Direct Method
In the direct method, listening and speaking skills are given first priority. Students do a lot of talking, gesturing, acting, and interacting. They’re encouraged to talk, no matter how imperfectly.
The direct method is also known as “the natural method” because it looks to the process of first language acquisition to set the context and techniques for second language acquisition.
If you've ever doubted whether you're a good language learner, then bear in mind that you've already learned one language very well indeed – your first.
Conversaton and Interaction
Acquisition is 'where the action is'. In other words, in every successful example of language-learning – an infant mastering a first language, an adult learner of English scoring a band 9 on the IELTS test – the reason for their success is that they have 'acquired' rather than 'learned' the language.
The lexical approach is a way of teaching language based on the idea that it is made up of lexical units rather than grammatical structures. The units are words, chunks formed by collocations, and fixed phrases.
Lexical Approach
In recent years it has been recognized both that native speakers have a vast stock of these lexical chunks and that these lexical chunks are vital for fluent production.
A common mistake is trying to teach languages in the same way we teach science, history, or mathematics. Instead, learners should acquire second languages in the same way children learn their first.
