A Direct Method English Course - Teacher's Book 1 [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONThe aim should be " English as speech " ; that is, the pupils should be taught to speak English and to understand it when it is spoken. When a child learns its own language, it learns to talk and understand what others say before it learns to read and write. It never learns to translate anything.A teacher in a classroom cannot follow the natural process in all particulars because the conditions are very different from those under which the child learns its native tongue. But if what is unnatural can be avoided, the pupil will have a better chance of making progress.In the very limited time that can be devoted to the study of a second language in school, reading and writing have to be taught along with speaking. However, if special attention is given in the first place to correct speaking and hearing, the pupil has very little difficulty in reading or writing what he already knows.The teaching of translation should be avoided during the first three years, if not more, of a secondary school course. This does not mean that translations should not be used by the teacher in explanations. Translation for the purpose of giving the meaning of a word which cannot be learnt directly from an object, a quality, or an action or a picture of these may be a much more direct method than a long and laborious explanation or description. But usually it is not necessary to give a translation of a word more than once, e.g. of breakfast; when the meaning has been given, the English word only should be used.Dr. H. E. Palmer, in Class-room Procedures and Devices, writes : " The consensus of opinion today is that it is convenient and economical to use the vernacular even to a considerable extent for the purpose of conveying or explaining the