Tutorial Week 9 i) Suitable communicative activities for pupils. ii) Reflect on strengths and weaknesses of the communicative approach.

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

Maria James Rethna Gorettie Jessica Emily

Communicative Approach
Emphasizes on meaningful communication not the structural syllabus.

In this approach, students are given tasks to accomplish using language, instead of studying the language.
The class becomes more student- centered as students accomplish their tasks with other students, while the teacher plays more of an observer role. Classroom should provide opportunities for rehearsal of real-life situations and provide opportunity for real communication.

Communicative Activities
Communicative activities include any activities that encourage and require a learner to speak with and listen to other learners, and the community. Communicative activities have real purposes: to find information, break down barriers, talk about self, and learn about the culture. Communicative activities should be integrated into the lesson of reading or writing skills.

Examples of Communicative Activity

Role Play Interviews Information Gap Games Language Exchanges Surveys Pair Work

Communicative Activity
1. Matching: Picture
Age level : 6-9 years old Grouping: pairs or small groups In this activity: Students match pictures. Students are shown a picture with two possible captions and indicate which one is correct. Students are shown two or three pictures and a sentence, which relates to one picture where students must indicate which picture is referred to in the sentence. Students indicate with a yes/no or true/false card at the end of a simple statement.

During each of the above activities students should: be in pairs or small groups to facilitate discussion have an opportunity to discuss and decide on their choice be asked to justify or give reason for the choice.

Role Play
Lesson plan Work sheet

Communicative Approach
Strengths
Emphasis on meaning (messages they are creating or task they are completing)
Active modes of learning, including pair work and groupwork Classroom activities maximise opportunities for learners to use target language Develop oral and listening skills

Weaknesses
Less attention in form (correctness of language and language structure)
Noisy classroom

Learners trying their best to use the language creatively and spontaneously are bound to make errors
Constant correction is unnecessary - form of language becomes secondary.

Strengths Fun and interesting for learners

Provides opportunity to use authentic materials

Weaknesses More time is needed for planning and preparation of activities.

Communicative activities can pose challenges in assessment

REFERENCES
BICS & CALP Explained by Jim Cummins http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/bicscalp.html Communicative Language Teaching: An Introduction and Sample Activitieshttp://www.cal.org/resources/digest/gallow01.htm Communicative Language Teaching article http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/comlangteach/index.htm The Advantages of Communicative Language Teaching http://iteslj.org/Articles/Belchamber-CLT.html