The direct method of teaching English emphasizes teaching the language through communication and immersion. It allows students to associate meaning directly with the target language from the beginning of lessons. Key features include open conversation in English from the start, the teacher facilitating discussion and correcting errors, and immersing students in English to naturally improve their skills. Advantages are that students gain fluency more quickly and engage more in learning, while disadvantages include it being difficult to scale to larger class sizes and complex for new teachers.