The Role of Direct Method in Teaching English as a Foreign Language A case study of English teachers in El-Imam EL-Mahdi University, at the White Nile State

Abstract

This study focused on developing student’s communication abilities through using the target language, constantly in the classroom, This study attempted to investigate the role of direct method ( D.M.) in teaching English as a foreign language ,the study aimed to assess the advantages and disadvantages of D.M. Also emphasized its benefits, especially in communication process, so this study focuses in how to make students communicate with others effectively using the targeted language The study adopted the descriptive, analytical method . The sample of the study consists of (11) teachers of English language from El-Imam EL-Mahdi University, at the White Nile State in the academic year 2016-2017 ,they have chosen all of them purposively from among them (9) were male and(2) were female. A teachers questionnaire designed by the researcher was used for data collection the data were analyzed by using the statistical package for the social sciences(spss).The study has come to many results including: The direct method is appropriate method in teaching, and a good start to teach oral language and grammar rules through topics, but the D.M. does not satisfy the needs of individual students in large classes, the method requires highly intelligent and imaginative students, the D.M. places much stress on the teacher. Using D.M. in teaching English is very useful for having good results .Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended many recommendations including: Excessive training for teachers to increase the awareness about oral skills as important principles, enhancing the student developed language, helping students in picking up the grammar rules in given topics, and developed their fluency of the speech and have good pronunciation and power of expression.