Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching

What is the nature of student-teacher interaction?

• The initiation of the interaction goes both ways, from teacher to students and from student to teacher, although the latter is often teacher-directed.

How are the feelings of the students dealt with?

• There are no principles of the methods which relate to this area.

How is language viewed?

• Language is primarily spoken, not written.

What areas of language are emphasized?

• Vocabulary is emphasized over grammar.

What is the role of the students’ native language?

• Students’ native language should not be used in the classroom.

How is evaluation accomplished?

• The students might be interviewed orally by the teacher or might be asked to write a paragraph about something they have studied.

Some Questions of Direct Method

• May the native tongue of the student be used at all in the Direct Method?
• If no translation is allowed, what is the teacher to do, if the pupil does not understand?
• Would not translation save time in many instances?
• Aside from wasting time, could translation do real harm?