Communicative Approach

Communicative Language Teaching

A Very Brief History (video):Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)• The late 1960s saw a shift in focus from the Audiolingual Method to CLT teaching.

• This shift evolved partly as a result of studies carried out by the Council of Europe, which sought to identify the language needed in a variety of social situations by someone immigrating to Common Market countries. The studies evaluated how language itself is used--how native speakers of a language express themselves in various situations. The studies had a major impact on the teaching of English as a foreign language. Teachers and curriculum designers began to look at content, at the kind of language needed when greeting or shopping. The emphasis on form, on explicitly learning grammar rules or practicing grammatical patterns, was downplayed in favor of an approach designed to meet learners' needs when using the language in daily , real life interactions.

• There is no single text or authority on communicative language teaching. It’s an approach that aims to make communication the goal of language teaching. Several models have evolved around this principle, such as: Communicative Approach (CLT), Total Physical Response, Natural Approach, and Competency-Based Approaches. As you will see, these approaches overlap. Communicative activities particularly are impossible to pin down to only one approach.

Communicative ApproachBackground

• The emphasis is placed on using the target language to accomplish a function such as complaining, advising, or asking for information. Attention is also paid to the

social context in which this function takes place. For instance, different language will be used when complaining to a teacher than when complaining to a close friend.

Distinguishing Features• All four language skills are taught from the beginning. In speaking skills the aim

is to be understood, not to speak like a native. In the sequencing of lessons, priority is given to learner interests and needs. This is in contrast to a grammar driven method which may start with verb tenses, and work through from the present simple to the conditionals. In the Communicative Approach, if a learner needs to know how to give advice ("If I were you, I would ....") then this conditional is taught. Interaction between speakers and listeners or readers and writers is at the root of all activities. Pairs or groups for role play, information sharing, or problem solving are favored.

{Figure 2.2 - excerpt from Skills for Learning by the University of Malaya: a problem-solving activity.

Source:http://www.academia.edu

Figure 2.1A Comparison: Distinguishing Features of Three Approaches to Language Teaching

Figure 2.2 From Skills for Learning. University of Malaya Press, 1980.Warm-up Activity

Find a solution:a) in words onlyb) in a drawingc) in a chart

CLT Considerations• CLT will challenge your creativity to set up situations in which your students

can demonstrate their competency in the four language skills. Group work is basic to this demonstration.

• Logistical difficulties: How to organize groups/pairs? Can you work outside? Is it possible to use the library? Can you set up a reward system to encourage quick transitions into groups?

• Encountering resistance to group work from students. Some of the better students may resent having to "share" their skills and grades. Some of the less motivated students may take the opportunity to do even less work. Your grading policy for group work will have to be spelled out and you will need to monitor that everyone is contributing to the group effort. You should also leave the time and the opportunity to earn grades for individual work.

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Source: Richards, J. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today (p. 14). New York, New York: Cambridge University Press.

Accuracy Versus Fluency Activities

• One of the goals of CLT is to develop fluency in language use. Fluency is natural language use occurring when a speaker engages in meaningful interaction and maintains comprehensible and ongoing communication despite limitations in his or her communicative competence. Fluency is developed by creating classroom activities in which students must negotiate meaning, use communication strategies, correct misunderstandings, and work to avoid communication breakdowns. Fluency practice can be contrasted with accuracy practice, which focuses on creating correct examples of language use.

Source: Richards, J. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today (p. 14). New York, New York: Cambridge University Press.

Fluency Natural use of language

focus on achieving communication

Meaningful use of language

Use of communication strategies produce language that may not be predictable

Links language use to context

Accuracy Focus on the formation of

correct examples of language

Practice language out of context

Practice small samples of language

Doesn’t require meaningful communication

Control choice of language

Accuracy vs. Fluency

CLT Methodology• Emphasis on pair/group work• Use of authentic materials/situations• Provides cultural information• Process vs. product oriented• Focus on social aspect of learning L2• Embedding real-life context• Focus on negotiation of meaning

vs. accuracy

8 Core Principles of CLT1. Learner autonomy2. Social nature of learning3. Curricular integration (e.g. the connection between

curriculum and text-based learning, etc.)4. Focus on meaning5. Diversity6. Thinking skills (i.e. higher-order thinking skills)7. Alternative assessment(s) (e.g. observation,

interviews, journals, portfolios)8. Teachers as co-learners_________________________________________________

Source: Richards, J. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today (p. 25). New York, New York: Cambridge University Press.

CLT Classroom ActivitiesRole-play Interviews Information gapGamesLanguage exchangesSurveysPair-workLearning by teaching• Grammar quizzes, or homework exercises can also be occasionally used.

• “William Glasser's "control theory" exemplifies his attempts to empower students and give them voice by focusing on their basic, human needs: Unless students are given power, they may exert what little power they have to thwart learning and achievement through inappropriate behavior and mediocrity. Thus, it is important for teachers to give students voice, especially in the current educational climate, which is dominated by standardization and testing (Simmons and Page, 2010).”

Source: Wikipedia

Activity: Hot Air Balloon… with an Alien!

Activity Objectives• Writing & speaking skills• Reported speech practice• Creativity exercise• L2 Confidence building• Peer editing

Target demographic:*Intermediate L2 Students (grades 7, 8, 9)

Activity: Hot Air Balloon… with an Alien!

Activity Tasks (w/partner)• Imagine

What will you see?• Write a story.• Tell the class your story.• Edit with another pair.

Imagine: You take a tour over Seoul.

Imagine: You fly over Jamsil Stadium.

Imagine: What’s going on? What do you see?

Imagine: Time to go back home.

Write: Create a story!

Include:• Title of Story• 1 Paragraph (5+ sentences) • Write your story.• Organization: -topic sentence

-supporting sentences-concluding sentence

Speak: Tell your story!

Include:• Title of Story• 1 Paragraph (5+ sentences) • Tell the class your story.• Speech Requirements: -pronunciation

-articulation-pace & performance

Example 1:Three Cheers for Baseball

Aliens love baseball. Baseball has three unique characteristics. The first thing is baseball brings humans together. Thousands of humans show up at a stadium to cheer for their favorite team. Yi Sang-han, a 23 year old student from Sejong University who lives in Seoul, Korea, told me, “The best part of my week is coming to Jamsil Stadium to cheer for my favorite team, the Doosan Bears.”

Example 2:My Alien Friend is Cool

Leaving Seoul in a hot air balloon was a great adventure. My alien friend, Alien Adam, gave me some good alien food. He also told me about his alien home. He asked me about earth and about things like baseball, cars, spaceships and camping. He said that he saw a human spaceship traveling past his home before. He said that he wants to visitearth and go camping and… have a fun bbq.

Review: Partner edit

Tasks:• Make corrections• Read aloud 3 X • Read the class the edited story Organization: -(?) topic sentence

-(?) supporting sentences-(?) concluding sentence

References Source: Richards, J. (2006). Communicative

Language Teaching Today (p. 14). New York, New York: Cambridge University Press.http://www.cambridge.org/other_files/downloads/esl/booklets/Richards-Communicative-Language.pdf

http://www2.vobs.at/ludescher/Alternative%20methods/communicative_language_teaching.htm

http://www.academia.edu/4743392/Communicative_Language_Teaching_theories_lesson_plan_and_application

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicative_language_teaching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AazPkAD-65w

Ryan McCoy