SOME BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS OF USING
DIRECT METHOD IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS
Rento Ari Nugroho
mikaelrinto@yahoo.co.id
Harris H. Setiajid
harris@staff.usd.ac.id; rissetiajid@yahoo.com
English Letters Department, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta
Abstract
Many young learners see learning English as a difficult matter. Because of that, the language teaching process should be interesting to encourage them. Moreover, English language teaching can be complicated if it uses direct method. The condition of direct method which limits the teacher to use the target language only will be a great barrier between the teacher and the students. This paper focuses on some benefits and problems of using direct method for teaching English language to young learners.
Direct method is a concrete manifestation of language usage in teaching language. It helps the language teaching in the aspect of building the concepts of language especially in the vocabulary. However, because of the limitation of language usage in direct method, it causes some problems that stand between the teacher and the students. Further, this paper is aimed to find the solutions of these problems.
By using direct method, it is believed that the language teaching achievement is much more profitable compare to the other method.
Introduction
Teaching a foreign language for young learners with a strict limitation such as direct method is like pouring pure oil into water; they are hardly mixed but are still possible to mix. It is like teaching something totally new for them.
In many classes, learning English as a foreign language becomes the ability to know or demonstrate the knowledge of English, not the skill (how to use the language). It comes from the way teacher transfers the ability of knowing English. And the students become less active in using the English.
Since English tend to be seen as a difficult subject, the challenges for the teacher to transfer the ability of using English are more difficult and complicated. Many students will see English as a difficult matter. It will grow more difficult when they hear only English from the teacher. The challenge of the teacher who is interested in using direct method is started from here.
Direct method is also known as a reform method, natural method, phonetical method or, anti-grammatical method. In fact, the direct method receives its name from the fact that meaning is to be connected directly with the target language, without going through the process of translating into the students’ native language (Larsen-Freeman 1986: 18). Then, translating words which are taught are strictly forbidden. It is clear that if translating words is done, the students tend to memorize the translated words, not the concepts of a word.
The term young learner used here refers to the students in age 5-12 years (1st year of kinder garten until 6th grader of elementary school). The discussion on the direct method will be based on the writer’s experience in teaching English on PURIKIDS English Course (a private institution in service to young learners) in
This paper is aimed at finding what the direct method is, the benefits of using direct method in teaching young learners and the problems of using direct method in teaching young learners.
Direct Method
In her book Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Diane Larsen-Freeman (1986: 24-26) emphasizes some points about direct method:
1. The goal of teachers who use the Direct Method: Direct Method intends that students learn how to communicate in the target language. In order to do this successfully, students should learn to think in the target language.
2. The teacher and the students are more like partners in the teaching/learning process.
3. The believing that students need to associate meaning and the target language directly. In order to do this, when the teacher introduces a new target language word or phrase, he or she demonstrate its meaning through the use of realia, pictures, or pantomime; no translation at all.
4. The interaction between the teacher and the students goes both ways.
5. Language is primarily spoken, not written.
6. Vocabulary is emphasized over grammar. Although work on all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) occurs from the start, oral communication is seen as basic. Thus the reading and writing exercises are based upon what the students practice orally first. Pronunciation also receives attention right from the beginning of a course.
7. The evaluation is based on oral and written skills. For example, the students might be interviewed orally by the teacher or might be asked to write a paragraph about something they have studied.
8. In the relation of the way the teacher responds to students errors, the teacher should employing various techniques and tries to get students to self correct whenever possible.
From some points above, we can conclude that the Direct Method focus on the ability to communicate using English. The oral skill is placed on the first place, then the written one. The class’ interaction works on two ways. Teacher is merely a partner.
Principles of the Direct Method
The Direct Method has some principles on its progress of teaching:
- Step by step progression
To establish communication with someone who doesn’t know our language, we must start from small beginnings and build from here.
Example: we should teach a particular lesson:
1) We should teach 10 nouns: TV, table, chair, curtain, door, window, carpet, lamp, computer, tape.
2) Expressions:
Interrogative Affirmative
What is this? (What’s this?) It is a table. (It’s a table)
Is it a table? Yes, it is.
No, it is not. (No, it isn’t)
3) Numbers : one through five
4) Acts of communication: pointing, naming, asking, and answering.
All can be taught in forty-five minutes without recourse to the students’ native language. Moreover, the simple acts of communication can be a delight to the students when they realize that they can communicate in a language that they didn’t know an hour ago.
- Paraphrase
Paraphrase means to express what someone or writes in a shorter and clearer way. To explain new things in a foreign language, we use the technique of “paraphrase”.
Example: “Dear children I would like you all to stand up and come closer to me and see what I am grasping in my hand”.
The sentence above is too long. The students will lose their interest to listen the instruction. Instead of saying like that, we can simply say, “stand up; look at me, what’s in my hand?
- Grammar in the Direct Method
Students are not told the rule before they see the examples of it in operation and are allowed to figure the rule out for themselves.
- The Four Skills
The only effective way to attain the goal of the receptive language (reading and listening) is to gain an active mastery of the productive aspects of that language.
- Interest
In this part, since English become a terrible matter to the students, the progress of teaching should be interesting, so that the students will be encouraged to study.
- Exclusive Use of the Foreign Language
The key to the high morale of students and teachers who use the Direct Method is the fact that no language except the foreign language is used in the classroom. The challenge of establishing communication in foreign language brings continuing pleasure to both students and teachers; but the challenge is lost and interest wanes if they are allowed to revert to their native language every time they are stuck or every time there is something serious to communicate.
The Direct Method in Real
According to the writer’s experience to teach young learners with the Direct Method, there are some important notes. First, the learners should be divided into two parts: learners with the ability to write and read; and learners who do not have that ability yet. The learners who do not have them yet are usually kindergarten students.
They should be separated because their needs are also different. The learners with the ability of reading and writing will be taught some language skills like reading, writing, speaking; whereas the students without those skills will be taught to master the listening and speaking ability only.
For the learners with the ability of reading and writing, here are some points of class activity:
1. The practice of using English expressions like greetings, apologizing, etc.
Example: before the class is started, teacher (T) holds interaction by greeting the students (S)
T: “good afternoon!”
S: “good afternoon!”
T: “How are you today?”
S: “I’m fine. Thank you. And you?
T: “I’m fine too. Thank you”
Special occasion, there is a student who come late. S/he should knock the door first before the teacher allows her/him to enter the class (this is the rule that should be made and agreed by the students and the teacher).
S: “Sorry Sir/Miss, I’m late. May I come in?”
T: Okay. You can come in. Next time, don’t be late.
S: Yes, Sir/
2. Recognizing of a words, the concepts of it.
Example: It’s a pen.
T: What is it? (At the same time showing a picture of pen, or showing a real pen)
S: It’s pen.
Goal: the students understand that a pen is:
A tool,
Used to write, with ink
Form: round and long; with the sharp part to write.
(The colour of the picture is changed)
T: “What is this?”
S: “That is a pen”
T: “Good. What colour is it?”
S: “It is red”.
T: “Very good. This is a red pen”
S: “That is a red pen”
T: “Excellent”
3. Learning simple expression by playing a game.
Example: Playing game “Snake and ladder”
T: “Let’s play snake and ladder. Do you know the rule?”
S: “Not yet, mister. Please tell us”
T: “First, open the board. Next, distribute the pawn. Then, drawing.
To move, shake and throw the dice”
S: “Thank you”
T: “You’re welcome”
4. The teacher is allowed to give mark. The mark here is intended to estimate the result of learning process, not to judge the ability of the students. The mark is seized from dictation activity. The real score is seized from the final tests which are written test (answer the questions based on a simple reading text, fill in the blank, match the words, for the higher class or age, it is possible to give vocabulary test, etc.) and spoken test (intended to know the speaking ability of the students).
5. It is possible to have movie class activity. The teacher should choose a movie based on the age of the students. (For the elementary school, it is okay to watch a movie like Sponge Bob Square Pants, Disney movie. Note: without Indonesian subtitling, English subtitling only)
For the learners without ability of reading and writing, here are some points:
1. For all, the method is about the same like the teacher applied in class with the learners with the ability of reading and writing. The differences are only: No writing or reading activities; more games; no tests (the evaluation is based on daily observation by the teacher).
2. The expression of English used in the class is about the same like the learners with the ability of reading and writing. But, for some special occasion, it might be simplified.
3. The instructions are simplified: Take! Run! Jump!
4. The class in this level is dominated by games. Teacher should be less to teach directly like to teach the learners with the ability of reading and writing.
Example: game “run to”
Note: rules: the teacher provides some pictures. Students are asked to stand up together in the front of the class. Then, the teacher mentions a thing in the picture like “Rabbit”. Then the teacher run to a picture of a rabbit and say “this is a rabbit”. Next, the teacher just mentions a name and the students run to the picture meant by the teacher.
The students recognize and memorize the concept of a word by run to the picture based on their understanding. The students, who don’t understand the concepts, will run to the wrong picture.
5. This level is possible to have creativity class than movie class. The students on this level are still difficult to understand a movie. So, the teacher is suggested to have creativity class. In this activity, teacher and the students will create handicrafts like Christmas card, Idul Fitri card etc.
6. The teacher is tolerated to use the students’ native language in the special occasion like there is a student who cries. The teacher should calm his/her so that the class can work nicely. But, still, in teaching the material, the teacher should use English.
The Benefits of using of the Direct Method
From the description given above, we can conclude some benefits of direct methods:
- The students are more encouraged to communicate in English. It comes from the rule set by the teacher that should not any languages, except English in the class.
- The speaking skills of the students are used practically every meeting.
- The students understand the concepts of a word, not its translation on their native language.
- The student have “pride” that they have been successful learning a new language they totally have not known previously.
- The students are able to use English, not just knowing it.
The Problems of the using of the Direct Method
Although the direct method has several benefits; it also has some weakness or problems. Those problems, among others, are:
1. The concept of learning language itself is blurring. There is a belief that to learn a second language is the same way like learning first language (the mother tongue). It will not work with the Direct Method since always there are several differences among the different languages.
2. For the very young learners (example: kindergarten students) they are still learning their own native language. At the same time they should learn a second language. One of the problems is, will the first and the second language be mixed? Sometimes, they themselves do not really understand a concept of a language. Here, we can see that the result of direct method also depends on the age of the young learners.
3. If the teaching of the direct method is done with explanation, it is very time consuming, especially when introducing totally new material.
4. The very young learners actually are not really ready to learn a second language. Sometimes they have a distraction on the process like their mood. Even if the class works as a game, sometimes they disturb each other and cry. To calm them, of course the teacher cannot use English. The teacher is forced to use their native language in order to hold the class.
Concluding Remarks
The direct method has some advantages because the method ultimately encourages English learners to use the language directly, nut just knowing it. However, in some cases the direct method cannot be applied alone since there are certain situations that make it possible to be used, especially when it comes to teach kindergarten students. There must need other methods to be used in addition to the direct method to smoothen the teaching-learning process. It is up to the teachers’ creativity.
References
Dodson, C. J. Language Teaching and the Bilingual Method. Pitman Publishing, 1967
Larsen-Freeman, Diane. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching.
PURIKIDS Team. English Teacher for Kids Training Material.
No comments:
Post a Comment