The Direct Method in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

The Direct Method in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
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The direct method of teaching was developed as a response to the Grammar-Translation method. It sought to immerse the learner in the same way as when a first language is learnt. All teaching is done in the target language, grammar is taught inductively, there is a focus on speaking and listening, and only useful ‘everyday' language is taught. The weakness in the Direct Method is its assumption that a second language can be learnt in exactly the same way as a first, when in fact the conditions under which a second language is learnt are very different.
the Direct Method teaches the second language in the same way as students learn their mother tongue. In fact, it can be said that it is a natural method where the language is taught through demonstration and context. Students are encouraged to think in English. Therefore, they are more likely to acquire fluency in speech since they concentrate in expressing themselves through English rather than understanding English. students speak or write the foreign language without the need of translating their thought or idea from the mother tongue into the second language.
One more advantage is that the Direct Method believes that one way to learn a language is to use it.

Example :
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The teacher explains new vocabulary using realia, visual aids or demonstrations.

In the classroom :
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Aspects of the Direct Method are still evident in many ELT classrooms, such as the emphasis on listening and speaking, the use of the target language for all class instructions, and the use of visuals and realia to illustrate meaning.