2014 Fall Semester- Week 2

Introduction 1. Goal of instruction: leaning how to use another language to communicate 2. The very basic rule: No translation is allowed. 3. Meaning is to be conveyed directly in the target language through the use of demonstration and visual aids, with no recourse to the students’ native language

Experience (1) 1. A big map of the USA was placed in the front of the classroom 2. Students are called on one by one to read a sentence from the reading passage about the map 3. The countries around the USA: ( North) Canada. (South)Mexico 4. The Great Lakes, Rio Grande river 5. The Atlantic Ocean, The Pacific Ocean

Experience (2) 6. The Appalachian Mountains 7. The Rocky Mountain 8. Students ask question in target language: a mountain range (e.g.) 9. The teacher draw to illustrate a mountain range 10. Ask and answer questions in a full sentence

Experience (3) 11. Invite students to ask and answer questions 12. Insure that students’ pronunciation is correct 13. Correct students’ word usage when asking questions 14. Practice the usage of preposition 15. Fill-in-the-blanks exercise 16. Dictation the geography of the United States

Thinking about the experience(1)  Principles: 1. Reading in the target language should be taught from the beginning of language instruction; however, the reading skill will be developed through practice with speaking. Language is primarily speech. Culture consists of more than the fine arts (e.g. the students study geography and cultural attitudes). 2. Objects (e.g. realia or pictures) present in the immediate classroom environment should be used to help students understand the meaning. 3. The native language should not be used in the classroom.

Thinking about the experience (2) 4. The teacher should demonstrate, not explain or translate. It is desirable that students make a direct association between the target language and meaning. 5. Students should learn to think in the target language as soon as possible. Vocabulary is acquired more naturally if students use it in full sentences, rather than memorizing word lists. 6. The purpose of language learning is communication (therefore students need to learn how to ask questions as well as answer them).

Thinking about the experience (3) 7. Pronunciation should be worked on right from the beginning of language instruction. 8. Self – correction facilitates language learning. 9. Lessons should contain some conversational activity – some opportunity for students to use language in real contexts. Students should be encouraged to speak as much as possible. 10. Grammar should be taught inductively. There may never be an explicit grammar rule given.

Thinking about the experience (4) 11. Writing is an important skill, to be developed from the beginning of language instruction. 12. The syllabus is based on situations or topics, not usually on linguistic structures. 13. Learning another language also involves learning how speakers of that language live.

Review the principles and techniques Answer the 10 questions based on the observation of techniques and principles 8 techniques are reviewed: reading aloud, question and answer exercise, getting students to self-correct, conversation practice, Fill-in-the-blanks exercise, dictation, map drawing, paragraph writing

Conclusion and Activities  Conclusion : do you agree that the goal of target language instruction should be teach students how to communicate in the target language?  Activities: 1. Check your understanding of the Direct Method? 2. Apply What you have understood about the Direct Method.

Homework for week 2 1. e-portfolio: Life journal- Copy and paste the principles from the PPT 2. e-portfolio: wiki- Appalachian Mountains & Rocky Mountains 3. e-portfolio: picture- upload the picture of the USA map 4. Upload the PPT file to your resource center