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UNIVERSIDAD DE PLAYA ANCHA

DE LAS CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIN


FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES
CARRERA DE PEDAGOGIA EN INGLES










Teaching Methodologies
Communicative Teaching Approach
C.L.T.





Didactica de la Especialidad




Valparaiso, Chile
August, 2009














Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

Introduction

Communicative language teaching began in Britain in the 1960s as a replacement to earlier
structural methods, like Situational Language Teaching and the Audio Lingual Method. This
was partly in response to Chomsky's criticisms oI structural theories oI language and partly
based on the theories oI British Iunctional linguists, such as Firth and Halliday.

Theory of language

The Iunctional view oI language is the primary one behind the communicative method. The
communicative or Iunctional view oI language is the view that language is a vehicle Ior the
expression oI Iunctional meaning. The semantic and communicative dimensions oI language
are more emphasized than the grammatical characteristics, although these are also included.

What is it?

The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an eclectic collection oI emphases in the
teaching oI language that tend to promote or lead to the teaching and learning oI a language
as and Ior communication.

The CLT approach assumes that a student`s inter-language development is beneIited most by
uninterrupted trial and error, along with attentiveness to the responses oI interlocutors. It is
through all oI these acts oI communication and Ieedback in the target language that students
gain Iacility in the language. CLT stresses the importance oI using the language rather than
learning the rules oI usage. The goal oI CLT is to increase learners` communicative
competence, that is, the ability to use language appropriate to a given social context. As
Littlewood (1981) pointed out, 'one oI the most characteristic Ieatures oI communicative



language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to Iunctional as well as structural aspects
oI language.
According to Brown (1983), the deIinition oI communicative language teaching includes the
Iollowing concepts:

1. Classroom goals are Iocused on all the opponents oI communicative competence and
not restricted to grammatical or linguistic competence.

2. Form is not the primary Iramework Ior organizing and sequencing lessons. Function is
the Iramework through which Iorms are taught.

3. Accuracy is secondary to convey a message. Fluency may take on more importance than
accuracy. The ultimate goal Ior communicative success is the actual transmission and
receipt oI the intended meaning.

4. In the communicative classroom, students ultimately have to use the language,
productively and receptively, in unrehearsed contexts.

CLT is usually characterized as a broad approach to teaching, rather than as a teaching
method with a clearly deIined set oI classroom practices. As such, it is most oIten deIined as a
list oI general principles or Ieatures. One oI the most recognized oI these lists is David
Nunan`s (1991) Iive Ieatures oI CLT:

1. An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language.
2. The introduction oI authentic texts into the learning situation.
3. The provision oI opportunities Ior learners to Iocus, not only on language but also on
the Learning Management process.
4. An enhancement oI the learner`s own personal experiences as important contributing
elements to classroom learning.
5. An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activities outside the
classroom.




These Iive Ieatures are claimed by practitioners oI CLT to show that they are very interested
in the needs and desires oI their learners as well as the connection between the language as it
is taught in their class and as it used outside the classroom. Under this broad umbrella
deIinition, any teaching practice that helps students develop their communicative competence
in an authentic context is deemed an acceptable and beneIicial Iorm oI instruction. Thus, in
the classroom CLT oIten takes the Iorm oI pair and group work requiring negotiation and
cooperation between learners, Iluency-based activities that encourage learners to develop
their conIidence, role-plays in which students practice and develop language Iunctions, as
well as judicious use oI grammar and pronunciation Iocused activities.

Language is Ior communication and communicative approach may be a better way to achieve
this purpose. Now more and more teachers oI English have realized the importance oI the
communicative approach. As educational policy in China calls Ior the necessity and
improvement oI teaching Ioreign languages Ior communicative purposes, I am sure the
ultimate goal oI communicative language teaching will be achieved some day.

How to use this approach

CLT can be used by teachers with all types oI students. For example with less proIicient
learners, students can be made to:

1. Explore ways to use magazine pictures, personal photographs, cancelled postage
stamps, and even road signs, bumper stickers, and advertisements Ior
communicative purposes.

At the intermediate level, teachers can have students:

1. Explain some Irequently misunderstood aspects oI their culture.
2. Report on both the process and Iindings oI assigned internet searches.
3. Brainstorm controversial topics Ior class discussion and prepare pro or con
positions as part oI moderated panels.



4. !repare two-minute oral news reports Irom notes on assigned topics and reply to
their classmates` questions.
5. Form small groups to Iormulate solutions to real local social problems and present
their ideas to classmates in writing or orally.
And teachers working with advanced students can:

1. Challenge them to draw upon their own experience and specialties to teach each
other.
2. Telling Iriends oI an unusual or strange event
3. Discussion oI a personal problem with a Iriend to seek advice

Critiques of CLT

When we consider applying the CLT approach in classroom activities, there are a number oI
problems we are likely to encounter:

1. It demands that the class be learner-centred.
2. The teacher may Iind it hard to control the class.
3. !erceived diIIiculties in assessing the results oI CLT. Teachers may Iind it quite hard
to discern which is the most appropriate expression to use because there may be
diIIerent social contexts and diIIerent ways oI expressing the same Iunction.
4. The requirements oI CLT teaching approach puts a heavy burden on a non-native
Ioreign language teacher whose own communicative competence needs to be good
enough and very proIicient in the second language to teach eIIectively


Conclusion


Too oIten, a 'new' approach appears to completely dismiss the previous one. This is not
always the intention, but probably more a result oI the enthusiasm oI practitioners exploring
and implementing Iresh activities or opportunities. CLT, despite its critiques, in practical
terms, whether assisting mixed-ability classes, aiding motivation, leading Irom a Iocus on
Iorm to one oI Iluency, or supporting learning, has a lot to oIIer the EFL teacher.








ibliography


rown, H. Douglas (1994) %eaching by Principles. An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy. !rentince Hall.
rown, H. Douglas (1994) Principles of Language Learning and %eaching. !rentice Hall.
Deckert Glenn (2004). The Communicative Approach: Addressing Frequent Failure January
English Teaching Forum
Gower, Roger; Walters, Steve; Phillips, Diane (1995) %eaching Practice Macmillan
rashen; Stephen D. (1987) Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition
Littlewood William (1981). Communicative Language Teaching: An Introduction
(Cambridge Language Teaching Library). !aperback. Cambridge University !ress
Nunan David (1991). Language %eaching Methodology. London: !rentice Hall
International.
Szesztay, Margit; Ryan, Christopher (1994) Selected Readings in EL% Methodology and
Classroom Studies Centre Ior English Teacher Training at Etvs Lorand University
Willis, Dave and 1ane (2007) oing %ask-based %eaching OU!

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