得之句型來開口講話。

這種〝自然而然〞習得母語的現象讓許多語言學家相信，人類也可以像學母語一般透過教學者直接使用L2教學而自然而然地學會〝說〞L2。

擁護DM派的學者認為，語言的形與意之間存在著關連性，所以不論學習L1或L2，只要學習環境全部都是標的語（target language），學習者將沈浸在最自然的氣氛中，不必透過教師的翻譯和文法解析就可自然地學成一口流利的標的語。

一、教學目標為了彌補GTM只訓練學生讀、寫和翻譯能力，DM特別注重培養學生聽、說的能力。

二、課程安排字彙與句子方面，一律以介紹日常生活用語為主，上課也一律用L2教學。

若碰到新的字彙或句型，教師不會直接加以翻譯說明，而是利用教具輔助說明，或引導學生運用已知事物來推斷聯想，得出正確意義；文法方面採歸納法教學，而非一開始就先要求學生熟記文法規則。

三、教學活動與學習型態教師採取漸進式的問答法來引導學生開口說話。

此外，教學的初期不依賴課本進度，而依照教師自己設計的教案來搭配學生的學習狀況。

學生則必須專心地〝停、看、聽〞，善用老師所示範的L2以及其他相關背景資訊，然後學習用L2回答老師的問題。

以下試舉一教學實例(國小英語師資訓練手冊，p. 7，師德)：（教學過程全用英語）步驟一老師拿著顏色卡，指著卡片說“It is white. It is black. It i brown.”步驟二老師手指「白牆、頭髮、門」，重複上面句子。

步驟三重複步驟二，老師帶學生說。

步驟四類似步驟一，老師教red, purple。

步驟五老師拿著頻果、香蕉，學生說：”It is red. It is yellow.”四、教師與學生的角色教師是L2唯一的示範者，所以教學時一律不用學生的L1講解，而必須使出十八般武藝，運用身體語言和輔助教具來傳授語言知識，使學生能用極初級程度的L2來瞭解新的標的物，並學會用口語來表達。

Instead grammar should be acquired inductively by inducing the rules of how the language behaves from the actual language itself. "Never tell the children anything they can find out for themselves." (Jespesen 1904)
Questions for consideration
1. Compare the GTM and DM. 2. There are some problems with the
DM, can you find out some remedies? 3. Is the 1st language learning process
Howatt (1984) called Gouin and those like him “individual reformers ”They were inspired individual working alone. (Johnson and Johnson, 2001: 169)
Sweet’s 1899 book, The Practical Study of Languages was highly influential in the development or 20th century language teaching methods and was reprinted in 1964.
The principal figures, all phoneticians, were, besides Welhelm Vietor (German), Paul Passy, Otto Jespersen (Danish) and Henry Sweet(British). Reform, of phonetic and other natural methods emerged, often considered the variants of the DIRECT METHOD. (Johnson and Johnson, 2001: 272)

4. It underestimated the role of native language. And it may be very time-consuming since teachers were required to avoid using native language. 5. It was overly dependent on the teacher’s skill. 6. The goal of trying to teach conversion skills was considered impractical.
4. This method is based on full of activities, so it is very interesting, exciting for students. 5. Paying more attention to speaking and listening, which is very useful in everyday life. And it makes foreign language learning more natural and efficient.



1.In the late 19th century, with the development of capitalism, all European countries increasingly communicated with each other. It created a demand for oral proficiency in foreign languages. 2. The rapid development of linguistics, psychology and education . 3. And the Grammar Translation Method could not meet the need. The Reform Movement has began. The International Phonetic Association was founded and its International Phonetic Alphabet(IPA) was designed.