ESL Term:

Direct Method

ESL/EFL Glossary: A Guide to applied linguistics terminology.

 

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direct method: A method of language learning associated with Francois Gouin and Charles Berlitz. Second language learning  should model first language learning in that it should be learned 'directly'; grammar is taught inductively with no explanations, the learner's first language is not used in the class, and new vocabulary is introduced by demonstration. This method came about as a much needed replacement for the grammar-translation method (classical method) in the late 1800s. It faded in the early 1900s as it was not practical in classroom settings, and then saw a comeback under the name of the audiolingual method after World War II.