What is Communicative Language Teaching in English Language Teaching?
What is Communicative Language Teaching in English Language Teaching?
Teaching Environment
Brief Background History of Communicative Language Teaching
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emerged in the 1970s as a response to the limitations of traditional grammar-translation and audio-lingual approaches to language teaching. CLT was developed based on the belief that language is primarily used for communication, and that language teaching should focus on developing learners’ ability to use language effectively in real-life situations.
Communicative language teaching aims broadly to make communication competence the goal of language teaching. CLT is fuzzy in the teacher’s understanding. This fuzziness has given CLT flexibility which has allowed it to endure for thirty years. Giving direction is the target language. Paraphrases use in this method. It was developed in the early 1980s.
Here is a brief background history of CLT with references:
Þ In the 1970s, researchers and educators began to criticize traditional language teaching approaches for their overemphasis on grammar and rote learning, and their neglect of communicative competence (Canale & Swain, 1980).
Þ The concept of communicative competence was introduced by Dell Hymes (1972), who argued that language proficiency involves not only knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, but also the ability to use language effectively in a variety of social contexts.
Þ In the 1980s, CLT emerged as a new approach to language teaching that emphasized the use of language for communication, and focused on the development of learners’ communicative competence (Littlewood, 1981).
Þ The communicative approach was further developed in the 1990s, with the introduction of task-based language teaching (TBLT), which emphasized the use of authentic tasks and activities to develop learners’ communicative competence (Willis & Willis, 2007).
Þ Today, CLT and TBLT remain popular approaches to language teaching and are widely used in language classrooms around the world (Richards & Rodgers, 2014).
In conclusion, CLT emerged as a response to the limitations of traditional language teaching approaches and emphasized the importance of communication and the development of communicative competence in language learning.
What is communicative language teaching?
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach to language teaching that emphasizes the use of language for communication and focuses on the development of learners’ communicative competence in real-life situations. Here are some scholarly definitions of CLT with references:
“Communicative Language Teaching is an approach to language teaching that emphasizes the use of language for communication and seeks to develop learners’ communicative competence in real-life situations” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p. 145).
“Communicative Language Teaching emphasizes the use of language for communication and focuses on developing learners’ communicative competence through authentic and meaningful activities” (Nunan, 1991, p. 47). “Communicative Language Teaching is an approach to language teaching that emphasizes the use of language in real-life situations and focuses on the development of learners’ communicative competence, which includes linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence” (Canale & Swain , 1980 , p. 4).
“Communicative Language Teaching is a method of teaching foreign languages emphasizing the use of language for communication in authentic situations and the development of learners’ communicative competence” (Richards & Schmidt, 2010, p. 188).
Ñ ”Communicative Language Teaching is an approach to language teaching that emphasizes the use of language for communication, interaction, and negotiation of meaning in authentic contexts, and seeks to develop learners’ communicative competence through task-based activities” (Ellis , 2003 , p.94).
In conclusion, these definitions highlight the key features of CLT, which include an emphasis on the use of language for communication, the development of learners’ communicative competence, and the use of authentic and meaningful activities in real-life situations.
The Principles or Features of Communicative Language Teaching
1. Authentic language, in a real-life context
2. Being able to figure out the speaker or writer’s intentions
3. The target is a vehicle for classroom communication
4. Process of communication rather than just mastery of language forms
5. Learning about cohesion and coherence
6. Language at the discourse or suprasegmental level
7. Group Working
8. Opportunity to express their ideas and opinions
9. Errors are tolerated and seen as a natural outcome
10. The teacher’s responsibility is to promote a communicative environment
11. Communicative interactions make the cooperative relationship
12. Communicative events
13. Learning to use language forms
14. The teacher acts as facilitation setting up communicative activities and as an advisor during the activities
15. Vocabulary and grammar can be learned through the function, situational context, context and the roles of interlocutors
16. Enable students to communicate in the target language
17. Students need to know linguistic forms, meanings, and functions
18. The student seems more responsible to learn by himself
19. Students are all communicators
20. Students feel motivated
21. Communicative Competence
What is Communicative Language Teaching in English Language Teaching?
Communitive competence
The theory of language of the communicative language teaching
1. The functional theory of language: The functional theory of language is a perspective on language that focuses on how language is used in social contexts to achieve communicative goals. This theory emphasizes that language is not just a system of rules or a set of isolated skills, but is instead a means of expressing meaning and achieving social functions. Here are some key features and concepts of the functional theory of language:
∞ A language is a social tool: The functional theory of language views language as a social tool that is used to interact with others and achieve communicative goals.
∞ Communication is the primary function of language: The main function of language is to communicate meaning and convey messages to others.
∞ Language is context-dependent: The meaning of language is dependent on the social and cultural context in which it is used.
∞ Language is functional: Language serves specific functions in social interactions, such as expressing feelings, making requests, giving information, and so on.
∞ Language use is goal-directed: Speakers use language to achieve specific goals or purposes, such as persuading, informing, entertaining, or expressing emotions.
∞ Language is multi-modal: The functional theory of language recognizes that communication involves not only spoken or written language, but also non-verbal cues, such as gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
∞ Language varies across contexts: The way language is used varies depending on the social context, the participants, and the communicative goals.
2. Language is means of communication: Indeed, language is a means of communication. It is a system of symbols, words, and grammar rules that enables humans to communicate and convey meaning to one another. Language allows us to express our thoughts, feelings, and ideas to others, and to understand what others are expressing to us. It plays a crucial role in social interactions, enabling us to connect with others, build relationships, and cooperate in various activities. Without language, human communication would be severely limited, and many aspects of human life and society would be impossible.
3. Language is context dependent: Language is context-dependent, which means that the meaning of language is influenced by the social and cultural context in which it is used. The same word or sentence can have different meanings in different contexts, depending on the participants, the setting, and the communicative goals.
For example, the word “bank” can refer to a financial institution, a river bank, or a place where airplanes make turns on the runway, depending on the context. Similarly, the sentence “Can you give me a hand?” can mean “Can you help me?” or “Can you physically give me a hand?”, depending on the context.Understanding the context is crucial for interpreting the meaning of language, and for using language effectively in social interactions.
4. Language is social phenomenon: language is a social phenomenon, which means that it is shaped and influenced by social factors such as culture, society, and history. Language is not an individual property, but rather a shared resource that is learned and used by members of a community to communicate with one another. Language reflects and reinforces the values, norms, and beliefs of the community in which it is used, and is closely linked to social identity and group membership.
For example, people who speak the same language may share a sense of belonging and cultural identity, and may use language to establish and maintain social relationships.Conversely, language differences can create barriers and tensions between different groups, and can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.
5. Involve interaction: Language involves interaction between individuals or groups, and is a tool for social communication. Language is used to exchange information, express emotions, negotiate meanings, and establish and maintain social relationships. Language interaction can take many forms, such as conversations, debates, interviews, storytelling, and collaborative activities.
Interaction is essential for language learning and development, as it provides opportunities for learners to practice and receive feedback on their language skills, and to engage with diverse perspectives and experiences.The interactional nature of language also implies that communication is a joint process that involves both speakers and listeners, and that effective communication requires mutual understanding and cooperation. Therefore,
6. Learning is the cognitive process: learning is a cognitive process, which means that it involves mental activities such as attention, perception, memory, and reasoning. Cognitive processes are the mental operations that enable learners to acquire, organize, and use information and knowledge. Learning involves not only the acquisition of new information or skills, but also the integration and transformation of existing knowledge and mental representations.
7. Linguistics theory: Linguistics theory refers to the set of principles, models, and frameworks that are used to describe and explain the structure, function, and use of language. Linguistics theory is an interdisciplinary field that draws on insights from various disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and computer science.
There are many types of functions in communicative language teaching
A. Instrumental function: to get things
B. Regulatory function: to control the behaviors of others
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has several advantages:
1. Develops communicative competence: CLT focuses on developing learners’ ability to communicate in real-life situations, which helps them to become more competent and confident in using the language.
2. Learner-centered approach: CLT places the learner at the center of the learning process, which means that learners have more control over their learning and can develop their own learning strategies.
3. Encourages active learning: CLT emphasizes the importance of learners’ active participation in the learning process through interactive tasks and communicative activities, which can enhance their motivation and engagement.
4. Promotes authentic language use: CLT emphasizes the use of authentic materials and contexts, which helps learners to develop their language skills in a more natural and meaningful way.
5. Fosters intercultural communication: CLT encourages learners to use the language to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds, which can promote intercultural understanding and tolerance.
6. Provides opportunities for feedback: CLT provides learners with regular opportunities to receive feedback on their language use, which can help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and improve their language skills.
Disadvantages
While Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has many advantages, it also has some potential disadvantages:
Limited focus on grammar: CLT may place less emphasis on explicit grammar instruction compared to other approaches, which could lead to learners having gaps in their knowledge of the language.
Time-consuming: CLT activities often require more preparation and time compared to traditional teaching methods, which can be challenging for teachers who are already overloaded with other responsibilities.
Language proficiency level: CLT may not be suitable for beginners or learners who need to focus on developing basic language skills, as it requires learners to have some prior knowledge of the language.
Difficulty in assessing progress: CLT activities often involve open-ended and subjective tasks, which can make it difficult to assess learners’ progress and achievement.
Teacher’s role: CLT places a greater responsibility on the teacher to facilitate learning and provide appropriate feedback, which can be challenging for teachers who are not trained in this approach.
Limited applicability in certain contexts: CLT may not be suitable for certain contexts, such as exam-focused settings or workplaces where specific language skills are required.
communicative language teaching
References:
Ø Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1-47.
Ø Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
Ø Nunan, D. (1991). Language teaching methodology: A textbook for teachers. Prentice Hall.
Ø Richards, JC, & Rodgers, TS (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Ø Richards, JC, & Schmidt, RW (2010). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics (4th ed.). Pearson.
Ø Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In JB Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics (pp. 269-293). Penguin Books.
Ø Littlewood, W. (1981). Communicative language teaching: An introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Ø Richards, JC, & Rodgers, TS (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Ø Willis, J., & Willis, D. (2007). Task-based language learning: Putting principles to practice. Pearson Longman.
Ø Halliday, MAK (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Edward Arnold.
Ø Halliday, MAK (1994). An introduction to functional grammar (2nd ed.). Edward Arnold.
Ø Searle, JR (1969). Speech acts An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge University Press.
Ø Slobin, DI (1996). From “thought and language” to “thinking for speaking”. In JJ Gumperz & SC Levinson (Eds.), Rethinking linguistic relativity (pp. 70-96). Cambridge University Press.
