Advantages
When used appropriately, direct instruction enables the teacher to communicate complex knowledge/information at the students' level. Direct instruction also allows the teacher to present information that is not readily available to the students from other sources or by other means. It may also be an excellent way for a teacher to communicate enthusiasm for the subject and arouse the students' interest. A teacher may use direct instruction to focus the students' attention on relevant content and to assist the students in connecting new information to current knowledge and past experiences.
Disadvantages
Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of direct instruction is the inappropriate use of the methods: teachers fail to appreciate that there are limitations to the methods of direct instruction. One must acknowledge that direct instruction is limited in its ability to help students to fully develop their abilities to think critically and to work well in a group setting. Thus, direct instruction should be seen as one of a number of strategies that may be effectively employed by teachers.