MODULE 2 –TEACHING ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVELY

SELF-STUDY SUGGESTED ANSWERS

PART 1: THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLT

1) Theories of Language - Complete the blank table below with text from the
following boxes.
THEORY OF
STRUCTURAL VIEW FUNCTIONAL VIEW INTERACTIONAL VIEW
LANGUAGE
a. Sees language A system of A vehicle for the A tool for
as … structural elements transmission of communication used to
used for functional establish and maintain
transmitting meaning. relationships, and
meaning. perform social
transactions.
b. Draws on  Linguistic  Sociolinguistics  Interactional analysis
research from analysis  Pragmatics  Conversational
the fields of …  Textual  Semantics analysis
discourse  Ethnomethodology
analysis
c. Involves Understand how Communicate in Convey and receive
getting sentences are used a meaningful authentic messages that
students to … to create different way. contain interesting
kinds of meaning information.
and to assimilate
rules for forming
sentences.
d. Syllabuses are  grammar &  needs analysis (ESP)  the four skills and
arranged vocabulary  notions & functions sub-skills
around  Natural Approach  tasks
used content, the  content
students themselves,
games and problem-
solving tasks.
e. Methods &  The  Early communicative  Modern
approaches Audiolingual approaches communicative
based on this Method  Functional-notional approaches
view  TPR syllabuses
were/are:  The Silent Way  The Natural Approach
 2) TO THINK ABOUT: To what extent do you think that Krashen’s Monitor Model makes
sense? Based on your own experience of teaching or intuition, is there anything in
his hypotheses that you think is controversial or over-simplistic?

There is no correct answer for this task, as it depends on your own opinion. However, read
http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/krashen.htm by E A Musallan, for more information about the
Monitor Model. This is an excellent paper by a practising teacher who reflects on his own teaching
practice and experience of language learning in light of Krashen’s theory.

Note: these are suggested answers only, as depending on your perspective you may have found
different answers.

SENTENCE LC SLC SC
(a) Please to opens door  
(b) I want the door to be opened by you. 
(c) Would you be so terribly kind as to open the door for me? 
(d) Could you open the door?   
(e) To opening the door for me.  
(f) The opening of the door is what I request. 

4) True or False? False?

a. We should teach students the names for tenses and other grammar items. FALSE.
Students don’t need to know grammar terminology
b. Grammar should always be introduced within a communicative context. TRUE. The
focus should not be on grammar per se, but rather grammar is introduced in order
for students to be able to communicate what they are trying to say. For example,
the lesson aim: “To enable students to talk and write about their last holiday”
requires the use of past simple, but the focus is on the student’s last holiday.
c. CLT prefers texts (reading or listening) to be authentic as far as possible. TRUE.
Texts that were used previously to introduce a particular grammar point were very
contrived and didn’t use authentic language. Rather, they only introduced language
that included the grammar point. Nowadays, we use authentic texts and get
students to “notice” the grammar point that you wish to focus on.
d. The teacher explains the rules of grammar and students take notes; they then test
the hypothesis the teacher has given them. FALSE. Grammar is presented
inductively – students are encouraged to work out the rules for themselves and
then test their own hypothesis
5) Fill in the gaps with an appropriate word. “Some features of fluency activities
are…”
a. They reflect natural use of language.
b. They focus on communication.
c. They need to be meaningful.
d. Students produce unpredictable language.
e. They link language to a context.
6) In your own words, explain why the following two concepts were important
influences on changing how errors are viewed in language learning:

Again, there is no right or wrong answer. Check the text again to make sure that your
summary is accurate.

PART 2 – THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS TEACHING IN CLT

1) Say which skill or skills is/are being referred to in the following sentences.
a. The fact that English is an international language has influenced the way this skill is
taught. SPEAKING
b. Knowledge of text types contributes to developing this skill. WRITING
c. Practice of this skill used to be limited to a written text being read aloud. LISTENING
d. The distinction between top-down and bottom-up processing influenced greatly our
understanding of how to teach these skills. LISTENING & READING
e. Krashen’s Input Hypothesis was responsible for changing the status of this skill.
LISTENING
f. The focus of teaching for these skills used to be on accuracy. SPEAKING & WRITING
g. Technology has also had an impact on the teaching of this skill. READING
h. Authentic texts should be used when practising these skills. READING, LISTENING,
SPEAKING, WRITING
i. New research meant that the learner was actively involved in constructing meaning
while practising this skill. LISTENING
j. The role vocabulary plays is important when teaching this skill. READING

2) TO ANSWER IN FORUM. Do you think it is important to understand historic practices

and theories in language teaching in order to develop your own teaching practice?
Why or why not?
See forum for other trainees answers.

PART 3: CHANGING ROLES IN CLT

3) Match the type of motivation with its definition.

a. Instrumental 2. because the new language brings practical benefits
b. Integrative 4. because you want to fit in with the new language community
c. Extrinsic 1. because your parents insist you learn the new language
d. Intrinsic 3. because you love learning the new language
4) Say whether the following headline-type phrases about the role of the learner refer
to past thinking (write “THEN”) or the modern communicative view (write
“NOW”).
a. Teaching and methods essential to learning. THEN
b. The impact of motivation on learner success. NOW
c. Recognising and respecting learner differences. NOW
d. Good teaching = controlling the class. THEN
e. The “good” language learner. NOW
f. Students can’t function without their teacher. THEN

5) Say how you would organise classroom interaction for the following activities.
Would you use individual work (I), pair work (PW), group work (GW) or whole class
(plenary) (PL) for the following activities? If you would use more than one
interaction format, in what order? How would you break down the steps? Explain
your rationale.
THESE ARE POSSIBLE ANSWERS ONLY.

a. Check homework exercise 4.

1. PW. 2. PL or Feedback to another pair. Feeding back to another pair for a mechanical exercise
is quicker than plenary and also maintains the student-centred classroom. Invariably plenary
feedback is teacher-led.

b. Listen to the dialogue and answer comprehension questions. Feedback.

1. IND – you can’t “listen” in pairs or groups. 2. IND - Answer comprehension questions. 3. PW.
Check your answers with a partner. 4. PL or Feedback to another pair.

c. Plan a night out on the town for the class.

1. GW. Depending on class size, I would have only 4 groups for this activity. 2. PL – tell the rest
of the class about your group’s plans. Class could vote on best plan and then actually carry out
the plan.

d. Listen to and read a fairy tale. Identify elements in a fairy tale.

1. IND – listen and read. 2. IND – read more slowly alone. 3. PW – work with a partner to identify
elements in the story.

6) What (sub-) role should the teacher assume in the following situations?
THESE ARE POSSIBLE ANSWERS ONLY.
a. Students are working in groups, debating the issue of capital punishment.
Participant or monitor
b. Students are working in pairs, creating a writing plan for a tourist brochure for their
city. One pair is not sure what a tourist brochure should contain. Resource – either
explain or show them a brochure or tell them where to find one themselves.
c. Students are working in groups creating a role play. You notice one group where
nothing much seems to be happening, and two students are chatting about what they
did last night. Prompter. You need to get them back in track. Gently remind them
about what they should be doing. Find out if there is a problem.
d. Students are working in pairs, peer-editing a piece of writing. Tutor
e. It is time to wrap up the activity. Controller

7) Unscramble the mixed up words in the following sentences.

a. Rapport is about the RELATIONSHIP between the teacher and students.

 b. Students’ PERCEPTION of the teacher is important in building rapport.
c. Teachers need to know and understand students’ CHARACTERISTICS.
d. Nothing demotivates students more than a DISMISSIVE teacher.
e. Respecting your students includes recognising their different PREFERENCES.
f. You should be equally ENTHUSIASTIC about ALL your students.

PART 4: MATERIALS & ACTIVITIES IN CLT

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES
8) True or False?

a. Coursebooks nowadays tend to use genuinely authentic texts. FALSE

b. Created materials are seen as more motivating for students. TRUE
c. Teachers are in the best position to decide whether or not to use authentic
materials. TRUE
d. Teachers should pick and choose from an assigned coursebook. TRUE

9) Complete the following table showing the differences between Task and Exercise.
TASK EXERCISE
a. L anguage use is free. Has a  Has a restrictive focus on a single language
communicative outcome. element and a linguistic outcome
 Focuses on multiple skills b. Focuses on a single skill
 Is context-bound c. There is no reference to context
d. Is communicative and usually authentic.  Is not communicative and not authentic
 Is meaningful and focuses on content e. There is no reference to context.
f. Correction or feedback is delayed and is  Correction or feedback happens almost
done through awareness-raising. immediately after the task.
10) Choose the correct answer.
a. Information-gap activities are designed for the whole class.
b. Information-gap activities are designed for groups.
c. Information-gap activities are designed for pairs.

11) Choose the correct answer.

a. A mingle activity can be time-bound or task-bound.

b. A mingle activity takes a lot of time.

c. A mingle activity involves getting into groups.

12) Choose the correct answer.

a. Spot the difference is a jigsaw activity.

b. Jigsaw activities can involve two stages with different group formations.

c. In a jigsaw activity, students take information presented in one form and transform
it to a different form.